Napoleon Bonaparte
Date Key Event in Napoleon’s Career
14 July 1789
th
Storming of Bastille and the French Revolution.
20th April 1792 France declares war on Austria beginning War of the First Coalition.
22nd December 1793 Napoleon defeats the British at Toulon.
1st August 1798 Admiral Lord Nelson destroys the French fleet at Aboukir Bay, the
Battle of the Nile.
22nd June 1799 Britain joins the Second Coalition against Napoleonic France.
15th July 1801 Napoleon’s Concordat with the Pope.
25th March 1802 Treaty of Amiens is signed with Britain ending hostilities. The Treaty
was signed in Amiens France between the French, British and
Spanish Empire. The treaty ended the War of the Second Coalition.
18th May 1803 The war of the Third Coalition begins.
21st March 1804 The Napoleonic Code enters law.
18th May 1804 Napoleon declared Emperor of France by French Senate.
26th May 1805 Napoleon is crowned King of Italy.
21st October 1805 Admiral Lord Nelson defeats Napoleons fleet at the Battle of
Trafalgar.
2nd December 1805 Napoleon wins the Battle of Austerlitz. Also known as the Battle of the
Three Emperors, it was one of the most important military
engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near the
town of Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire, around 158,000 troops were
involved, of which around 24,000 were killed or wounded. The battle
was fought between the French, British, Austrian and Russian
Empires. The Battle has been credited as Napoleon’s greatest victory
through his use of reserve 22,000 strong cavalry to overwhelm
retreating soldiers and bluffing tactics to lure in the enemy. This battle
reasserted Napoleons position as Emperor after the embarrassment
of defeat at Trafalgar.
21st November 1806 Napoleon declares the Continental System via the Berlin Decree. The
primary goal was to cripple the British economy through banning
trade with the continent, as retaliation for the naval blockades of
France.
27th October 1807 Treaty of Fontainebleau sees France and Spain agree to attack
Portugal, beginning the Peninsular War.
6th June 1808 Napoleon makes his brother Joseph King of Spain.
4th December 1808 Madrid surrenders to Napoleon.
3rd – 6th May 1811 Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro (Wellington checks an attempt by
Marshal Massena to relieve the besieged city of Almeida).
22nd July 1812 Battle of Salamanca (Wellington defeats Marshal Marmount in
Spain).
16th March 1813 Prussia declares war on France beginning the War of the Sixth
Coalition.
21st June 1813 Battle of Vitoria (Wellington leading the allied British, Portuguese, and
Spanish army broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and
Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to
eventual victory in the Peninsular War). Bonaparte’s army struggled
under heavy baggage trains, the French abandoned their values and
fled to the Pyrenees, laying the way for British invasion of France.
6th April 1814 Napoleon's unconditional abdication.
Date Key Event in Napoleon’s Career
14 July 1789
th
Storming of Bastille and the French Revolution.
20th April 1792 France declares war on Austria beginning War of the First Coalition.
22nd December 1793 Napoleon defeats the British at Toulon.
1st August 1798 Admiral Lord Nelson destroys the French fleet at Aboukir Bay, the
Battle of the Nile.
22nd June 1799 Britain joins the Second Coalition against Napoleonic France.
15th July 1801 Napoleon’s Concordat with the Pope.
25th March 1802 Treaty of Amiens is signed with Britain ending hostilities. The Treaty
was signed in Amiens France between the French, British and
Spanish Empire. The treaty ended the War of the Second Coalition.
18th May 1803 The war of the Third Coalition begins.
21st March 1804 The Napoleonic Code enters law.
18th May 1804 Napoleon declared Emperor of France by French Senate.
26th May 1805 Napoleon is crowned King of Italy.
21st October 1805 Admiral Lord Nelson defeats Napoleons fleet at the Battle of
Trafalgar.
2nd December 1805 Napoleon wins the Battle of Austerlitz. Also known as the Battle of the
Three Emperors, it was one of the most important military
engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near the
town of Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire, around 158,000 troops were
involved, of which around 24,000 were killed or wounded. The battle
was fought between the French, British, Austrian and Russian
Empires. The Battle has been credited as Napoleon’s greatest victory
through his use of reserve 22,000 strong cavalry to overwhelm
retreating soldiers and bluffing tactics to lure in the enemy. This battle
reasserted Napoleons position as Emperor after the embarrassment
of defeat at Trafalgar.
21st November 1806 Napoleon declares the Continental System via the Berlin Decree. The
primary goal was to cripple the British economy through banning
trade with the continent, as retaliation for the naval blockades of
France.
27th October 1807 Treaty of Fontainebleau sees France and Spain agree to attack
Portugal, beginning the Peninsular War.
6th June 1808 Napoleon makes his brother Joseph King of Spain.
4th December 1808 Madrid surrenders to Napoleon.
3rd – 6th May 1811 Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro (Wellington checks an attempt by
Marshal Massena to relieve the besieged city of Almeida).
22nd July 1812 Battle of Salamanca (Wellington defeats Marshal Marmount in
Spain).
16th March 1813 Prussia declares war on France beginning the War of the Sixth
Coalition.
21st June 1813 Battle of Vitoria (Wellington leading the allied British, Portuguese, and
Spanish army broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and
Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to
eventual victory in the Peninsular War). Bonaparte’s army struggled
under heavy baggage trains, the French abandoned their values and
fled to the Pyrenees, laying the way for British invasion of France.
6th April 1814 Napoleon's unconditional abdication.
