The Napoleonic Government

Napoleon was a French statesman and military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful military campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars.

In 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte led a military coup known as Brumaire 18. In doing so, he deposed the Directory and seized power in France. in France. Shortly after, the Consulate was established, and he became the first consul. And in 1802, this office was proclaimed lifelong for him.

Napoleon Bonaparte managed to restore peace through military victories and diplomatic negotiations, neutralizing France's opponents. 

One of the most outstanding aspects of his government was the peace agreement signed in 1802 with England, which ended the conflict started in 1793. This decision increased Napoleon's prestige in France. As a result, in 1804,  he was authorized, through a plebiscite, to assume the title of emperor of the French.

The peace signed with England was not long-lasting. In 1803, England allied with Russia and Austria to fight France. Two years later, Napoleon organized a large expedition to invade English territory, but the naval forces of France and Spain, at the Battle of Trafalgar, were defeated. However, the French army defeated the Russian and Austrian forces at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1806.

Napoleon's coronation ceremony as emperor already gave hints of how he would rule France. 

One work representing this occasion was the painting by Jacques-Louis David. The entire staging was intended to create an imperial and epic feeling. The pompous celebration took place in Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The arrangement of the different groups, the sumptuous costumes, and the studied use of light and shadow accentuates the theatricality of this work.

This image promotes an inversion of reversal of the traditional representation of the coronation of Christian emperors. For example, at the coronation of Charlemagne, it was the pope who crowned the emperor. Napoleon changed this by taking the initiative to crown himself and his wife. This action shows that the separation of Church and State was beginning to become a reality in the European context.

Propaganda and counterpropaganda about 

Napoleon Bonaparte was more than a great politician and military man. He became a true icon of his generation and future generations. This was the result of the official propaganda that he spread in the conquered countries, which created an ideal image of his army and a cult of his person.

In counterpoint to this propaganda, the English government favored the publication of pamphlets and cartoons opposing Napoleon. They highlighted his cruelty and fury, the corruption that surrounded him, his strategic strategy, and the evils of his politics and economy.

The political counterpropaganda aimed to fight the invader in the ideological field, building a discourse that acted as moral reinforcement in the fight against the Napoleonic army.

The Continental Blockade

England, with a great naval force, a developed and stable economy, resisted Napoleon's attacks. 

In an attempt to weaken the British forces, Napoleon Bonaparte imposed the Continental Blockade in 1806. This measure decreed the closure of European ports to British trade. In this way, Napoleon Bonaparte hoped to overthrow England's economy, subsequently, to defeat it. In addition, the measure would make it possible to expand the market for the French bourgeoisie.

To reinforce the continental blockade, Bonaparte put in place a policy of interventions and annexations. In 1807, he ordered military intervention in the Iberian Peninsula. The goal was to occupy Portugal, which remained allied with England and disregarded the prohibitions of the Continental Blockade.

Napoleon also ordered the invasion of Spain, on whose throne he placed his brother, Joseph Bonaparte. The French did not stay long in Portugal due to continuous attacks by England and its allies.

The Napoleonic wars generated numerous changes in the map of Europe, such as the end of the Holy Roman Empire. Later replaced by the Confederation of the Rhine.

In general, the regions dominated by Napoleon formed governments loyal to the French emperor. Thus, his area of influence grew even more.

The decline of the Napoleonic Empire

In 1810, even with problems on the Iberian Peninsula, the French were the masters of much of Western Europe. However, from that moment on, a succession of problems led to the exhaustion of Napoleonic forces.

In France, as a result of the regime's despotism and the continuous wars, Napoleon Bonaparte's prestige began to be shaken in all social strata, which caused many deaths and had a high economic impact.

When opposition demonstrations intensified, the government resorted to the newspaper and book censorship and police repression. These measures increased the discontent of many French people.