First French Empire

French Empire [1][2] Empire Français
1804–1814, 1815
Flag Imperial Coat of arms
Anthem: Chant du Départ[3] "Song of the Departure"
The French First Empire in 1812 (green), with its client states in light green
Capital	Paris
Common languages	French
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 1804–1814/1815	Napoleon I
• 1815	Napoleon II[4]
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Corps législatif
Historical era	Napoleonic Wars
• Constitution adopted	18 May 1804
• Coronation of Napoleon I	2 December 1804
• Treaty of Tilsit	7 July 1807
• Invasion of Russia	24 June 1812
• Treaty of Fontainebleau	11 April 1814
• Hundred Days	20 March – 7 July 1815
Area
1812[5]	3,000,000 km2 (1,200,000 sq mi)
Population
• 1812	96,472,000
Currency	French Franc
ISO 3166 code	FR
Preceded by Succeeded by French First Republic Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of Holland Ligurian Republic Kingdom of Spain Kingdom of France United Kingdom of the Netherlands Neutral Moresnet Kingdom of Sardinia Austrian Empire Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Grand Duchy of Tuscany Kingdom of Spain
Today part of	Andorra  Austria  Belgium  Croatia  France  Germany  Italy  Lithuania  Luxembourg  Monaco  Poland  Netherlands  Slovenia  Spain   Switzerland   Vatican City  Montenegro

The First French Empire^[1][2], also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France. It was the main power of most of continental Europe during the early 19th century.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} But still domestically styled as French Republic until 1808: compare the French franc minted in 1808 [1] and in 1809 [2], as well as Article 1 of the Constitution of the Year XII, which reads in English "The Government of the Republic is vested in an Emperor, who takes the title of Emperor of the French."
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} The official bulletin of laws of the French Empire
3. ↑ Le Chant du Départ, Fondation Napoléon, 2008, retrieved 16 May 2012
4. ↑ According to his father's will only. Between 23 June and 7 July France was held by a Commission of Government of five members, which never summoned Napoleon II as emperor in any official act, and no regent was ever appointed while waiting the return of the king. [3]
5. ↑ Rein Taagepera (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. Retrieved 2021-08-20.