French Revolution & Napoleonic Empire: Key Events
The Removal of the Old Regime
The Work of the Constituent Assembly (1789-1791)
- The Constituent Assembly aimed to dismantle the Old Regime in France and draft a new constitution.
- In 1789, it passed the Decree on the Abolition of Feudal Rights, eliminating the tithe and jurisdictional privileges, and granting all citizens access to any public office.
- Subsequently, it drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, recognizing and guaranteeing personal freedoms, equality before the law, and the right to property.
- This marked the end of absolutism and the triumph of the liberal revolution.
- The Constitution was promulgated in 1791, culminating the revolutionary process. Its key features were:
- The political system was a constitutional monarchy. It recognized national sovereignty and the fundamental rights of citizens.
- Division of powers: legislative (Assembly), executive (King), and judicial (courts). The King retained veto power over laws.
- The Assembly would be elected by census suffrage: voters had to be at least 25 years old and possess a certain level of income or property.
- Decentralization of government: France was divided into 83 departments, increasing the importance of municipalities.
The Legislative Assembly (1791-1792) and Opposition to Reform
- The 1791 Constitution aimed to conclude the revolution.
- However, it provoked dissatisfaction among the masses (sans-culottes), who sought deeper changes in society and property ownership.
- The King and the privileged classes had only reluctantly accepted these changes, resenting the loss of royal sovereignty and privileges.
- The new Assembly, predominantly moderate, passed a decree against the property of émigrés and another removing clergy who refused to swear allegiance to the Constitution. The King vetoed these measures.
The War Abroad and the End of the Monarchy
- Austria and Prussia declared war against France in 1792.
- The royal family attempted to flee France in 1791 but was apprehended at Varennes and brought back to Paris.
- The allies approached Paris and threatened the population if the King and Queen were harmed. In 1792, the Tuileries Palace, the residence of the royal family, was stormed, and they took refuge in the National Assembly.
- This marked the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the Republic.
The Napoleonic Empire
Napoleon’s Work in France
The Consulate represented Napoleon’s personal rule, where he seized all power and prominence. He then initiated a series of reforms to strengthen liberalism in France:
- Modernizing the laws through the development of the Civil Code.
- Reforming the French economy by creating the Bank of France and the Commercial Code.
- Promoting public education.
- Establishing a new nobility based on civil and military merit.
Napoleon and Europe
Britain, fearing French hegemony, formed a Third Coalition with Austria and Russia. Napoleon transformed the Republic into an Empire to consolidate his position in France and sought support from Spain.
Despite victories and defeats, the Peace of Tilsit was reached, marking the zenith of Napoleon’s Empire.
From this point, Napoleon’s foreign policy had two main objectives: alliance with Russia and the isolation of Britain. He imposed the Continental Blockade, forbidding other European powers from trading with Britain.
Portugal refused to accept the blockade, so Napoleon decided to invade. During this campaign, he also invaded Spain in 1808. This initiated the War of Independence, which lasted five years and drained the Empire’s resources.
The situation became complicated when Russia broke its alliance with France and resumed trade with Britain. Napoleon’s response was the invasion of Russia in 1812, but he was defeated.
This marked the beginning of the end of the Empire. A Sixth Coalition (Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Austria) defeated French troops, and Napoleon was also defeated in Spain.
Napoleon abdicated on April 6, 1814, and was exiled to Elba. He briefly attempted to regain power but was defeated again at Waterloo and deported to the island of Saint Helena, where he died.