Evaluate the impact of Napoleon’s foreign policies on
France
Paragraph 1: Social Impact
Napoleon spoke of how the French people loved him as the ‘people’s
king’ but there is no evidence for this
o He did nothing for the mass of the people except take their
sons for the army or tax them for its support
o Conditions for urban workers were poor, particularly after ban
on workers coalitions in 1803
o War also had huge impact fall in birth rate
o High deaths from war of the 2 million men who found
themselves in the army, the number killed was around 1
million
o Losses fell heavily on the young men
Papal states were the first to denounce the continental system
o Due to economic hardship caused by the system and the
Pope’s desire to remain neutral as a spiritual leader
o Napoleon ignored the Concordat of 1801, invaded the Papal
states, abducted the Pope and imprisoned him in France
o Greatly undermined Napoleon’s popularity amongst Catholics
in France and the world
Paragraph 2: Political Impact
1808 – Napoleon made his brother Joseph King of Spain Spain
revolted to French occupation and the Spanish people waged a
costly guerrilla war
o Britain took advantage of this and gave aid to Spanish
o Resulted in the first conflict of the Peninsular war
o Never broke out of Spain until last months of Napoleon’s rule –
Spanish ulcer
French Grande Armee carried out a ruthless campaign of internal
pacification to try to stamp out the embers of counterrevolution
from the countryside and to restore general order so power
remained concentrated
o Named himself ‘protector’ of the Confederation of the Rhine
o Abolished many tiny German states
o Holy Roman empire was abolished
o Awoke German nationalism due to France’s domination and
repression
Viewed himself as a liberator due to France’s domination and
repression of the German states
o It was this that unleashed the forces of nationalism in those
countries which resulted in his defeat
First 5 years of Napoleon’s were somewhat peaceful
France
Paragraph 1: Social Impact
Napoleon spoke of how the French people loved him as the ‘people’s
king’ but there is no evidence for this
o He did nothing for the mass of the people except take their
sons for the army or tax them for its support
o Conditions for urban workers were poor, particularly after ban
on workers coalitions in 1803
o War also had huge impact fall in birth rate
o High deaths from war of the 2 million men who found
themselves in the army, the number killed was around 1
million
o Losses fell heavily on the young men
Papal states were the first to denounce the continental system
o Due to economic hardship caused by the system and the
Pope’s desire to remain neutral as a spiritual leader
o Napoleon ignored the Concordat of 1801, invaded the Papal
states, abducted the Pope and imprisoned him in France
o Greatly undermined Napoleon’s popularity amongst Catholics
in France and the world
Paragraph 2: Political Impact
1808 – Napoleon made his brother Joseph King of Spain Spain
revolted to French occupation and the Spanish people waged a
costly guerrilla war
o Britain took advantage of this and gave aid to Spanish
o Resulted in the first conflict of the Peninsular war
o Never broke out of Spain until last months of Napoleon’s rule –
Spanish ulcer
French Grande Armee carried out a ruthless campaign of internal
pacification to try to stamp out the embers of counterrevolution
from the countryside and to restore general order so power
remained concentrated
o Named himself ‘protector’ of the Confederation of the Rhine
o Abolished many tiny German states
o Holy Roman empire was abolished
o Awoke German nationalism due to France’s domination and
repression
Viewed himself as a liberator due to France’s domination and
repression of the German states
o It was this that unleashed the forces of nationalism in those
countries which resulted in his defeat
First 5 years of Napoleon’s were somewhat peaceful
