| The administrative and legal innovations of Napoleon laid the foundation for a modern state, many of which are still prevalent today. The system of secondary schools - lyceums and educational institutions - Normal and Polytechnic Schools, which still remain to be the most prestigious ones in France were created during the Napoleon period. Perfectly aware about the importance of influencing public opinion, Napoleon shut down 60 of the 73 Parisian newspapers and the remaining 13 were brought under the control of government. Powerful police and a ramified secret service was created. Napoleon concluded a concordat with the Pope (1801). Rome acknowledged a new French government and Catholicism became the religion of the majority of French. Freedom of religion was preserved at the same time. The appointment of bishops and activities of churches were brought under the control of the government.
These and other measures forced the opponents of Napoleon to call him a traitor of the Revolution, though he considered himself a loyal follower of revolutionary concepts. Napoleon succeeded in securing basic revolutionary gains (rights to property, equality before law, equal opportunity) and ending the revolutionary anarchy.
"Great Army":
"Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools" - Napoleon Bonaparte
The war campaigns of Napoleon and battles:
Napoleonic Wars:
1st Coalition • 2nd Coalition • 3rd Coalition • 4th Coalition • Russo-Turkish • Anglo-Danish • Anglo-Russian • Anglo-Turkish • Russo-Swedish • Anglo-Swedish • Anglo-Spanish • Spanish-French • 5th Coalition • Patriotic War of 1812 • 6th Coalition • 100 Days • Vienna Congress
General characteristics of problems:
The Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815), undoubtedly changed the face of Europe but the significance of the wars is contradictory. The contribution of these wars in changing Europe can be seen, at least, in three aspects.
Firstly, French soldiers carried the ideas of freedom on their bayonets to the people of Europe. In other words, the wars of Napoleon finally shattered the feudal system in Europe, primarily in its principal powers of that time - in Austria and Prussia. However, bringing freedom to people of Europe, Napoleon himself soon became a "tyrant" in the eyes of these people, which gave birth to a powerful national liberation movement in the continent (primarily in Germany and Spain). Not to mention the fact that the conquests of Napoleon led to the plundering of conquered people, marauding and violence, perpetrated by French troops, which, if not encouraged, is certainly not prohibited.
Secondly, beginning the wars in Europe, Napoleon tried to establish All-European domination of France, which could not upset the balance of forces in the continent. Traditionally, Britain advocated for the preservation of this balance. Under such circumstances, conflict with Napoleonic France with the "Mistress of Seas" was inevitable.
Thirdly, if the war was favorable to various segments of the population in the beginning, the "blood tax" became increasingly burdensome for people in future. This was one of the major reasons for the collapse of the empire in 1814.
Within the frameworks of the above, an attempt, as far as possible, is made to provide a more complete picture of Napoleon's military campaigns and specific battles, which form part thereof.
• First Italian Campaign (1796—1797);
• Egyptian Expedition (1798 - 1799);
• Second Italian Campaign (1800);
• First Austrian Campaign (1805);
• Prussian Campaign (1806);
• Polish Campaign (1806 - 1807);
• Spanish - Portuguese Campaign (1807 - 1814);
• Second Austrian Campaign (1809);
• Russian Campaign (1812);
• Saxon Campaign (1813);
• Battle of France (1814);
• Belgium Campaign (1815);
Marshals of Napoleon:
On May 19, 1804, the Napoleonic Cabinet published a decree, which the entire army was waiting for. The top 18 generals were appointed marshals of France, four of them were considered honorary and the remaining - as active.
Generals of Napoleon:
29 famous and honored generals were present under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte and Baraguey d'Hilliers, Broussier, Verdier were most famous amongst them.
Economic policy, war and continental blockade:
The economic policy was to ensure the primacy of the French industrial and financial bourgeoisie in the European market. This was disturbed by British capital, which was conditioned by the predominance of the industrial revolution, already occurring in England. England, one by one knocked together a coalition against France, by making attempts to attract major European powers - especially Austria and Russia. It funded to carry out military operations in the continent. Napoleon launched a direct attack on the British Isles, but England was much stronger on the seas (at the Cape Trafalgar, the French fleet was destroyed by the English fleet, which was commanded by Admiral Nelson (1805). |
August 15 is the birthday of one of the greatest military masterminds of all times, Napoleon Bonaparte. His military genius was accompanied by his ambitions to conquer the whole world. French empire has seen the rise and the blossom under Bonaparte's rule, controlling the whole continental Europe. While Napoleon is mostly remembered as a conqueror and a tyrant emperor, he also developed the Napoleonic code, which laid the juridical and administrative foundations for most countries of Western Europe.
