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 France  |
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 Napoleon I the Great |
"Une belle femme plaît aux yeux.
Une femme aimable plaît au coeur.
La première est un bijou.
La deuxième est un trésor."
Napoleon I the Great 1804-1814, 1815
__Josephine the Good 1804-1809
__Marie-Louise 1810-1814
Napoleon II 1815
Napoleon III 1852-1870
__Eugenie 1853-1870 |
| The Empire of France |
With such victories as Austerlitz (1805) and Wagram (1809), Napoleon was able to dominate Europe and create a vast European empire with France at its core. While emperor of France, Napoleon was also protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, king of Italy, and mediator of the Swiss Confederation. His brother Joseph was king of Naples and then of Spain, his brother Louis was king Holland, and his brother Jerome was king of Westphalia. His sister Elisa was princess of Piombina and Lucca and his sister Pauline was princess of Guastalla. The French marshal Murat who was married to Napoleon's sister Caroline was king of Naples and the French marshal Bernadotte was king of Sweden. The Grand Duchy of Warsaw was a satelite statea and in 1810, Napoleon married the daughter of the Austrian emperor, but Napoleon's plans for world conquest and to create the United States of Europe failed with the decisive defeats of Trafalgar (1805), Torres Vedras (1810-11), Salamanca (1812), Leipzig (1813), and Waterloo (1815). His son was technically emperor for five days, but never actually ruled. Napoleon III tried to emulate his uncle and achieved victories at Sevastopol (1854-55) and Solferino (1859). He also tried to create a puppet empire, but in Mexico under Maximilian and Charlotte. At Sedan (1870), the Prussians defeated the French and Napoleon III's empire fell and France again became a republic. His son is sometimes referred to as Napoleon IV, though he never ruled.
Napoleon's dream lives on. Such men as Hugo, Briand, and Churchill wished for a United States of Europe and the European Union is the virtual realization of this dream. The Bank of France, the Treaty of Amiens, the Napoleonic Code, the Legion of Honor, the Arc de Triomphe, La Madeleine church, the University of France, the annexation of Nice and Savoy, and the modernization of Paris are just some of the many amazing accomplishments of the years when Napoleon and his nephew ruled France. |
| The Kingdom of France and the 1st colonial empire |
The French kindgom had grown out of Charlemagne's empire after the Treaty of Verdun in 843 and some of the early French kings were also Holy Roman Emperors (Charles II the Bald, Charles III the Fat). Philip Augustus' victory over the English, German, Flemish, and Lotharingian forces at Bouvines (1214) strengthened the growth of the French national spirit. France was almost conquered by the English until Joan of Arc defeated them at the siege of Orleans. The kingdom reached its zenith during the 17th century which is known to the French as the Great Century. In France itself during this century, Cardinal Richelieu began the foundation of modern France and after the death of Louis XIII, Louis XIV the Great ruled over the most powerful nation in the world. Although during this time France was not officially an empire, Champlain, Frontenac, and La Salle had founded vast French North America with New France and Lousiana, nonetheless. This 1st colonial empire and the kingdom were destroyed in the 18th century by the Seven Years' War and the French Revolution.
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| The Republic of France and the 2nd colonial empire |
During the Consulate, the French Republic had reached a sort of golden age and revival of its colonial empire. With the victories at Valmy (1792) and Mantua (1796-7), France had obtained hegemony in Europe. Napoleon had an army in Egypt from 1798-1801, had obtained the Louisiana Territory from 1800-1803, and had control of Haiti until it gained independence in 1804.
After 1871, the French Republic had its own unofficial empire with France being headed by a president. The main areas of French colonization were French West Africa, French Equatorial Africa, and French Indo-China. The high point of this 2nd colonial empire was from 1890-1914 in what is known to the French as the Beautiful Age. After the World Wars, France's empire would be in a decline as wars broke out in Indo-China and Algeria. To decolonize, France had first created the French Union from 1946-1958 and then replaced it with the French Community in 1958. Charles de Gaulle is the most well known of the French presidents. Georges Clemenceau is the most well known of French prime ministers.
Discover Paris
Be ready for a drive through the true Paris with our guide Jean Croissant who will tell you everything you need to know about this mysterious unparallel city.
 
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