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First French Empire
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| Motto: Liberté, Ordre Public[1] ("Liberty, Public Order") | |
| Anthem: Chant du départ ("Song of the Departure"; official) | |
 The First French Empire at its peak territorial control in September 1812
Military occupation De jure borders of client states, but under neither French nor client control
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| Capital | Paris |
| Official languages | French |
| Religion | |
| Demonym(s) | French |
| Government |
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| Emperor | |
• 1804–1814, 1815 | Napoleon I |
| Legislature | Parliament |
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| Historical era | Napoleonic era |
| 18 May 1804 | |
| 2 December 1804 | |
| 7 July 1807 | |
| 24 June 1812 | |
| 11 April 1814 | |
| 20 March – 7 July 1815 | |
| Area | |
| 1812[2] | 2,100,000 km2 (810,000 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 1812 | 44 million[3] |
| Currency | French franc |
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| History of France |
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| Timeline |
| Topics |
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The First French Empire[4][a] or French Empire (French: Empire français; Latin: Imperium Francicum) and also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from 18 May 1804 to 4 April 1814 and again briefly from 20 March 1815 to 7 July 1815, when Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena.[6]
Although France had already established a colonial empire overseas since the early 17th century, the French state had remained a kingdom under the Bourbons and a republic after the French Revolution. Historians refer to Napoleon's regime as the First Empire to distinguish it from the restorationist Second Empire (1852–1870) ruled by his nephew Napoleon III.
On 18 May 1804 (28 Floréal year XII on the French Republican calendar), Napoleon was granted the title Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français, pronounced [ɑ̃pʁœʁ de fʁɑ̃sɛ]) by the French Sénat conservateur and was crowned on 2 December 1804 (11 Frimaire year XIII),[7] signifying the end of the French Consulate and of the French First Republic. Despite his coronation, the state continued to be formally called the "French Republic" until October 1808. The empire achieved military supremacy in mainland Europe through notable victories in the War of the Third Coalition against Austria, Prussia, Russia, Britain, and allied states, notably at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805.[8] French dominance was reaffirmed during the War of the Fourth Coalition, at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in 1806 and the Battle of Friedland in 1807,[9] before Napoleon's final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
A series of wars, known collectively as the Napoleonic Wars, extended French influence to much of Western Europe and into Poland. At its height in 1812, the French Empire had 130 departments, a population over 44 million people, ruled over 90 million subjects throughout Europe and in the overseas colonies, maintained an extensive military presence in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland, and counted Austria and Prussia as nominal allies.[3] Early French victories exported many ideological features of the Revolution throughout Europe: the introduction of the Napoleonic Code throughout the continent increased legal equality, established jury systems and legalised divorce, and seigneurial dues and seigneurial justice were abolished, as were aristocratic privileges in all places except Poland.[10] France's defeat in 1814 (and then again in 1815), marked the end of the First French Empire and the beginning of the Bourbon Restoration.
- ^ "National Motto of France". French Moments. 7 May 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ^ Taagepera, Rein (September 1997). "Expansion and Contraction Patterns of Large Polities: Context for Russia". International Studies Quarterly. 41 (3): 501. doi:10.1111/0020-8833.00053. JSTOR 2600793. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ a b Lyons, Martyn (1994). Napoleon Bonaparte and the Legacy of the French Revolution. Bloomsbury. p. 232. ISBN 978-1349234363 – via Google Books. (paper ISBN 978-0333572917)
- ^ "Decree upon the Term, French Republic". Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Constitution de l'An XII – Empire – 28 floréal An XII". Conseil constitutionnel. which reads in English The Government of the Republic is vested in an Emperor, who takes the title of Emperor of the French.
- ^ texte, France Auteur du (23 January 1804). "Bulletin des lois de la République française". Gallica. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- ^ Thierry, Lentz. "The Proclamation of Empire by the Sénat Conservateur". napoleon.org. Fondation Napoléon. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ "Battle of Austerlitz". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ Hickman, Kennedy. "Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Friedland". militaryhistory.about.com. about.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
- ^ Lyons 1994, pp. 234–236.
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