Napoleon's+Empire

= --Napoleon's Empire-- =

= -Rise to Power--- = By 1799, the Directory had lost control of the political situation the confidence of the French people. After returning from Egypt his friends urged him to take political control of France. He took action in November 1799, troops under his control surrounded the national legislature and drove out the majority of its members. The remaining members voted to dissolve the Directory, and set up a three consul sstem, Napoleon quickly assumed his role as the first consul and ruled as a dictator. At the time he took control, France was waging wars with Britain, Austria and Russia. The three joined forces with one goal in mind: to drive Napoleon out of power. By 1802, war was over and Napoleon returned to focusing on the order of France. At the beginning of his rule Napoleon tried to portray himself as a constitutionally chosen leader. In 1804, Napoleon wanted to become emperor, during his ceremony he took the crown from the Pope rather then traditional crowning by the Pope, this showed how Napoleon felt he was more powerful then the church.

= -Creating an Empire--- = Napoleon wasn't content with ruling solely France, He wanted too control Europe and re-itterate their presence in the Americas. In 1789, ideas of revolution reached French controlled Saint Domingue and resulted in the planters and enslaved africans wanting equal rights like the people of France. After civil war erupted the rebels proved to be fierce fighters and took control of Saint Domingue, after this loss Napoleon decided to cut his losses and sale his territory in America to the United States, this was called the "Louisana Purchase". Napoleon used this money to fund his plans to take over Europe. After turning his full attention to Europe, Napoleon annexed the Austrian Netherlands and parts of Italy, and also and a "puppet governement" established in Switzerland. The British, Russia, Austria, and sweden joined forces to stop France. Napoleon faced many battles and came out ahead the majority of the time, one major loss, which was more devastating then any of his land victories, was the "**Battle of Trafalgar**" in this naval defeat thr brilliant British commander, Horatio Nelson, figured out a way to split the French Fleet in half and captured many ships. After this battle, Napoleon knew he would have to figure another way to take over their nemesis across the English Channel. By 1812, much of Europe was in Napoleon's control except for: Britain, Portugal, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire. Though he had much land, he had problems keeping control of it all, which lead to the eventual collapse of the empire.

= ---The End of an Empire-- =

Toward the end of the empire, Napoleon made some costly mistakes, but he made three huge mistakes. 1. **The Continental System** in this move Napoleon tried to blockade Britian from the other European counties, however the blockade was weak and many of his allies disregarded it. **The Peninsular war** in and effort to get Portugal to except the continental system Napoleon sent an invasion thru Spain, this angered the Spanish people this led to guerrilla warfare Napoleon lost about 300,000 men during this war**. The invation of Russia** this mistake would cost him the most, both had views of Poland this broke down there alliance because of this Napoleon decided to invade Russia. In June, 1812 Napoleon and his army of 420,000 invaded Russia they pushed Russians back all the way back to Moskow, after turning back to go to France russian raiders attacked the unsuspecting French. Knowing the weak state of the French Army many countries declared on France. In April 1814, after the refusal to fight of his generals Napoleon surrendered and gave up his throne.