The following year Napoleon becomes president of Italy and Senate declares him a first consul for life which was confirmed by another plebiscite, and the most important moment was peace with Great Britain in Amiens, although relations were extremely strained. For the first time France in the last ten years was not in the war.
Emperor of the French
Meanwhile, hero of our story has stunned Europe twice: by the execution of the Duke of Enghien and the proclamation of the French empire.
In January, the secret police has uncovered another plot against Napoleon in which allegedly participated Bourbons toppled the French royal family. He gave it to arrest the Duke of Enghien of the house of Bourbon, who was executed in March 1804.
Napoleon decided to solve this threat by restoration of hereditary monarchy in France, so he proclaimed himself the emperor of the French in May, and crowned himself December 2. At a ceremonial coronation, which was attended by Pope Pius VII., at crucial moment of the ceremony he took the crown from the Pope's hands and put it on his head. Thus he showed that his imperial power does not come and does not depend on the will of God, and not on the authority of the Catholic Church.
This was the culmination of the former Napoleon's life story. Prove for that is the moment on the coronation ceremony when he whispered to his brother Joseph: “Wish that our father could see us now!”
However, not everyone welcomed Napoleon as Emperor. Many regarded him as a transmitter of ideas of the French Revolution, including the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven. His third symphony was completed in early 1804. At first he wanted to devote it to Napoleon. But when he heard that he established an empire, he gave up and called the symphony Heroic (Eroica).
Creating the empire hasn’t changed much in the French system of government, although the imperial power strengthened. The republican calendar was abolished and Bastille decline stopped celebrating. They changed the royal traditions, republic dependent on France became the kingdoms, and Napoleon proclaimed himself king of Italy.
The third anti-French coalition
All that England successfully used to put together the third coalition against France in 1805. Austria, Russia, Kingdom of both Sicily and Sweden were also part of it.
Karl von Mack, the only important Habsburg military leader that had not yet been defeated by the French, capitulated at Ulm. Great Britain has blocked overseas trade to France. Then Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated the French fleet on Cape Trafalgar in southern Spain. This forced Bonaparte to forever abandon the idea ofthe invasion of the British Isles and Great Britain cemented its position as master of the sea.
Maybe weak at the sea, the Emperor of the French was untouchable on land. In the battle of Austerlitz (now Slavkov near Brno), which is also known as “The three emperors battle” because it was all three emperor who commanded the operations: Napoleon, German Emperor Francis I and Russian Emperor Alexander I, Napoleon for less than eight hours fought the Austrian and the Russian army and won.
Here you can see all the grandeur of Bonaparte’s talent, guile and great attention that he gave to the enemy. He faked his retirement to the west and was waiting for the enemy's army in the field. He explained the tactic to his soldiers: “While the enemy is marching to besiege my right wing, he will present me their side wing." The battle took place just like Napoleon said: the Russians and Austrians tried to cut him off to Vienna and Napoleon deliberately weakened his right wing so that can be attacked there.
Russians and Austrians had to divide their army to attack the French units. Having committed this mistake, Russians and Austrians weaken their center where Bonaparte had the bulk of his army. On the day of the battle, 2 December, the French army stuck like a wedge into the opposition's center and they also split the left and right wing. Beating center, wings were destroyed after which followed the massacre of Russians because the French did not want to have the prisoners.
The next day the Francis I came personally to Napoleon and asked for peace, which was concluded in Bratislava on December 26 without the presence of the Russians. Austria lost Venice, Istria and Dalmatia. In Germany were formed Confederation of the Rhine made of 16 German states under Napoleon's protectorate. Emperor Francis I had to give up the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, which ceased to exist, and get the title of Emperor of Austria. Bourbon lost the Kingdom of Naples, and under their rule remained Sicily.
From bronze of captured cannons from the Battle was made pillar of the Great Army, which still adorns the Paris square Vendome. The highest officers of Napoleon shared two million gold francs, while widows were given permanent retirement.
Continuation of the Napoleonic domination
“If I had experienced the pleasure, I might be felt rested. But in front of me is always lurking danger, and today's victory is always forgotten because of preoccupation by the need to winning tomorrow.”
Napoleon, St. Helen, 1816
Quote that doesn’t seek further explanation: it best describes his restless nature, turbulent life which is handled by events more than he managed his Empire. This time Prussia woke up, alarmed by a sharp rise of power of France. It is enough to restore the coalition against France. The fourth in a row.
Napoleon wanted to attack the Prussians first, before Russians as allies come to help, but the Prussians are confidently, but tumbled, chaotically and uncoordinated went out to meet the French.
The first conflict happened on October 14 at two locations in Thuringia, Jena and Auerstedt, apart 25 kilometers. Napoleon was in Jena and he considered that is confronted with the bulk of the enemy forces, but it was only the right wing of the Prussian under the command of Prince von Hohenlohe. The Duke of Brunswick and much of the Prussian army were in Auerstedt, and marshal Davout opposed them.
Two battles were different from the position of the enemy, but had the same result: a landslide victory of the French. While in Jena superior force won a low-power, superior Prussian enemy in Auerstedt was twice as numerous, but the French Marshal overcame Brunswick with his genius maneuvers.
Sometimes even the emperors cry
Next two battles were with the Russians. The one at Eylau ended without a real winner, but stands out from others because of the great massacre at fifteen degrees below zero. Superior Russian artillery led by Bennigsen hit in overwhelming force; this Napoleon’s battle was with the most corpses and wounded people and animals at square meter of terrain. For French Emperor the Eylau battle was remembered as a symbol of war hell. He was sensitive to the blood and horror. The day after the massacre at the front Bonaparte is doing his best to bypasses corpses. One medic later said: “And then I saw that he cried.”
In the second battle, Napoleon had won a great victory. On June 14, on the anniversary of Marengo, he found Bennigsen at Friedland who allowed him to be pushed into the city on three sides surrounded by water, while the front was full of French people. And despite this, Napoleon was defeated mainly thanks to Russia's error. However, this is written as a great success which has led Napoleon to Treaty in Tilsit in 1807.
By this treaty, Russia has committed itself to respect the continental blockade of Great Britain which France forced upon, to leave the coalition and to enter into an alliance with France. Prussia had lost half of its former territory, which has received from Polish divisions. From that Napoleon created Duchy of Warsaw under his protectorate.
Polish problem
You probably are wondering now, where that Poland comes from? So far, nowhere mentioned, a still powerful Napoleon was its master. Well, the Polish kingdom disappeared in 1795 when the rest of its territory divided between Austria, Prussia and Russia. Directory was unable to prevent this which was criticized by Napoleon, after coming to power as the first consul, who said that Directory shown “cowardly timidity”.
In Italy in 1796 and 1797 polish officers fought under Napoleon and gained his respect. Now in 1806, Poles rose up on Bonaparte’s stimulus and expelled the Prussians and their units have joined the French army
and joined in battle against the Russians.
By that Napoleon was in an unclear situation, and such is made up of three things: the first is the fact that the emperor wanted to do something for Poland regardless of the geopolitical price. Another is opportunistic because the Poles had to serve the needs of France and the army, and the third is controversial because whatever he make for this country, apart from the actual reboot the kingdom as a sister republic, will not satisfy neither the French nor Polish patriots, whose motivation rise from the French Revolution. Napoleon explained all in one sentence: “The point is to encourage national feelings in Poland without waking liberal initiative. “
To make matters even more complicated, Napoleon while was in Poland met Maria Walewska, mistress that will gave him a son, Alexander. Pleas and petitions of her and other Polish patriots, little affected the French policy. Duchy of Warsaw was dependent country with French laws and the constitution, but is set to foundations Polish aristocratic political tradition.
Bonaparte will deliberately spread rumors about the possible resurrection of the original Polish homeland. It is not known exactly whether it was the firm intention or merely pragmatic willingness to obtain Poland's support in the form of funds and manpower. Certainly in some moments was about both.
Blockade
One of the key things that determines the time of the Empire and that has contributed to its collapse is continental blockade of Britain. This war enemy of 1803 constantly gives headaches to Bonaparte. As already stated, after the collapse of the French fleet at Trafalgar, Napoleon gave up on the invasion of this island country. The blockade was one of the ways to contribute to a possible collapse of this empire.
This decision Napoleon brought by the Berlin decree of 21 October 1806 which declared that the Britain is in the blockade, that prohibits any trade with England and that threatens confiscation of English goods and its ships. Great Britain, of course, responded to the blockade by blockade of the French port and the induction of control over maritime trade of all neutral countries.
Emperor did not take long to react to it: a decree from Milan of 21 November of the same year intensified blockade provision in a way that any ship that comes from the English port, from the English colonies, from countries occupied by England or just sailing in that direction can be put to confiscation.
Continental blockade was supported by the French bourgeoisie. He sought the support by preserving and promoting the freedom of economic power. He was successful: in the industry is increasingly used machinery and mechanization of production while wool production quadrupled. Trade is supported by the establishment of chambers of commerce.
Production at the countryside also increased thanks to the liberation of the peasants. Although Napoleon took from the French Revolution what was useful to the bourgeoisie, peasants also had the advantage because they had the land.
If you ever wondered which the main cause of all wars, conquering territory and the peace treaties, I'd say it's the economy, namely everything that is obtained from the oppressed countries. It was just like that with Napoleon. When concluding a peace treaty, he would always look for some economic benefits, such as customs facilities for French goods. He would impose immense contributions by pulling industrial raw materials from the dependent and semi-dependent countries. So all these victorious wars were an important source of revenue for the imperial treasury, and they are creating conditions for further development of the French economy.
Scandinavia and Finland
In addition to the blockade of the French port and the induction of control over maritime trade of any neutral country, the United Kingdom is to Bonaparte’s continental blockade responded also with naval attack on Denmark in 1807 because Britain could not take the risk of classification of neutral Denmark on the side of the French and Russians who are pressured to submit its fleet to Napoleon. By bombardment of Copenhagen and the capture of the Danish-Norwegian fleet, Great Britain secured the coast of North and Baltic Sea for its commercial fleet. This caused Denmark to join the war on the side of France in spite of a weak army that could lead only guerrilla naval wars.
Treaty in Tilsit Russian emperor promised to force Sweden to respect the continental blockade which was the occasion of the Russian attack on Finland (then part of the Kingdom of Sweden) in February 1808, while the next month Denmark gave an answer in the form of a declaration of war to Sweden. Napoleon sent auxiliary troops made up of the French, the Spaniards and the Dutch, led by Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, to help its ally Denmark.
The war was mainly led on the Swedish-Norwegian border, and the Congress in Erfurt ended it in October 1808, on which France and Russia confirmed their alliance and split Sweden into two parts separated by the Gulf of Bothnia. Thus, Russia won the East of Sweden and created the Grand Duchy of Finland.
Here we see a historical irony: in 1810 the king of Sweden as Charles XIV John of Sweden will become a Napoleon’s marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, founder of the Swedish dynasty Bernadotte. Before he will free him from serving to France, Napoleon asked him to never raise a weapon on France. This was refused, explaining that his obligations to Sweden would not allow it. Although this situation felt very absurd, Napoleon signed his emancipation with the words: “Go, and let our destinies be accomplished.”
Spain episode and consequences
Remains only the United Kingdom to win. As much as treaties signed, battles won on the mainland, the British Isles have always been at war with the Emperor of the French. In order to finally put an end to it, he had to destroy its markets in continental Europe.
That is, with the Portuguese violation of the continental blockade, was the main reason for the emperor's march to Spain. In cooperation with the Spanish, Napoleon sent to Portugal his army, and the King of Portugal fled to Brazil where he established the kingdom.
According to the agreement, the Portuguese territory was to be divided between France and Spain. But the Napoleon first conquered Portugal and decided to intervene in the struggle for the Spanish throne. Infiltrating the military in Spain strengthened its position, and took advantage of the disputes in the Spanish royal family and won Madrid. The royal family was sent to France, and to the throne of this country on the Iberian Peninsula in 1808 comes Napoleon's brother Joseph Bonaparte.
These times slowly shows fatigue of Napoleon and his firm hand. Even before Joseph took the crown, there was an uprising in Madrid that is suppressed. It was followed by other revolts in Asturias, Valencia, Castilla, Aragon, even in Portugal. Throughout the year of 1809 battles were led between the French on one side and the Spanish, the Portuguese and the English on the other. Against these guerrilla wars (Spanish, Guerilla - small war) Napoleon’s ability of winning regular armies did not work.
After hearing the news of the founding the fifth coalition, Napoleon had to withdraw most of his forces and return to France, a guerrilla war continued. At the end of 1810 most part of Spain was conquered, but it was not subdued.
The consequences: civil wars and revolutions throughout the Spanish colonies on the American territory. In Latin America were formed many military juntas and created mechanisms which ruled in the name of the deposed Ferdinand VII, which they consider their rightful monarch. Result: independents advocates declared victory, but Spain lost most of the colonies in the Americas except Cuba and Puerto Rico.
The fifth coalition
“All these wars ... did I chose them? Will it that they have always been in the nature and the force of things, in the competition of the past and the future, in that permanent coalition of our enemies, which constantly imposed to us obligation to fight, so we would not be defeated?”
Napoleon on St. Helen
Fifth coalition was the most desirable to Austria. Habsburg Emperor Francis I concluded that the only possible war can reclaim areas that Austria lost in Italy and Germany, as well as lost reputation in Europe.
Despite the great preparations for war, the court in Vienna was still desperately lo
oking for allies. Prussia was afraid, Russia still did not want to break the alliance concluded in Tilsit, so that the United Kingdom, already engaged in wars in the Iberian Peninsula, promised to send a small expedition to the northern coast of Europe to dragged a large part of the French army.
Already widely desperate, Austria decided on a couple of unexpected moves, namely the French innovation: the induction of a general national military service and self-sufficient military corps and tendency to encourage the German national spirit. The great risk it was, but Appeal to the German nation Friedrich Schlegel shared out among the army and wherever he could.
As for the army, Austria did something for the firs time: armed many soldiers, more than ever in its history and the strategy has been, at least in this country, quite unusual: a sudden attack on the French, at the same time on three separate, related areas in Poland, Italy and Germany. This cheeky and bold strategy will prove as false because Austria has taken too much too early. If Austria could concentrate only on the German front, she would win, because Napoleon also had problems: Spaniards are still rebelled, England was as persistent as before, but from its ally Russia did not get the support he had expected.
As I have already stated, part of his army had to be withdrawn from Spain. He formed the so-called German army over which he took command in April 1809. Napoleon had to boast to his colleague Roederer: “I always have only one passion, one mistress, France. With her I sleep and never let me down, it is very generous because it gives blood and treasure. If I need 500,000 people, it will give them to me.” Well, the homeland and the people were dissatisfied: mass mobilization sparked a rebellion in France, although among the 250,000 soldiers two fifths were French, and the rest of the army was made up of Germans, Italians, Dutch and Poles.
There is one unusual trait and on the French side: the Napoleon was waiting for the first attack, because only in this way he could activate defensive agreement concluded with the Russian emperor in Erfurt. Of course, the plan worked and the Russian Alexander I declared war on Austria in early May, but sent only token forces that should fight with the French in Poland because he fought against Sweden and Turkey.
Confusion, Confession and Conviction Page 30