BIOGRAPHY OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON 1st (1769-1821)

At outside, the war continues against Austria, Bonaparte conducts one second campaign of ltaly while another army is committed in Germany (1800): Austria is overcome and signs the treaty of Lunéville (February 9, 1801). The whole ltaly falls under the French domination. England isolated sign Peace from Amiens in March 1802. For the first time for ten years, France has known a general peace. Bonaparte is named consul with life in August 1802.

Bonaparte 1st Consul
by Girodet

But peace lasts only a little more than one year, England reopening the hostilities in May 1803. The royalists, seeking to reverse Bonaparte, foment a plot with Cadoudal in 1804. The caused emotion is the occasion of a new transformation of the mode: May 18, 1804, Bonaparte becomes emperor of the French under the name of Napoleon 1 er, and on December 2 with Our-Lady of Paris, it is crowned by the pope Pie Vll.

Crown with Notre-Dame
by Louis David

It is the return to a hereditary monarchical system, with a Court, an imperial nobility and an order of knighthood, the Legion of Honor. The imperial university east is created in 1808. Napoleon 1 st is supported by the French as long as it gains military victories. The third coalition founded in 1805 is marked by the disaster of Trafalgar what destroyes the project of Napoleon of invasion of England starting from camp of Boulogne on sea, but on the continent, the emperor carry out a campaign strike down (victory of Austerlitz in December 1805), the Austria must sign the treaty of Presbourg, which it cut down of territory significant. Germany is transformed by the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine (July 1806), it is the end of the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic.

Against the fourth coalition, Napoleon conducts two campaigns: the Prussia is overcome with Iena and Auerstadt (14 October 1806) and loses some territories with profit of a Poland recreate (Grand Duchy of Warsaw), the Russia is overcome with Friedland (14 June 1807) and the tsar Alexandre 1st must accept the peace and the French Alliance (treat of Tilsitt of July 1807). England remains alone in war against it and to asphyxiate it economically, Napoleon founds the continental Blockade in November 1806, but to make it more effective, it is obliged to hold all the European coasts: it thus annexes Portugal in 1807, and the Papal States in 1808. With this intention, France must invade Spain: Napoleon places on the Spanish throne his brother Joseph, which is at the origin of a revolt of the population and a long and difficult war for the French Army, and which ends in a failure. Napoleon indicator in difficulties in Spain, Austria takes again the weapons and forms with England the fifth coalition.

A striking down intervention of the emperor leads to the victory of Wagram (July 6, 1809): the treaty of Vienna dismembers Austria but makes of it also an ally of France. Napoleon, divorcing Joséphine de Beauharnais, indeed marries Marie-Louise of Austria in April 1810.

The annexation of Holland in 1810 and the north of Germany in 1811 gives to France a territorial extension ever reached (France of the 130 departments). The birth of one heir to the emperor, the king of Rome (March 1811), ensuring the dynastic succession to him, marks the climax of the napoleonian Empire.

Napoleon, Marie-Louise and
the King of Rome by Menjaud

However, the economic and financial consequences born from the war end up creating a general dissatisfaction. It is necessary to add to that the opposition of the clergy and the catholics when Napoleon, in conflict with the pope, the fact of removing from Rome in 1809 and retains it captive during four years. In Europe, the overcome countries start to raise the head, the French domination being more and more badly accepted and the rejected continental blockade. In 1812, it is the rupture with Russia and Napoleon launches out in a new campaign,he can't overcome the army Russian, he arrives nevertheless to Moscow in September, but he was constrained with retirement, this one himself transform into true rout with the passage of Bérézina.

This defeat raises all the European countries against France: a sixth coalition is formed at the beginning of 1813.Obliged to fight with forces decreased against higher enemies in a number, Napoleon obtains initially victories, but east demolishes in Leipzig (October 1813), which involves the invasion of France. Then begins the campaign from France, during which the emperor cannot face to the flood of united. Those are in Paris in March 1814 and Napoleon 1st must abdicate on April 6.

The treaty of Paris (May 1814) brings back France to its borders of 1792, and the emperor is relegated to the island of Elba, whereas Louis XVIII goes up on the throne. Less than one year later, Napoleon returns by surprise to France (1 er March 1815) and takes again the capacity. But this new experiment lasts only three months (Hundred Days - March 20 - June 22, 1815).

Good-byes with Fontainebleau

The European powers reforming a coalition against the emperor, the war begins again and ends in the French defeat of Waterloo (June 18, 1815). Napoleon abdicates one second time, and the English off-set it in a small island of the Atlantic, Sainte-Hélène, where he dies on May 5, 1821. To the second treaty of Paris (November 1815), France is brought back to its borders of 1790.

His1st burial with Ste Helene

Ashes of the Emperor were restored in France in 1840 and were deposited with the Invalids. His son François, known as the Eaglet, dead in 1832, joined there in 1940, Adolf Hitler having agree to return his mortal remains to France.

The tomb of the Emperor at the Invalids (Paris)

Legion of honor

I seek French / English voluntary translators .
Contact: webmaster@napoleon1er.com