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Home , Battle of Borodino, Battle of Leipzig, Continental System, Hundred Days

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses Overreaches  French Empire at its height  THREE key strategic mistakes follow MISTAKE #1 - Blockades  After loss at Trafalgar Napoleon is stuck:  Cannot invade Britain.  GB emerging as important center of Industry in Europe  Napoleon uses economic warfare 

 The  Blockade of all continental European ports  Forbade all nations from trade & communication with Britain  Dual purpose:  Make Europe more self-sufficient  Destroy GB’s commercial & industrial economy

Blockades  Continental System “leaks”  Smugglers (aided by GB) get through  Other European nations disregard

– British (with stronger navy) blockade French ports & forbade nations from trade with  Force ships bound for France to stop & be searched in GB first  This included U.S. ships Blockades

?  England didn’t have conscription  Impressment was upheld by British courts to ensure stability of British forces.  The impressment of Americans caused tension between Britain and the US…leading to…?  In 1814, Britain ended the practice, and never resumed it (after defeating Napoleon). MISTAKE #2 The (1808)

refused to participate in Continental Blockade…  Napoleon sends troops across to attack Portugal, causing protest  Napoleon removes king of Spain & installs his brother as king more anger  Spanish also worried he would attack the Church & weaken it (as he had in France)

The Peninsular War (1808 - 1814)

 Spanish fight as guerrillas—small groups that attacked and then disappear ()  British aid Spanish guerrillas  Napoleon loses 300,000 soldiers during this Peninsular War  Nationalist rebels throughout Europe fight the French within France’s empire.

“Third of May, 1808” by Goya (1810) The Peninsular War: repercussions  Spain’s nationalism spreads  Other’s in Europe (notably Germany & Italy), who had at first welcomed Napoleon, turn against the French MISTAKE #3 (the most costly) – The Invasion of (1812) Why Invade?  Tsar Alexander I – Leader of Russia & Napoleon’s ally  Russia had lots of Raw Materials but few ways of manufacturing them.  Continental System hurt Russia  Denied trade that was essential for Russia’s economy  Refused to stop selling grain to GB  France & Russia both had designs on Poland Napoleon’s Greatest Blunder The Invasion of Russia (1812)  Russia pulls out of Continental System -  1812: Napoleon decides to invade Russia  massed his forces in Poland to intimidate Alexander.  In late June Napoleon’s Grand —about 600,000 men, invaded Russia The Invasion of Russia

 Russia refuses to meet France’s larger army in an unequal  They continually pull back into Russia  Russians employ scorched-earth policy: destroying crops, livestock, everything!  This leaves NOTHING for French troops  Supply lines become GREATLY overextended Invasion of Russia  Sept. 7 - the French catch up with the Russian army at Borodino  The was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the , involving more than 250,000 soldiers and resulting in 30,000 FR casualties (& 40,000 RUS)  The French are “victorious”  At the cost of 49 general officers and thousands of men.  The Russian army is able to disengage, leaving the French without the decisive victory Napoleon sought. Invasion of Russia

 Sept. 14 - Napoleon’s enters  Problem  Rather than surrendering “The Holy City” - Russians abandon Moscow & set it on fire  Fire destroys the greater part of the town  Tsar Alexander refused to meet or discuss peace with Napoleon Invasion of Russia: known in Russia as the Patriotic  His troops exhausted, with few rations, no winter clothing, and his remaining horses in poor condition, Napoleon was forced to retreat  Onset of winter made retreat disastrous  Russian guerilla raiders mercilessly attack  Only 27,000 fit soldiers remained to France  The Grand Armée had lost approx. 380,000 men dead and 100,000 captured

French National Anthem Cue up at 5:20 & 13:55 Tchaikovsky - Invasion of Russia

Napoleon’s Downfall  Napoleon’s failure caused many European states to defy Napoleon.  Britain, Russia, , Austria & Prussia join forces against France  Battle of : “Battle of the Nations” (October 1813), Napoleon’s (undertrained) Grand Armée was torn to shreds.

Napoleon’s Downfall  January 1814 France being attacked on all its frontiers.

was captured in March 1814  Napoleon wants to fight on -- his generals refuse  Napoleon *abdicates* in April.  Treaty of exiles Napoleon to  He had sovereignty over the island and was allowed to retain his title of .

What happened to France ?  Louis XVIII: Brother of Louis XVI takes the throne  Unpopular due to suspicion of wanting to undo the Revolution’s land reforms What were the ?

 Napoleon seizes on this news & escapes from Elba  Joyously welcomed back on March 1, 1815  1,000s join army  Again rules as Emperor Where was Napoleon finished off?  June 1815 in Belgium  British (Duke of Wellington) & French fight to stalemate most of the day  arrives late afternoon  Napoleon defeated  Napoleon’s last battle. He is captured and imprisoned.  The Hundred Days are over After Waterloo  Napoleon exiled to the island of in the Atlantic Ocean  1,000 mi. from any major landmass.  After 6 years, he died as a prisoner  (writer): “He was as great as a man can be without virtue”

Europe looks for lasting peace

 Congress of  A desire for security & stability for Europe  Attended by the “great powers”: Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, Austria & France Goals of the

 Host: Prince of Austria  Distrusted democratic ideals of French Rev.  Three Goals  Prevent future French aggression by surrounding it with strong countries  Restore a Balance of Power – no country a threat to others  Restore Europe's royal families to their thrones

Steps taken to strength countries:

 Former Austrian & Dutch Republic united to form the Kingdom of the Netherlands  The 39 German states were joined to form the German Confederation (dominated by Austria)  Switzerland recognized as an independent nation  The (Italy) was strengthened by addition of Genoa Europe – Before and After the Congress of Vienna

Steps taken about France

 Wanted to weaken France / but not leave it powerless  If France was severely punished, it might seek revenge  If France broken up, a neighboring country might get too strong

 So: they did NOT exact a great price from France Steps taken about European monarchies

 Affirmed principle of legitimacy  Restored ruling families of France, Spain, Italian kingdoms & central Europe

A European First!  First time that European countries had acted together to control political affairs

Legacy  Stability:  No European war for 38 years ( – GB & France vs. Russia)  No World Wars between 1815 - 1914.  Absolute Monarchies – Eastern Europe  Constitutional Monarchies – England & France  Holy Alliance - Russia, Austria & Prussia pledge to treat other nations based on Christian principles to combat forces of revolution  Metternich issued the Carlsbad Decrees (1819) - Stifled Enlightenment ideas & freedom in German States.  - Pledge that all European Nations would help if a revolution broke out  Eglise du Dome (Church Dome)

 Napoleon's tomb ---- in 7 coffins - red porphyry, iron, mahogany, lead, ebony, oak, marble