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Italian Campaign 🟢
1796-1797: Napoleon and his soldiers defeat the Austrian armies and take control of the majority of northern Italy. This success makes Napoleon more powerful and a popular military figure. -
Egyptian Campaign 🔴
Napoleon and his soldiers are defeated at the Battle of the Nile by the British navy under Admiral Horatio Nelson. Napoleon abandons his troops in Egypt, returns to France, and lied to France about winning hence earning a hero’s welcome. -
Consulate 🟢
Napoleon goes from being a popular military general to a political figure, overthrows the Directory, and he creates a three-man governing board called the Consulate. This new system got rid of the unsuccessful Directory and established a stronger government presence. -
Banque de France 🟢
Created by Napoleon to help the French economy after a long period of unstable war times. It was successful in helping the French economy. -
Concordat of 1801 🟢
Napoleon put the Concordat of 1801 in action to make peace with the Catholic Church and help his own regime. It got rid of the previous Catholic erasure of the French Revolution and recognized the Catholic religion in the French state. -
Consul for Life 🟢
Napoleon took the title of First Consul in 1800 and two years later he named himself consul for life. This shows the growth of Napoleon’s political power and his want to be a political leader. -
Declared Self Emperor 🟢
Napoleon acquires the title of emperor after obtaining enough political power. During his ceremony to be crowned emperor, he refused to let Pope Pius VII crown him and instead crowned himself and his wife Josephine as Emperoress. This is an important achievement for Napoleon because he is crowned the most powerful leader in France. -
Napoleonic Code 🟡
Napoleon set up a code of laws that held principles of equality for citizens before the law, religious toleration, and the abolition of feudalism called the Napoleonic Code. Although it had many good things, it also reversed some reforms of the French Revolution like women's rights. -
Battle of Trafalgar 🔴
Napoleon attempted to invade Britain but was defeated by the British navy and British Admiral Horatio Nelson off the southwest coast of Spain. -
Continental System 🔴
Due to Napoleon not being able to invade Britain, he attacked its economy by blockading European ports to British trade. Britain followed in suit. The attempt to destroy Britain’s economy failed due to its trade routes in India and the Americas. The French economy plummeted which caused prices to raise greatly and anger to boil in the French population. -
Abolition of the Holy Roman Empire 🟢
Napoleon annexed parts of Europe and completely abolished the Holy Roman Empire. He turned it into the Confederation of the Rhine which was led by 38 members and held under French protection. This caused nationalism to rise in France. -
Resistance in Spain 🔴
The Spanish were unhappy with being under Napoleon’s harsh rule. Resistance flared in Spain due to intense nationalism. Spainiards used guerilla warfare against the French and attacked supply trains and troops. This kept troops from being where Napoleon needed them which weakened his army. -
Invasion of Russia 🔴
Napoleon and Tsar Alexander I were once allies and agreed to divide Europe between France and RusSia but the tsar withdrew after realizing that it hurt the economy too much and Napoleon was greed with the land division. Napoleon responded to this by invading Russia in 1812. He underestimated the amount of food and supplies and the brutality of Russian winters. Even though Napoleon had captured Moscow, he and what was left of his army were forced to retreat due to weather and lack of supplies. -
Battle of the Nations at Leipzig 🔴
A new alliance was formed with Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia against France. Napoleon was defeated by them in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig. This destroyed Napoleon and caused him to step down from power the next year. -
Abdication 🔴
After Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig he abdicated. He was exiled to Elba, an island in the Mediterranean. -
Hundred Days 🔴
March 1815-June 18, 1815: Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France early on in the Hundred Days. The French people celebrated his return and Louis XVIII (leader while Napoleon was gone) fled from France. Napoleon’s comeback was short lived though because at the end of the Hundred Days he was defeated at Waterloo by the alliance that defeated him the first time. -
Waterloo
After short comeback Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo, Belgium by British (lead by the Duke of Wellington) and Prussian (lead by General Blücher) forces. Napoleon is again forced into abdication and exile (St. Helen in the South Atlantic this time) and did not return.