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Italian Campaign (green)
Napoleon showed his brilliance as a military leader, winning battles while at a numbers disadvantage. This brought Napoleon both promotions and prestige. -
Egyptian campaign (red)
Napoleon attempted to disrupt British trade in India, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He abandoned his troops in Egypt after losing and returned to France. -
Consulate (green)
Napoleon’s coup d’etat led to the overthrow of the directory and the creation of the consulate, with Napoleon slowly gaining power as First Consul. This was another step in the direction of total control over France, which culminated in his emperorship. -
Banque de France (green)
Napoleon created the Banque de France to restore financial stability after the turmoil of the revolution. The stability that it created helped the French people recover. -
Concordat of 1801 (green)
The Catholic Church was allowed back into France, however it did not regain the lands that it had lost and the French government remained in control of the church. This allowed the majority Catholic French population to worship their religion again. -
Consul for Life (green)
Napoleon consolidated his power, becoming the Consul for Life. This was a step in the process towards becoming the Emperor. -
Napoleonic Code (yellow)
The Napoleonic Code condensed all of French law into one document, greatly simplifying the old feudal law that was confusing due to the exceptions for nobility and because it varied from area to area. It enforced the rule of law and introduced promotion based on merit. However, it eliminated many of the freedoms brought by the revolution, especially for women. -
Declared self emperor (green)
Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France. This coronation helped make his reign more legitimate and paved the way for his heirs to continue to rule France. -
Battle of Trafalgar (red)
British Admiral Lord Nelson defeated the combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Cape Trafalgar. This battle established British sea dominance, preventing Napoleon from invading Britain. -
Abolished Holy Roman Empire (green)
Holy Roman Emperor Francis II dissolved the Holy Roman Empire after Napoleon invaded and conquered its smaller western nations. This benefited Napoleon as it allowed him to create from it the Confederation of the Rhine, which was easier to govern than the hundreds of small nations that made up the western Holy Roman Empire. -
Continental System (red)
An economic embargo enforced by Napoleon that prevented British trade with continental Europe. It did not work well, as Britain just increased overseas trade. However, it pushed Napoleon’s allies away from him. -
Resistance in Spain (red)
Spanish guerrillas fought back against the French soldiers who had taken over their country. They eventually succeeded after Napoleon’s disastrous invasion of Russia left France weakened. The resistance left many French soldiers dead and many more trapped in Spain trying to hold on to the country. -
Invasion of Russia (red)
Napoleon invaded Russia to try to force them to reenter into the Continental System. The Russians used scorched earth tactics to slow Napoleon down, ultimately resulting in the burning of Moscow. Napoleon's army of 600,000 was reduced to 10,000, leaving France undefended. -
Battle of the Nations at Leipzig (red)
Napoleon, after losing the battle, was forced into exile by the victorious powers. This brought Louis XVIII into power in France, undoing nearly all of the reforms brought by the revolution. -
Hundred days (green)
Napoleon returns from exile in Elba and overthrows the king for 110 days. The reestablishment of the monarchy was stopped, but only temporarily. -
Battle of Waterloo (red)
Napoleon was defeated by the Seventh Coalition’s forces at the village of Waterloo. It would be Napoleon’s final battle. -
Abdication (red)
After losing the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was forced to abdicate. He was exiled to the island of Saint Helena.