Readings for Napoleon:- Napoleon's Empire: From enlightened absolutism to colonial imperialism.
- The Scourge of Napoleon.
- Napoleon's Double Knock-Out Punch
- NELSON AT TRAFALGAR He did His Duty
- Trafalgar: A SIGNAL VICTORY
Videos:- PBS Napoleon (P1 - YouTube)
Napoleon-Fight in Austerlitz - Battle of Austerlitz
- Napoleon - The Road to Moscow
- Napoleon's Lost Army
Napoleon's Defeat at Waterloo (Nay's initial defeat at Quatre Bras, cavalry or hollow squares)
Napoleon Commits his Guard (6:00 min. - Wellington's reverse slopes)
- Blog Response Due Monday 7:30 am.
- What do you feel is the most significant legacy of the Napoleonic Era?
Welcome to Mr. Kirby's AP Euroblog. This site is for all CHS students and guest to comment on topics relating to AP Modern European history.
49 comments:
I believe that the most important legacy of the Napoleonic Era is the dramatic redesign of the European Continent. After the immense land gains of Napoleon during his campaign across Europe, countries lost an enormous amount of land to France. When Napoleon was finally defeated, this land had to be redistributed between the major powers of Europe. These countries created what they called a Concert System, which they planned to use to prevent another man like Napoleon from creating chaos in Europe. Among these countries were England, Russia, Prussia, Austria, and what would later become Germany. Different countries received different areas of Napoleon’s Empire. For example, the Austrians were given much of Northern Italy as well as bordering areas of Germany, Russia was given Finland and many of the Baltic States, and Germany combined with Prussia to form one country. I believe that this reshaping of Europe is the most important legacy of the Napoleonic Era because without this event, such places as The Netherlands and Germany would not exist today. While some countries got fewer holdings than others, such as Russia, many gained territorial holdings that influenced the future of those countries greatly. For example, England received many areas in the Caribbean, which drastically boosted their abilities to trade in the Atlantic and the New World.
However, while the Concert System did do many things to benefit Europe, it had its problems as well. The countries that made up the council were never able to get over their rivalries with one another. For this reason, there was an air of distrust amongst the council’s members. Certain countries were given less land than others because they weren’t trusted as much as some of the major powers. Russia, for example, was not trusted by the council, and therefore was given less land. The representatives from each country began to hold secret meetings with one another. These under the table negotiations led to a general distrust between the European Powers which lasted for over 50 years.
Napoleon was a very influential man and made his mark in many ways such as the Battle of Austerlitz, his defeat at Waterloo, his lost army and most importantly his reconstruction of the European continent. I think that the most significant legacy of the Napoleonic era is his reconstruction of the European continent. What can be more significant than changing around an entire continent?
Napoleon started out this reconstruction with his campaign through Europe. During this movement, with each battle won and each agreement made, Napolean took away more and more land from other countries while France gained more and more land. When Napoleon’s triumphs finally came to an end when he was defeated, all the land France gained had to be divvied up so that all the power was not in one country. The land was divided between the major powers of Europe, which were England, Russia, Prussia, and Australia, who created the Concert System which was used to stop any other men like Napoleon from taking over the continent as Napoleon had. Different parts of all the land Napoleon gained each went to one of the five major powers of Europe so that they now owned that land. Most of Northern Italy was given to Austria, Germany and Prussia came together to form one country and Finland was given to Russia.
This redesigning of the European continent was the most significant because of the impact it had. If it weren’t for this reconstruction Germany or the Netherlands would not even be here today. When the land was redistributed Germany as formed and if it were not for Napoleon’s defeat this might never have happened. The gaining of territory helped many of the countries greatly in later wars or in the trading industry, such as England. England gained territory in the Caribbean which helped them with trade later on. The reshaping of the European continent had its ups and downs but was the most significant legacy of the Napoleonic era. Whether it was because of all his triumphs or his one defeat, we must credit him for changing a part of our world.
Of the countless legacies Napoleon’s short but influential reign left in Europe, perhaps one of the greatest was his legal code, known now as the Napoleonic Code. This comprehensive system of laws and civil code replaced the inconsistent and piecemeal local systems present in France before the revolution, and throughout lands brought by Napoleon into the French empire.
Carefully defining and clearly stating laws for people, property, and criminal acts, the Napoleonic code was a huge step forward for much of Europe. It replaced previous feudal laws that often varied from region to region, and remained at the whim of rulers or lords. The Napoleonic code was one of the first completely secular legal systems, and was less biased between classes than previous laws.
Even more important than its content was its form; the entire code was written in the vernacular, French. It was intended to be easily understood and accessible, lessening confusion over inconsistent and often obscure legislature. Each law of the code was designed for clarity. A comprehensive system for judges interpreting laws was put into place, controlling judicial law and separating it from government-approved legislature.
All together, the Napoleonic code was a highly progressive system in a Europe still greatly under the sway of old feudal systems. It was also highly influential. As Napoleon spread his empire, he spread his ode along with it, replacing the local systems of many states with his own unified code. Even after his defeat and the collapse of his empire, many governments retained the Napoleonic code, or elements of it, within their own systems. Italy, for example, as well as the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain all kept elements of the Napoleonic code in their legal systems. Across Europe, Napoleon’s new secular, reformed system of law helped to start a new era in civil law, and brought a standardizing element to so many extremely different regions. Such a wide reaching and deeply affecting system has to be considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, legacies of an irrefutable great man.
The most important legacy that Napolean left was the his reconstruction and reform of Frances Government. I believe this because it truly changed and help give France a future. Not only through his military dictatorship but through his dominance as the nationalistic forefront of France.
Napolean used his military as way for France to fend off nearly of all of Europes nations trying to invade their homeland and became dominant. Not only was he ardored by the French but considered to be the most dominant indidual throughout all of europe during the Napoleanic Era. His victory at Austerlitz was his most famous win against the two power house nations of Austria and Prussia. After this victory Napolean considered himself the emperor and ruler of the now newly redeemed french empire of Europe. He even made effecively did a port blockade at Russia's year round port.
Along with this military power gave France the nationalistic movement it needed to survive against the powerful germanic states of Europe and Prussia. He brought hope to the French people and was greatly respected and looked up to by all citizens. Even after the terrible defeat at Waterloo people never blamed him for the defeat even though it was his idea. His power and dominance established a French fervor of national pride and ultimately saved the countries future.
Overall his most important legacy was his military dominance of the time period which gave him the power to not only protect France but reform its government and instill nationalistic pride.
Napoleon Bonaparte left many legacies when his long lived reign came to an end. He successfully conquered nearly all he faced and created an empire while instilling hope in every French citizen. He ended up causing the entire European continent to be redesigned and the vast expanses of land he controlled were distributed to the major powers in Europe which were Russia, England, Prussia, and Austria. I personally believe that that distribution of land was the most significant legacy of Napoleon.
When the Napoleonic Era officially ended, the vast amounts of land that made up his empire were distributed to the major powers of Europe, and the land that was distributed is the reason why many European countries are the powers that they are today. The land England gained greatly assisted them in the trading industry in the Americas, and the land Germany gained is the land that makes Germany a country today. If it were not for this distribution of land, Germany may not be a country today. As is obvious, Napoleon's empire was very extensive at the height of his power, so the amount of land that was distributed through the Concert system was successful in basically redesigning the entire European continent in terms of different countries and their borders.
Obviously, there are tons of legacies of Napoleon Bonaparte that will be studied forever in addition to the ones previously mentioned. For example, the use of propaganda was very influential during his reign and that has become an extremely important part to every war and conflict nowadays. Also, his military excellence will always be admired for how well his attacks worked to conquer nearly whoever Napoleon set his eyes on.
Napoleon Bonaparte left many legacies after his reign ended. Among these were his great military, the Napoleonic code which eliminated the feudal system and making France a nationalistic country. Although these were all great legacies, personally I believe the more significant legacy was land distribution.
The impact that the redesigning of Europe had was great. Without this reconstruction some of the countries we know today would not be here. During Napoleon’s reign many countries lost land and territory as France gained more and more. When Napoleon came out of power all of this land he had gained was redistributed. This was necessary so that one country, France, would not have all of the power and territory. The land was distributed to many major powers of Europe at that time. Some of these include, England, Russia, Prussia, and Austria-Hungary. Together those nations made the Concert System. The Concert system was put in place in order to prevent another ruler from taking over the European continent, as Napoleon had done. The land gained by many of the countries made them more powerful and what they are today. The land England gained allowed them to further their trade with America. Germany gained the land which makes it a country today. The concert system was very helpful in redistributing the land that Napoleon gained control of during his reign. The redistribution of land that was necessary after Napoleon came out of power was the most significant legacy of his rule. If this had not happened the European continent would look much different than it does today.
Although some people view the Napoleonic Era as a very devastating time period, others analyze it as, an incredibly important time period for Europe. Even though many of Napoleon’s legacies were very influential and important to Europe, I believe that Napoleon’s impressive idea of restoring the European continent was a huge development for everybody living in Europe. Not only was it a big step forward, but I consider the fact that it was the most significant legacy during this time period.
Before Napoleon’s death in fighting at Waterloo, he won every other battle and gained more significant land from various countries. After fighting against different countries Napoleon made a plan and whoever won the battle, the conformity was to take certain areas of their territory. While winning each combat Napoleon expanded the land for France and sadly, every other country that lost, did lose a significant portion of their property. After winning a large portion of the battles, Napoleon finally lost at Waterloo and was severely injured, which caused his death. After his death, all of the countries that he gained were split up and given to other powerful and dominant countries in Europe. This affected many of the countries in Europe because now everybody was confused and had unknown property that did not belong to them. Due to Napoleon’s idea of gaining land by winning different battles, the Concert System was organized, to have a stable and fair gain of land. When this organization was formed all of France’s land was redistributed equally and every nation obtained small portions of land.
Lastly, I believe that Napoleon’s idea of modernizing Europe is important because many of the countries that we know of today, were reconstructed by Napoleon’s power and if he did not encounter this idea, those countries would not have been there. Even though it took many years for Napoleon to win his battles, it was a success and many new nations were created.
One of the biggest legacies during the Napoleonic Era was France’s involvement with the Ottoman Empire. Napoleon’s push to build an alliance with the Ottoman Empire was very important for him so that he could ensure that what he had gained territorially wouldn’t be threatened by Russia or Great Britain. Napoleon was fighting for an alliance to secure his power. These actions really put the Ottoman Empire in the forefront of European relations. The Ottoman Empire was chased after by almost every large and powerful country in Europe.
With Napoleons’ large advances towards the Ottomans’ border made the Ottomans anxious and distrustful of the French. Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt also left France with a bad impression on the Ottomans. Although Napoleon had tried to let the Ottomans know that he was not trying to be there enemy but rather their ally, he did overthrow many of the leaders that were in the Egyptian government. With these cruel actions, the Ottoman Empire decided to side with Great Britain and Russia. The British army used this alliance to help push the French out of the middle-east. After the Hapsburg Empire was sure to take back its land from the Ottoman Empire, Napoleon promised to help the Ottomans keep and take back some of the land. The Ottomans accepted this alliance. Later, the Russians pushed back into the Ottoman Empire and the French didn’t hold their side of the bargain. The British were accepted as the new ally of the Ottoman Empire. The relations between Europe and the Ottoman Empire were truly a great legacy.
Napoleon is known throughout the world for many of his innovations to not only France, but the modern day world as well. However, his true and most long living legacy that he left to the world was through his code Napoleon in 1804. This key set of laws and boundaries set the foundation for many democratic principles that we have today.
One of the most radical portions of these sets of codes was the forbidding of special privileges based on birth. Contrary to the France of Louis XVI, in which the aristocracy had the distinct and inherited right to participate in government as the aristocracy or avoid judicial punishment, Napoleon turned the system upside-down. Any person he deemed fit to take part in his government, Napoleon sought out immediately: which helped propel France to the peak of its power in the European continent. The government was stable enough to supply a global conflict with multiple theaters of battle, and never lost fate in Napoleon: even after his troops were defeated in Russia. This equality led to the very foundation to our current government here in America. President Obama for instance was born into poverty and misfortune, but was able to find his place in government: eventually becoming the leader of one of the world’s super powers.
Code Napoleon also left a legacy of establishing a more uniform federal court system. France in the 18th century was, like most other European nations, a country that favored its wealthy to the average worker. As a result, crimes committed by the bourgeois were ignored and looked over, whereas even a most minor crime (such as theft) was considered to be a horrendous act towards the state. Under the old courts as well, even trials towards the same social class were not always equal. The courts were sporadic, and didn’t have a uniform and clear cut guideline to follow. Once Code Napoleon came to law however, the once unbalanced courts were put under new regulations and laws that equalized the judicial system. They wealthy suddenly found themselves inside a courthouse for any crime they committed, and the punishments of the court were a now well balanced and justified. These principles are still seen today in most modern countries. All citizens can be brought to court, and there are certain punishments that pertain to certain crimes committed.
Napoleon left countless legacies behind during his rein as ruler of France. He established a sewer system, made France a military power, ended the power of a long string of monarchial families, and made countless progressive reforms. However I believe that the most influential thing that Napoleon did was to establish a uniform legal code for all of the states that he gained control of and ruled.
This Napoleonic code ended the thinking that people of different social classes should be given different rights as citizens, which was revolutionary for the time period. No longer would the rules and regulations differ depending on the region a person lived in or the class of that person. Everyone would be treated as an equal in the eyes of the laws of the land. The code was also written in French or the vernacular making it easy to read and understand, unlike other systems of laws written in Latin. People in the lower classes were unable to understand and read Latin thus they had not been able to comprehend previous rules systems other rulers had put in place.
This extremely progressive measure influenced not only the legal system but people’s ways of thinking about law and order in an empire. Even after Napoleon lost control of the empire many regions kept the Napoleonic code in place, while others continued to use parts of it to this day. This attests to the fact that Napoleon was thought of as one of the greatest rulers of France and was very well liked by the people of the country.
Through his reign of France and Europe, Napoleon left behind many legacies. During his reign he changed law and military tactics, and after he fell from power the lands he had conquered were used to redefine the boarders of almost every country in Europe. However, I feel the most important legacy left behind by Napoleon was the sense of nationalism he instilled in his Frenchmen.
At the start of Napoleon's reign, France was an unstable country plauged by poor rulers and violent revolution. When he built his army and showed the people of France its strength by conquering many people, it gave the French a new sense of pride in their country. It was this new nationalism that allowed Napoleon to stay in power and allowed him to conquer Europe. Nationalism gave Napoleon the support he needed to go on his expeditions and gave the soldiers neccessary.
Nationalsim did not only affect France though. Once people of other countries saw how well France was doing, those countries began to use nationalism to boost their economies and the hopes of their people. It also lead to the spread of revolutions, because as more people began to take pride in their nations, they realized they were unhappy with the living conditions and took action to change them. It is due to Napoleon that the people of Europe began to take pride in each of their countries which then lead to widespread revolution and change across the continent.
Although Napoleon was only Emperor of France for a little over a decade, he left many legacies that changed the world. Among these legacies was the redesign of Europe, the Code Napoleon, and the reform to the French government. All of these made huge changes in France as well as all over Europe. However, I believe that the most significant legacy that Napoleon left behind was the feeling of nationalism that he instilled in the French people as well as people in the countries that he controlled or invaded.
The French people loved Napoleon and were proud of everything that he did. All of his military victories made them more sure that they had picked the correct person to lead their country. Even after Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo and exiled for good, they were still happy with everything that he had done for France. All of the success that France had under Napoleon united them and made them proud to be French. This made a big impact in the years to come.
Napoleon’s military victories also led him to control of other European countries. Although the people of the country may have been happy at first to be under Napoleonic rule, the people gradually began to resent Napoleon. Napoleon’s control of the other countries united people against him. This was the beginning of nationalism. In following decades, different ethnic groups and nationalities united as a people against the control of the countries that controlled them. This was all due to Napoleon’s previous occupation of the countries, because it caused the people to resent people of other nationalities ruling them. Napoleon’s most significant legacy was the feeling of nationalism that he instilled in both the French people and other people all over Europe because it began many revolutions and national movements in years to come.
Napoleon was a powerful and successful leader in not only France, but Europe as a whole, leaving behind many legacies. The greatest of these legacies was the Code Napoléon, or the Napoleonic Code. This reformed the entire civil code of France. No matter what family a person was born into, no matter if they were rich or poor, everyone was considered equal under the Napoleonic Code. People became equal due to the elimination of Feudal rights. This meant that Nobles and rich people did not have any privileges that the common person did not have. Trial by jury was guaranteed, which completely changed the judicial system. One example of how life was different before trial by jury was the reign of terror. People were being hanged left and right even if there was just a slight suspicion that they were royalists. Another reform that the Napoleonic code made was that there was freedom of religion. These reforms are similar to those in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. All of these reforms were created by napoleon to make sure that all of the major groups gained something from his rule. The gap between the rich and the poor, although not narrowed in regards to wealth, was narrowed in terms of power.
The Napoleonic Code was one of the greatest legacies left behind by Napoleon mainly because of how much it changed France’s government and society. It made people more equal whether or not they were nobles or peasants. People were finally free to practice whatever religion they desired, and no longer had to fear unjust trials. Napoleon was a highly intelligent and powerful leader, and the Napoleonic Code, although being his greatest legacy, was one of many that he left behind.
In my opinion, the most important legacy of the Napoleonic Era is the Napoleonic Code. His unprecedented system of laws outlined a new style of government that would replace the poor systems currently in place across Europe. Prior to the revolution, the feudal system allowed for biased opinions to present themselves in the government, favoring the upper classes and aristocracy rather than setting general laws for all individuals to abide by. This being said, the upper classes had much more flexibility in what they could and could not do when compared to the lower classes. Also, the feudalistic forms of government varied from place to place. The rulers of these systems had full control over how this governmental system would work, regardless of how other areas were operating.
The Code Napoleon outlined laws regarding people, property, and acts considered illegal. This secular legal system allowed a separate judicial system to have a clear cut understanding of what kinds of actions were acceptable and which ones were considered illegal. The Napoleonic Code was put into place all throughout Napoleons empire. As he acquired more lands, his system of government took hold in those territories as well. By having all of his empire under one legal system, there was no confusion as to how people should act and what was acceptable. Since all the people were unified under one form of government, a strong sense of nationalism blossomed in Europe, and the people developed a mutual appreciation of the code.
Another aspect that made the Napoleonic Code so beneficial at this time was the fact that it was easy to access and easy to understand. It was especially convenient that the Code Napoleon was written in the vernacular (French). Since the majority of the people could understand the code, there was less confusion or misinterpretations of the laws. The way that the laws were written clearly defined each one, eliminating a lot of confusion surrounding them.
The Napoleonic Code was Napoleons most significant legacy, although he had many throughout his reign. He was an influential man who made many positive changes following the French revolution. The Code Napoleon unified his empire under one legal system, that remained even after his collapse. His new secular government eliminated the corrupt feudal system, benefitting most Europeans. This is by far his most significant legacy of the Napoleonic Era.
Napoleon Bonaparte may have been one of the most influential people of all time. Despite how much he transformed the landscape of history, Napoleon ruled for a relatively brief period of time. Some of these alterations to history's layout include the heightened French nationalism he induced, the reconstruction of the government in his kingdom, the vital establishment of a sewer system, and finally, the accomplishment I would deem the most influential in history, his remodeling of the European continent.
To me, Napoleon's redesign of Europe is so evident that it would be nonsense to designate anything else that Napoleon did as a more significant legacy. Every time people back in the time of Napoleon's rule looked at a map, and every time we look at a map, what is observed has been greatly affected by his military and political endeavors. While Napoleon was still active, Europe's landscape was transformed each time he won a battle or agreed on something politically. Not only did Napoleon's success and the consequential expansion of his French empire affect the circumstances of the times they were occurring in, but after Napoleon was finally defeated, Europe's blueprint was once again refashioned. Naturally, the conservative order of monarchs that ruled the remaining European powers wanted to prevent a liberal militaristic emperor like Napoleon from gaining power again. They joined together to form the Concert System and proceeded to redivide up the land on the European continent. Thus, another wave of redesign ensued. Without Napoleon's conquest and initial reconstruction of continental Europe, certain countries like the Netherlands may not even exist; or they would at least probably be in different forms. As a result of these very significant and prevalent transformations to the maps of Europe over history, it is undeniable that Napoleon's redesign of the European continent is his most significant legacy.
Of the many effects that the Napoleonic Era had on the European continent, perhaps the most significant was Napoleon’s system of legal reform. In establishing the Napoleonic Code and thus replacing the feudal laws that lacked universality and consisted of countless exemptions and privileges, Napoleon paved the way for other countries to adopt similar systems. Before these progressive reforms were instituted, the laws were often biased in favor of the high classes, and they were not unified above the local level. There was not a single set of laws. In fact, more than 400 codes were in place under the ancien regime. The laws of Northern and Southern France were based on different elements. This feudal system of laws seemed very unclear and contradictory to the citizens of France. Napoleon sought to abandon these influences of feudalism by basing his reforms on the principles of the French Revolution.
First, the code recognized equality before the law, freedom of religion, and the abolition of feudalism, the basic goals of the French Revolution. The document was written in the vernacular, and it was secular. Its organization was coherent, making laws more understandable and accessible. It represented a mix of liberalism and conservatism, and it also made property rights absolute. Overall, the code provided much needed reform to a drastically altered nation, reflecting the changing structure of France, and making the laws more accessible, relatable, and relevant to the public. The combination of the vernacular and the rational organization allowed this applicability to society.
Not only were the impacts of this code felt in revolutionary France, but also in the many other countries that the French occupied during the Napoleonic wars. Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Poland all would use the principles of the Napoleonic Code as the foundation for their own systems of law. Thus, the progressive vision of Napoleon would impact not only France, but countless other European countries. Even after Napoleon was defeated, his legacy was clear in these parallel systems of law. His progressive ideas and enlightened approach to legal reform provided an example for countless other nations, and would provide stability to the French legal system. In my opinion, the fact that the effects of these progressive reforms were so far-reaching and long-lasting, even after Napoleon was defeated, makes the Napoleonic Code the most significant legacy of the Napoleonic Era.
Napoleon Bonaparte's legacy in Europe and the rest of the world is not simple. It is a mix of positive and negative aspects, creating partiality among many. He has been highly influential in several worldly practices, including a strong imperialistic influence throughout the world because of the string of conquests during his rule. Perhaps his most significant legacy has been left by his administrative and legal reforms, through the Code Napoleon.
The Code Napoleon made a drastic change in French society because it was such a progressive implementation. Also known as the Civil Code, it replaced the existing laws in all of France and replaced them with a standard set of laws applicable to all French people. Regardless of Napoleon's small role in the Code's formation, he used his "genius-like" administrative talents to influence the Code's influence in France.
The most progressive idea of the Code Napoleon was that it was an egalitarian code, in which all French citizens were equal before the law. Peasants could no longer be exploited or unfairly persecuted against by members of higher social standing. The Code also initiated the building of public works programs that included improving roadway conditions, and building canals and harbors. With every progressive ideas there are setbacks, however the egalitarian concept of the Code Napoleon was revolutionary.
Napoleon might have been a ruthless leader to his soldiers but he was always looking out for the best for France. He is the core reason why France is one of the most sought after countries of our time. He took the dump the Paris was during King Louis XVI reign and turned Paris into the beautiful city we know it as today. Napoleon is responsible for saving the Parisians from inhaling harmful orders and removing the corpses that were sprawled all over the city. Parisians view Napoleon’s reign as one of the best things to happen to Paris.
Before Napoleon took over, Paris was literally surrounded by filth. There was human urine on sidewalks. It was very common to leave the country side and enter Paris’ atrocious order. Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI supposedly left Paris and went to Versailles because the city was too grimy for their liking. A King who lets his people live in unhealthy conditions and he himself leaves his capital isn’t a true King.
Under Napoleon’s rule he ordered the building of new roads, canals and bridges. Massive amounts of money were devoted in civilizing the image of Paris. Older buildings were restored while new buildings were put up. A better plan of new roads was in Paris’ future, and several memorials to the Revolution and to Napoleon himself were erected. Napoleon did so much for his country and I believe his rebuilding of the country was most important because that’s what gave France the respect it needed to succeed into a strong power.
Maggie Kulpa
The Napoleonic Era was filled with many new and improved ways and things. Many of these improvements are remembered today, yet I believe that the most important legacy of the Napoleonic Era would be Napoleon himself. Napoleon was not only a great leader, but he knew how to control large amounts of people, no matter where their origins were from. As he conquered cities and countries, Napoleon found ways to please the people, often making them pleased with being conquered. "The people of these countries might enjoy new benefits, too: they were given equal access to administration, and to justice, and to the professions, regardless of their social origins or religious affiliation. States also found themselves better governed, with more professional standards of bureaucracy, less corruption, more efficiency" (Forrest). Napoleon was one of great intelligence and his smart ways of conquering and treating his people allowed him to further his empire without much trouble.
Although Napoleon was liked in most places he conquered, there were the occasional cities and countries that were angry when Napoleon conquered them. Not only did they feel they were under the control of someone else, but that their values and daily lives were changing to his standards as well. Although this seems negative, there was an eventual positive outcome. The hatred these people felt towards Napoleon's need to change their ways led to nationalism and a love for their country. While Napoleon was looked at for doing something bad, he, without knowing it, was actually helping the countries. The people began to show pride in their values and work together, eventually getting along better and valuing things they took for granted everyday. While some may look at Napoleon's ways as bad, he essentially helped these countries band together and find a sense of unity, something that could not have been done without him conquering them.
While there are many things and events that come to mind when thinking of the Napoleonic Era, I believe that Napoleon was the most important legacy to the era for the changes he made, and his strong personality.
As a powerful and successful leader, Napolean ended his reign, leaving a legend to be remembered for many years. The greatest legacy of Napolean is his actions and changes made as a civil administrator. While trying to expand and improve France, Napolean also included the revision and collection of French laws into codes. There were a total of seven new law codes, which incorporated some of the freedoms which were gained by the people of France throughout the French Revolution. These included religious toleration and serfdom abolition. Of these code changes, was the Code Napolean also known as Code Civil. This code forms the basis of the French civil law to this day. This Code centralized the government of France with the use of appointed administrators of each department, sections that France was divided into. The appointed administrators supported Napolean’s belief in government “for” the people. He rejected the idea of a government run by the people, but hoped to satisfy the public with representatives. The Civil Code also made all people equal, despite their class due to the Feudal rights elimination. The Civil Code as well as the other law was the greatest legacy of Napolean simply because of the direct impact on the French government and society. This change was refreshing and satisfied many French people. The Civil Code, though, is just one of the many legacies of Napolean.
Napolean Bonaparte was such a legend among the extensive history of Europe that the period of his reign over Europe became known as the Napoleonic Era. This Era dominated by France and its ruthless leader developed into an empire which had parts in almost every area of the continent. Several important legacies were left behind by this era, including the dispersion of the empire and the arrival of the Concert System.
After Napolean was finally brought down and his empire was defeated, there was a drastic shift in territory for most countries in Europe. To arrange this land and ensure a positive alliance with one another, the major players in Europe at the time formed what is known as the Concert System. This was a basic alliance consisting of Austria, Russia, Great Britain and Prussia. The Congress of Vienna was held from 1818-1822, in four separate meetings which were led by the foreign minister of Austria, Klemens von Metternich. Metternich played a vital role in doling out land to each member of the quadruple alliance. Austria was given land in northern Italy which were the provinces of Lombardy and Venetia, and parts of Poland. Prussia was also given a small portion of Poland, the east and west banks of the Rhine, and sections of the northern part of what became known as the German Confederation. Russia, on the other hand, ultimately gained control over the Kingdom of Poland. Many of these claims to land, including Prussia's control of the Rhine, were committed to protect another possible upset of European power by the hands of France.
The Concert System mostly involved the monarchs of each power in Europe and their relationships with one another. Another legacy of the Napoleonic Era was the emergence of liberalism and nationalism, both of which usually challenged the power of the monarchy. Liberalism consisted of many diverse sects, but the major idea behind it was the civil rights of citizens. People who believed their rights were being diminished revolted against many of their depriving monarchial leaders. Nationalism dealt with the pride behind a community of people who believed in the same culture, tradition, and custom as one another. This also lead to multiple revolutions after the Napoleonic Era. Several occurred in Austria due to the many different peoples who lived there. One major revolution involved the Hungarians who resided in Austria and wanted to withdraw from the empire.
The Napoleonic Era actually led somewhat to an era of liberalistic and nationalistic revolution in Europe. Part of this legacy was the dispersion of land among the major powers in Europe after the fall of Napolean and the emergence of the Concert System. These intertwined legacies as a whole were the most significant as a result of the Napoleonic Era.
Napolean will be remembered for many things. Some of these include the Napoleonic Code and his powerful and potent military. He was one of the most powerful and influential leaders of world history. Napolean had a direct stamp on world history that will never fade. His legacy contains many remarkable achievements that are difficult and rare to pull off.
Napolean will be remembered most for reconstructing and changing Europe. He controlled a huge chunk of Europe that would become part of France. Since the empire was so vast, he had other administrators that watched over land under his rule. They still held Napolean’s vision and functioned well together because Napolean and his “assistant rulers” were all on the same page. However just like the Roman Empire, all great reigns must come to an end. Napolean’s empire lasted about 14 years. After, the gigantic land mass was distributed among the Concert System, which included England, Austrio-Hungary, Prussia, and Russia. This Concert System was established so nobody would dominate Europe like Napolean did. Napolean was so influential that the Concert System was established. When England, Austrio-Hungary, Prussia, and Russia acquired France’s former lands they became stronger and modernized like they are today. This land distribution restructured and reshaped Europe altogether and still impacts our modern world because some of the lands are still the same today. Without Napolean, our world map would be significantly different.
Clearly, Napolean had a direct impact on world history and especially European history. He had an undeniable huge influence on the state of Europe and its nations.
The Napoleonic Era could be considered by many to be one of the most influential reigns and times in history. Along with that, Napoleon can be considered one of the most influential characters in history due to his genius in regards to war. He basically conquered most or all of continental Europe, which brought forth a Concert System as well as the Napoleonic Code. However I completely believe that the most important aspect taken from the Napoleonic Era was the drastic reconfiguring of Europe under the control of Napoleon. His legendary victories brought France unprecedented amounts of land, which called for major distribution of land and assets. Only after his ultimate defeat, the countries that lost that same land had the responsibility of re-distributing the land back in what is known as the Concert System.
Among the many great parts of Napoleons reign, the Concert System was major political and geographic attempt to redistribute the land among countries such as England, Russia, and Austria. All of these drastic changes eventually brought forth the unification of Germany which before was just a skew of hundreds of tinier states owned by numerous countries. Even though Napoleon himself did not restructure this wild system, his first seiges brought forward the redistribution and the creation of several countries including Germany. Many other countries gained small or large land holdings including the countries of England receiving holdings in places like the Caribbean. However, this reform of Napoleon's former land, created and sparked several disputes between the countries involved in the Concert System. Some countries were given more or less land regarding their position within the rankings of the system.
This major reform of the Napoleon's magical reign was the start of territorial and geographic disputes for years to come, and sparked several rivalries that continued for more than 3 or 4 decades. But the Concert System was one of the biggest territorial restructurings that we know of, and continues to be an influential part of the creation of several countries.
Of all of the legacy's left from the Napoleonic Era from the reconstruction of the European Continent achieved through brilliant military conquests, as well as his unique way of ruling his empire, perhaps his most important legacy left behind are the concepts of his Civil Code.
The Napoleonic Civil Code embodied and assured the spread of theideals of the French Revolution and continued to be influential long after the end of his rule and death. Nowadays, the current legal structure of many nations are based off of the concepts of this Civil Code. Many of the countries under Napoleon's rule soon adopted this code and therefore formed the basis of thier law systems. The code in general forbade the privileges that had been based on birth, specified that jobs within the governement myst go to those that are most qulified, and allowed the freedom of religion. This code mainly rid France of the feudal sysstem and was seen as a neccesary step in many countries as so many adopted this basis of the code.the code was not biased towards any social class, and reflected the ideals of the French Revolution. As this code was intended to be for the poeple, it was also accesible and easily interpreted as it was written in the vernacular, truly making it a work by Napoleon for his poeple.
Equally importanat as the code itself, is the fact that as Napoleon's empire grew in size, so did the number of leaders and citizens who became aware of his Civil Code and the number of nations who is some form adopted the concepts from the code, allowed the legacy to continue to be acknowledged.
During his reign over France Napoleon created many legacies. At a time where France was hopeless, Napoleon took over like a hero and ultimately changed lives. He implemented a much more democratic system which was strongly needed after the disaster of the monarchy before him. He also promoted social projects to improve French life such as new sewage systems throughout the country. However the most important legacy left behind by Napoleon was his French civil code known as "Code Napoleon". It was clear that the system that was previously implemented by the French government was not working out. The majority of the population lived in poverty in horrible conditions. Noticing this Napoleon knew something must change. His new system did not allow special privileges based on birth. Therefore, every member of the French society had equal opportunity and was allowed to work to improve their condition. This encouraged citizens to work hard, which in result helped the French economy. Another important factor to code Napoleon was the promotion of religious tolerance. During this time period religion was a topic that caused severe turmoil on the European continent. It was the cause of war, executions, and ultimately the division of the continent. By allowing the citizens to practice whatever religion they wished Napoleon eliminated various social problems. This also allowed the country of France to become united no matter what religion they practiced. However, the most important aspect of code Napoleon was the improvement of cities. He funded various projects to build canals, improve roads, and create a new sewage system. These projects greatly improved French life, and put to rest many of the frustrations people had causing the French revolution. With his Code Napoleon, he united the people of France in a country that they were now proud to call their own.
As we look back on the early 1800s, known as the Napoleonic era, we think first of the man who named it, Napoleon Bonaparte. The most significant legacy of the Napoleonic Era is Napoleon himself and his genius. His name is mentioned as one of the most influential a people of all time, and is mentioned in the same sentence as George Washington, Hannibal, and Alexander the Great. His military genius led France to countless battlefield victories and dominance over the majority of Europe. His strategic moves helped him to bring Europe close to the edge. The only thing that could stop him was the force of the Russian Winter. Napoleon was not defeated in a field battle without being heavily outnumbered.
Until the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon’s Guard had the knowledge that they had never been defeated. Even after that battle, Wellington, when asked who was the greatest general of the day, answered: "In this age, in past ages, in any age, Napoleon.” Throughout his life, and throughout history, Napoleon has been respected and feared for being the brilliant, most cunning general in the world. His maneuvers have been analyzed and dissected by the best military strategists, and his decisions have been classified as genius.
There is no question that Napoleon is one of the greatest military commanders in history, and his warfare tactics changed the way that battle were fought. His innovative use of artillery led to many military victories and was a great tactical advantage for Napoleon. Napoleons military aptitude was and is a unique ability that helped France achieved dominance over Europe in the early 19th century. Napoleon Bonaparte’s military ingenuity is the most significant legacy of the Napoleonic Era.
Napoleon is a renowned ruler. Everyone has at least heard his name and most are aware of what he accomplished during his rule including the redesign of Europe, his reign in France, and his vital role in the Napoleonic Wars. But Napoleon’s most significant legacy that he left was without a doubt, the Napoleonic Code.
The Napoleonic Code has become a standard for other countries. It has influenced civil law power internationally. Countries in Europe, South America, and even the United States have been influenced by this document. The Napoleonic Code was based on civil code. It was ended allowing people to receive privileges based on their family and birth. By doing this the Napoleonic Code got rid of the feudal system. Now people were able to achieve things to the best of their abilities without being rejected because of their social status. The people of France who were the most qualified, got the job, and this included government jobs. People were very pleased with the results of the Napoleonic Code because of this. The Napoleonic Code also permitted freedom of religion. From now on people were no longer allowed to be persecuted or excluded because of their faith and beliefs.
Overall Napoleon’s rule definitely has left a legacy that we still continue to recognize and study today. Napoleon was responsible for many significant events and influential actions. Besides the Napoleonic Wars, the border changes in Europe, and many other events during the Napoleonic Era, Napoleon’s most significant legacy is definitely the creation of the Napoleonic Code. It was a great legal system that was based on civil law and allowed people to have the freedom of religion and the feudal system was no longer existent.
Though a man of dismissive physical stature, Napoleon Bonaparte was no doubt one of the biggest baddest figures in history. His legendary military accomplishments continue to leave modern day historians in awe and his influence has yet to depart. The French empire spread through all of Europe under his control and no one was eager to cross his path. Anyone who disagrees ought to be smacked. In his aftermath, Napoleon left countless legacies but none as important or significant as the Napoleonic Code.
Following the reorganization of his country's society in the French Revolution, Napoleon set out to reform the legal system of France. The basis for the Napoleonic Code can be found on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen as well as Roman law. It gave the citizens of France protection from government tactics such as secret laws, ex post facto laws, etc. In fact, much of aligns very similarly to the American code of Law. Although it was not the first set of civil laws in Europe, the Napoleonic Code was the most detailed. This code allowed the conquered people of the countries he had conquered to feel equal and receive the benefits of the law. This made his job easier, avoided rebellion, and kept citizens at bay.
As Napoleon blew through Europe, drastically expanding the French Empire, nations that came under his influence adopted his code as the foundations for their laws. Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Belgium all cite the Napoleonic Code as the basis for their laws. With its influence being felt to this day, the Napoleonic Code is by far the largest legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Napoleon was responsible for many reforms, such as developing a powerful centralized administrative machine, a new system of collecting taxes, and reestablishing the Catholic Church in France. In my opinion, however, the most important legacy left behind by Napoleon was his Civil Code.
Napoleons civil code was a law code which set the laws for the entire nation of France. It was his most important legacy because the code preserved most of the republican revolutionary gains. It recognized equality for all citizens before the laws, allowed citizens to choose their profession, choose their religion, and it abolished serfdom and feudalism. By preserving some of the new liberal ideas, Napoleon kept those ideas in the Parisians heads. Once the people of France, especially the lower classes, realized that this was their new way of living, it would be more difficult for France to go back to it’s old conservative regime. For example, when the King of France is restored to the throne, and he repeals Napoleons law code, the French people revolt. They got to experience the luxury of equal rights, and it is therefore unacceptable for the people to go back to unequal rights.
Napoleons law code was also an important legacy because it unified France, giving the French a sense of nationalism. Prior to this code, each region of France had a different set of laws. However, this code abolished the different regions and had every area of France governed under the same code. This united the people of France and gave them a sense of Nationalism in their country. This sense of nationalism in France also spread to other countries around Europe, causing their revolutions as well.
The inimitable Napoleon Bonaparte certainly had a lasting effect on not only France, nor only Europe, but the entire world. Napoleon’s military genius was indeed remarkable, with an empire that lived up to it, but his genius was not enough to prevent the foolish attempt at invading Russia. Furthermore, his empire only managed to last for around 15 years. But, what he enacted in his relatively brief Napoleonic Era was to be highly influential on future generations. The emperor’s civil code, his Code Napoléon, is considered as one of the select documents to have had a great effect on the world. To start, one should realize that the progressive laws were not necessarily brand new ideas. Many of the ideals were first made French through the revolution, particularly that of equality, which were then worked into the Code. In fact, women lost certain liberties that were gained during the revolution: the right for girls to inherit possessions equal, relative ease of divorce for women to initiate, and equality of men and women in court were all left out of the Napoleonic Code. What makes Napoleon’s Code so important is that it was able to be correctly and fully implemented in European, which allowed the revolutionary ideas to soak into the continent’s psyche. Napoleon occupied the nations of Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Poland and his code worked its way into their laws and their systems of law. The code did not stop spreading when Napoleon lost power, though. It was adopted in Romania, slightly changed, in 1864 and most of it is still in place in that nation. And in the 1880’s, the Codes were translated into Arabic by Youssef Wahba, after which Egypt partly adopted it for its legal system. Egypt is a very influential Arab nation, so it’s legal methods were probably copied by surrounding Arab nations. It required a man as powerful as Napoleon to finally bring permanence to the progressive laws of the French revolution and the Napoleonic Era.
The most important legacy from the Napoleonic era would be the strong military power left behind. While during his reign as ruler of France, Napoleon left numerous legacies behind, the most important came from the great power he held. Through his rebuilding of the French government, he changed France in his time of power. Before Napoleon began his reign, the country of France was full of rebels seeking a revolution. Napoleon made his army and made them strong. He wanted France to feel a great sense of pride for their country. The Napoleonic Code set laws for all of France and reformed the legal system. It protected the citizens of France from their government. It was very detailed and gave the people equality that was necessary at this time. With his military control during this time, he had the power to protect the people of France. He also was able to rebuild the government and their way of life.
Although Napoleons conquests in Europe ultimately ended with the dissolution of the French Empire he had created, the remnants of Napoleonic Code that he established in 1804 still lingered over not only the French but also the inhabitants of the countries that he invaded. At the outbreak of the French Revolution, most of Europe was under the rule of reactionary absolutist monarchies that vowed to uphold the feudal order and to repress any thoughts of liberal idealism from developing in their subjects. They did this to ensure that their subjects would not revolt against their repressive rule. Much to the dismay of these monarchies however, the advent of the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon would disrupt their ability to keeping their subjects in the dark of liberalism and liberty. As Napoleon conquered these absolutist states, he not dismantled their authority but also enforced his code onto his newly gained gains. Napoleon’s code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and required that government positions would be based on merit rather than circumstances of birth. This code served as the absolute anti-thesis of the typical European monarchy which granted those born into aristocracy powerful government positions and unfair privileges over those of common birth.
The introduction of Napoleon’s code to the territories he conquered from his absolutist enemies would imbue thoughts of liberty, rebellion and nationalism into his new subjects against the established absolutist order. These thoughts of liberty were such a threat to the authority of the European’s monarchs that when Napoleon was finally defeated, his enemies followed the leadership of the reactionary Austrian minster Metternich at the Congress of Vienna with the goal of restoring Europe back to the repressive absolutist state that it was in before the French Revolution. These monarchs were fortunately unable to quell the thoughts of dissent brought about by Napoleon’s code which culminated in the European Revolutions of 1848, which was waged by the intellectual middle classes who were upset of their lack of political freedom and vowed for national unity. Although these revolutions initially failed, the nationalistic sentiments these revolutions brought forth would play a pivotal role for the development of the German Empire, Italy and the collapse of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
Napoleon was a man of great strengths and great accomplishments. Taking into account that Napoleon was not even from France, he did a great deal to drag the people of France out of the chaos that ensued during the French Revolution. Out of all the significant legacies left behind during the Napoleonic era, I’d say the most impressive legacy was Napoleon’s spread of imperialism. For Napoleon did not just unite France again, he spread his ideals across Europe and for that, Napoleon should forever be remembered as an impressive figure in history.
Not only did Napoleon make efforts to improve the current conditions in France for the commoners by instituting things like the Napoleon code, which was an entirely secular legal system that treated the classes with more equality in the eyes of the law, but he spread those ideas to areas across Europe. Napoleon’s imperialism was rigid and in many areas, the French were very strict in how they established their governments of conquered lands; there was little wiggle room when forming these new governments based off of Napoleon’s ideas, which is what made Napoleon’s imperialism so impressively homogenous.
For the most part, the imperialistic process of the French invading other countries was not even grotesquely unwelcomed. In many areas, especially the Germanic, the process was unforced, which may help to explain why the implements of the Napoleonic era lasted as long as they did.
Finally, Napoleon’s imperialism was the most significant legacy from this era because it left such lasting effects. It was not simply a short conquering with little effects in the long term, like the Romans. Napoleon’s rule was disrupting culturally for many of the aliens that Napoleon conquered. To maintain his uniformity in all conquered lands, Napoleon stepped on many toes and completely trampled over some of the local customs of the indigenous people.
Napoleon Bonaparte has left behind a great legacy through the actions he has taken and the monumental accomplishments he has achieved. To me, his most significant contribution was the introduction of the Napoleonic Code. This system introduced laws and a civil code which provided structure to the current systems that were not very consistent. These systems were in place before the revolution however once the Napoleonic Code was created it was incorporated into all subsequent lands that Napoleon added to his empire.
There are several reasons that this code was significant. First of all, it created a more uniform guideline for citizens to follow. It did so by establishing clear laws regarding criminal matters as well as other laws of personal conduct. At this time, laws could be vary from different locations. This could lead to often confusing circumstances for people that travel. This is because with changing rules from region to region, a law broken in one place could not be seen as illegal in another. This would be an extremely stressful situation because one may never know if what they were doing was prohibited or not. This code was also far more unbiased as compared to previous governing rules. This unbiased law provided a more fair ruling to those potentially in legal trouble. There would not be as likely of a chance of a crime being blamed on someone because of social status with the laws being defined how they were.
The Napoleonic Civil Code also was far more understandable. Being written in French, it was far easier to understand which lead to a better enforcement of the laws. With a more clear framework of laws being defined, as well as the enforcement of the laws working towards becoming fair, a better overall society could flourish.
When it comes down to it, Napoleon made many contributions that were great, but his most significant had to be the Napoleonic Code. By clearly defining laws and making them uniform throughout his empire, a better sense of the law was created. Along with this, they were more accessible and understandable by practically everyone exposed to them. What makes this more impressive is even after Napoleon's reign ended, some of the places he conquered kept this code or at least some parts of it.
Napoleon's most important legacy is his contribution to change in Europe. He played a dramatic role in the reformation of all of Europe. The place that benefited most from his reformations is France.
Napoleon gave birth to the idea of European nationalism. At that time nationalism was an idea that was foreign to European nations. But when they were faced with a common enemy, Napoleon, many cultures and nations began to gain cultural pride.
Although he helped bring about change in many nations, he reformed France the most. For example, he created a concrete code of law for France. The new law system was called the Napoleonic code. It brought about some major changes to the French lifestyle. For example, it ended the feudal system.
Napoleon's most notable legacy was the reforms that he brought to both the psychology and governmental system of Europe.
Napoleon's most important legacy, but unfortunately not his most famous, is the system of Napoleonic Code. This system is French civil code today, and was introduced by Napoleon in 1804. This code is written into a large book, and forbids privileges upon birth, establishes religious freedom, and explains that government jobs should go to the most qualified, and not by a bloodline or hierarchy. This code was not the first, but it was by far the most influential, as it had been written just before the Napoleonic wars. When Napoleon conquered Europe, he took his code with him and spread the doctrine throughout the continent. His main objective was to reform the old federal laws, which Napoleon thought contradicted the people.
By establishing modern reforms, Napoleon influenced the western world of today more than almost any other individual in history.
In retrospect, we see Napoleon as an overambitious ruler who led one of the biggest military flops throughout history. However, to his people, he was a hero. He was the ruler they loved they went through with King Louie’s reign. He revolutionized the French government and made it more accessible to the common (white) man. I would say that his most significant legacy was the sense of nationalism that he instilled int the French people.
Napoleon took France from being a weakened downtrodden nation to the greatest European power. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers may have died in his ambitious attempts to add to his empire, but he made France great. Even after his failed invasion in Russia, the people of France still revered him. They didn’t blame Napoleon for the failed conquest, they blamed the weather and the Czar. It was him they cursed, not Napoleon. Even after they returned to France with a mere fraction of their original troops he was still hailed as a hero.
Even after his exile, he came back to France and the people still loved and supported him. He was the ruler who fixed France and they still saw him as a hero. His conquests made France great and the people of France did not forget that. Even though he had lost his great empire, France, for however short a time, was one of the greatest world powers. The people did not forget that. Napoleon left behind him a kind of French pride that did not fade. The people remembered the power that they had held and moved on from the Napoleonic era stronger and with a greater national pride. That was Napoleon’s greatest legacy: national pride.
Napoleon was one of the most powerful leaders in history. The number of legacies Napoleon left behind during his reign of power are countless. The most significant legacy was his establishment of the Napoleonic code. The Napoleonic code was a legal code that Napoleon enforced in all the states that he ruled. This code was the cause of the collapse of the feudal system. It ended the idea that only certain social classes can achieve certain things in life. Everyone was given the same rights. No more would people be ruled by regulations specific to the amount of money one owned. The code was written in French and the vernacular. This made it easy it easy for the people to read and understand. Everyone knew how they were governed and to what standards they were being held accountable for. Even the richest were held responsible for the same things the poorest, everyone was equal. The progressiveness of the Napoleonic code had influenced the legal system as well as peoples the way people think about the law and order in an empire. Still after Napoleon’s reign came to an end the Napoleonic code was kept it. Even today some parts of the world use parts still use it. The Napoleonic code is just one example of how Napoleon was able to take an idea and revolutionize it into something that is new, useful, and long lasting.
There are many ways that Napoleon and his ideas have changed the world. With some drastically negative impacts such as seventeen years of wars resulting in the deaths of over six million Europeans, and some greatly positive impacts like helping to unite the German states by abolishing the Holy Roman Empire, it is difficult to decide what the most important legacy of the man really is. But one that stands out to me the most is the reforms and political developments he made during the time period, known as the Napoleonic Code.
The Napoleonic Code included the establishment of a country-wide system of laws, something france had never really seen before. Prior to Napoleon, France’s laws were determined mostly by city, village and town customs and traditions or set up by town governments. The introduction of the Napoleonic Code consolidated all of these small bodies of law into one legal code to be followed throughout the country, essentially creating a backbone for national law. With this legal code came a new way of enforcement and an updated court system. Every part of the country was required to follow the code, but instead of having one rigid way of doing things they were allowed to interpret it the way they felt was just, and were able sentence accordingly. This was a very influential reform that swept the country. The new legal code expanded the rights of all citizens whether it was the poor or rich. It helped to eliminate the status gap between them by abolishing the idea of birthright and ending judges’ habits of sympathizing with people of the same social class to which they themselves belonged.
Overall the overhaul of the French legal system in the “Napoleonic Code” brought about a positive social change across France and organized all of the small individual town/city forms of law that were previously inconsistent and greatly corrupt into one legal body under one set of laws. It allowed citizens a more fair and just trial and expanded their rights; a giant leap for French society.
Despite, perhaps, modern giants like Google and Apple, no single entity has had more influence over European history than Napoleon Bonaparte. As a military leader, he was truly fierce, and his empire stretched far across the globe. His leadership defined the European continent’s development, while his defeat represented the fall of a legend. Of all the legacies to come out of the Napoleonic Era, I believe that Napoleon’s architectural prowess will be the longest lasting and most significant.
Napoleon’s architecture is still a marvel today. From his sewer systems to pieces like the Arc de Triomphe, none was without significant significance. Representing a crucial step towards the modernization of France, Napoleon’s revised sewer system is still functioning today. Each individual piece of architecture had a purpose, whether that be to immensely benefit society (like the sewer systems), or to simply show off his victories. Pieces like the Arc de Triomphe and his Vendôme olumn highlight his military achievements. Having been to Paris, and seen many of his monuments and architectural endeavors, I can honestly say that the passion and historical value brought forth by Napoleon’s architecture is truly incredible. His architecture brought together all aspects of his command and created tangible reminders of them. Napoleon’s architecture is his most significant legacy, as it forever reminds the people of Europe of his military successes and of his endeavors to improve society.
Regardless of the intrinsic value of Napoleon’s architecture, most of his pieces were made out of stone. Stone can take millions of years to erode, thus giving his architecture front rows seats to wherever our world ends up, and solidifying Napoleon’s place in history. Napoleon’s architecture serves as to forever keep alive his many legacies, making itself the most important of all.
I believe the most significant legacy of the Napoleonic Era was how Europe changed after Napolean was defeated. This one man dominated over all of Europe for a very long time and had control in many countries other than France. At his peak, he had control of almost the entire continent of Europe. Napolean was a military genius and this is how he obtained this dominance and control. However, he couldn't hold this power for ever. When he tried to cut off all trade to Britain, not all of the countries followed this rule. Russia continued trade with Britain and Napolean got very upset. He planned to march into Russia and take the capital city into his own hands in order to stop the trading. However, this would turn out to be one of the worst decisions in military history. Due to the harsh Russian winter, the majority of his 600,000 person army didn't come home. Napolean and his army had been hurt very bad. On top of this was his loss at Warterloo due to several miscalculations. When Napolean was eventually taken out of power, Europe wanted to make sure that nothing like this ever happened again. They created what was called the Concert System which prevented one person from having all the power. However, this system was flawed due to rivalries that could not just simply disappear. However, for a long time this system prevented one ruler from having all power. I think the Concert system was the most significant legacy because of the fear of a single military leader controlling all of Europe.
Napoleon Bonaparte was, and still is, considered by many to be the greatest military genius to have ever lived. His many accomplishments include conquering the majority of Europe, instilling the Napoleonic Code in France, and cleaning up the filth and stench of Paris at the time. However, I believe Napoleon’s greatest accomplishment is the nationalism he instilled in the people of France and the people of other countries across Europe. Napoleon’s army had the ultimate faith in him and in their country. They were even willing to trek thousands of miles across Russia in the brutal winter, due to their belief that they would be able to win any battle and literally survive in the most impossible conditions. When this mission failed, and Napoleon deserted his few surviving troops to go to Paris more quickly, the men were understandably angry. However, they were angry at their officers, at the Russians, at the weather. They were not angry with Napoleon, when it was really his fault that the majority of them had already died in the Russian winter. They had so much faith that he would always know how to win every battle and how to make France the most glorious country. The French people loved him, and the same France who had a bloody revolution to abolish monarchy did not object when he crowned himself Emperor. They had faith that he would make France an Empire, and that is exactly what he did by conquering the surrounding countries with his glorious army. However, the sense of nationalism and pride in one’s country did not end with France. The surrounding countries under French rule did not like being overruled by a foreign power, and their sense of nationalism skyrocketed. Each country decided that their culture was very important, and that it should not be overshadowed by the French just because they were ruling them at that time. Similar to the way Napoleon intentionally helped the French to achieve nationalism, he unintentionally helped the other countries have pride in their nation by taking them over and threatening to take away their individualism. This is really one of the greatest accomplishments of Napoleon’s time.
The only legacy that Napoleon left behind that he has any right to be proud of is his Code of Laws. All other forms of war fare and imperialism, although spectacular and revolutionary did nothing but bring harm to the people of Europe. An indirect result of his conquering might have been a new modern and unified Europe, but that is no excuse for what he did. When we look back on Napoleon we should remember what he did with France and how he dealt with their legal system. Napoleon's code of arms compared to the legal systems of the rest of Europe most closely resembles the rights that we enjoy today. Such of these laws include the rights to an easy divorce and limiting the rights a father has over his children such as imprisoning them. Daughter’s even had the right now to inherit equal amounts of property from the the family. Although some people were against these new civil rights, Napoleon was striking the heart of the revolution and giving more equality among the citizens. However most importantly Napoleon reformed the government using his new code of laws by replacing nobility with skilled workers and developed a rank system based strictly on skill instead of relying on a family tree to serve the country. This most importantly reflects the view of the people and their desire to abolish monarchy. It was the start of a new reformed government where the nobility would serve the people instead of themselves. The code of Laws was by no means perfect and in some instances limited the rights of women, however on the whole it was incredibly positive and was truly a step forward for France. Nothing else Napoleon has done I feel was really something to be proud of.
Napoleon accomplished many things in his lifetime, creating the concert system, conquering half of Europe. However I believe that Napoleon's greatest feat was in fact to once again unite France as a country after years of revolution, perhaps one of the bloodiest revolutions that the world has ever seen, Napoleon was able to restore order and peace to France during his rein. He was an Emperor that won over the hearts of the people. His actions within France are not insignificant. He was able to improve daily life for the French people by improving the education system, he improved France as he created roads, drained swamps, built homes, hospitals, schools, and orphanages. These actions helped restore France to a glory that they had never experienced. The simple quality of life improved for all people. And by winning the hearts of the people Napoleon also won peace in France after years of Frenchmen killing one another in the name of revolution. While Napoleon was an emperor of France, he still spread Democratic ideals throughout the country. I believe that restoring order in France was perhaps Napoleon's greatest achievement, because if he had not, it is very likely that France would have been partitioned into parts by other European powers and would cease to exist at all. By rebuilding France entirely, Napoleon restored faith into the people without reverting to a monarchy, he spread ideas of democracy. His work in france created a better lifestyle for everyone in the country. Back during the days of the revolution and before the streets were constantly littered in. Filth to the point in which it was affecting the health of the people that lived there. Napoleon changed all that when he completely revamped the infrastructure of France. While Napoleon's accomplishments in conquering Europe were impressive, what he did in France was something that would bring about a change that France had needed for centuries.
Personally, I think Napoleons most lasting legacy dwells within his military feats. After all, is he not now renowned as one of the best generals and military genius of all time? However, I am not speaking strictly of his military victory, but rather of the awe he struck in his men. Never before have I known a leader like Napoleon, who was so close, so awe inspiring, to his men. He roused such a sense of nationalism in them, the likes of which few leaders can rival.
Just look at Napoleons failed invasion of Russia. On the horrible march back, General Winter, as the Russians call the Siberian cold, had set in. There wasn’t enough food to go around, horse, even Napoleon’s own, was shot down for food. Soldiers were dropping dead from hypothermia, disease, mal nutrition, and who knows what else. And yet, no one cursed in the name of their leader, who was brave enough to get out and march on foot, along with his troops. They continued to hope, and trust in their great leader, even when times were at their most bleak. And even Napoleon’s people, back in France, continued to believe in him and his military genius.
Yet not only did he stand along his troops in the freezing cold. In one battle against the British, he went as far as to sneak along with his men, who were moving the heavy artillery in the middle of the night, for a sneak attack, holding a lantern as to light their path. With such a leader, brave enough to go head long into battle along with his troops, in such a close knit, brotherly way, who can deny his right to be called a legion.
Therefore, while Napoleon’s military generous, allowing him to concur much of Europe in only 14 years, building an empire to rival that of Rome in its day, I believe Napoleons most lasting legacy is the trust he inspired in all his armies, no doubt due to their long time and experiences together, and Napoleon’s charm and brilliance.
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