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Napoleon conquered most of Northern Italy for France, which resulted in him developing a liking of power. -
Napoleon wanted to disrupt British trade with India, he led an expedition to Egypt in 1798. The Egyptian campaign was a disaster but he hid stories of the worst from his admirers in France. Although, this was a failure, he moved from victorious general to political leader. -
Napoleon helped overthrow the weak Directory and set up a three-man governing board known as the Consulate. -
Created by Napoleon to attempt to help the French economy recover after the French Revolution. -
He made peace with the Catholic Church through the Concordat of 1801. The Concordat meant that the Church was under state control. However, Catholics had religious freedom. -
In order to gain more power, and to demonstrate it, he made himself permanently part of the Consulate he helped create. -
The Napoleonic Code established equality of citizens before the law, religious toleration, and merit-based advancement. It also undid some reforms of the Revolution especially for women. -
Napoleon had gained enough power to assume the title of Emperor. He invited the pope to preside over his coronation in Paris. During the coronation, he took the crown out of the pope’s hands and crowned himself Emperor. -
British Admiral Horatio Nelson smashed the French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. -
As Napoleon was redrawing the map of Europe, he abolished the tottering Holy Roman Empire. Furthermore, he created a 38 member Confederation of the Rhine under French protection. -
The Continental System closed European ports to British goods. Both Britain and France seized neutral ships suspected of trading with the other side. This caused Britain to attack American ships which eventually triggered the War of 1812. -
Napoleon introduced reforms that sought to undermine the Spanish Catholic Church. The Spaniards remained loyal to their king. When Spaniards resisted the invaders, well-armed French forces responded. Moreover, this led to failure for Napoleon because large numbers of French soldiers were in Spain when they were needed elsewhere. -
After making a plan with the Napoleon to divide Europe, Tsar Alexander 1 was unhappy with the economic effects of the system. Soon later, Napoleon sent many soldiers to attack Russia. However, winter was coming and supplies and soldiers were decreasing. This became a huge failure for Napoleon. -
Napoleons recent disaster in Russia changed the course of the Napoleonic Wars. Russia, Britain, Austria, and Prussia formed a new alliance against a weakened France. Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig leading to his fall from power. -
Napoleon stepped down from power in 1814. The victors exiled him to Elba and then recognized Louis XVIII as king of France. Furthermore, he escaped from exile and returned to France. -
Napoleons triumph was short-live but his star soared for 100 days. However, the allies reassembled their forces. -
Napoleon’s opposing armies met near the town of Waterloo in Belgium. British forces and a Prussian army crushed the French in an agonizing day-long battle. Napoleon was forced to abdicate and to go into exile on St. Helena.