NAPOLEON'S FOREIGN POLICY (6:15 PM)

• When he was defeated in the Battle of Neil, Austria formed a confederacy with the support of
England, Russia, Prussia, and Sardinia.
• Napoleon defeated the Austrians and forced them to sign Luneville Treaty.
• The treaty confirmed all the provisions of the early Campoformio Treaty.
• Napoleon formed a coalition against England with the support of Sweden and Russia.
• Both withdrew as England's naval commander Nelson defeated the Swedish and Czar Paul was
murdered in Russia.
• Napoleon agreed to peace and signed the Treaty of Amiens with England.
• It was only for bidding time.
• He encouraged the forces against England in India and Europe.
• In the Battle of Trafalgar, Napoleon was defeated by Nelson (1804).
• However, Nelson died in the battle.
• In 1804, Napoleon became the emperor of France.
• With the failure of Napoleon in the Battle of Trafalgar, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, all formed a
coalition.
• Napoleon defeated Austrians, Prussians (in the battle of Jena 1805), and Russians (in the battle of
Britenfields)
• The height of Napoleon's glory was in 1807- Treaty of Tilsit.
• He became the master of the entire Europe, except England.
• He created new kingdoms.
• He declared himself King of Italy.
• He appointed his brother Joseph as king of Naples, and another brother Louis became king of the
Netherlands.
• Napoleon created the Rhine Confederacy of 16 German states by merging all 333 German states.
• He declared himself a protector.
NAPOLEON (7:24 PM)
• Napoleon-man of extraordinary talents and a rare combination of valor and intellect.
• Napoleon was the last of the brilliant commanders and the first of the great statesman.
• He came to the limelight for the first time when he liberated the town of Toulon from the royalists.
• In the revolution, Napoleon sided with the Jacobians (the radicals).
• In 1795, Napoleon's Italian campaign started.
• He defeated the Italians( Sardinians), entered Austria to defeat the Austrians, and forced them to
sign the Treaty of Campo Formio.
• As a part of the treaty, Austria vacated Italy and surrendered its Netherlands called Austrian
Netherlands.
• Napoleon created two republics in Italy- the Cisalpine Republic (on the Southern side of the
Alps) and the Ligurian Republic.
• For the first time he liberated Italy from the control of Austria and was called the 'Father of Italian
Unification.'
• However, in 1797, though he occupied Egypt by defeating Pasha of Egypt in the ''Battle of
Pyramids'', he was finally defeated by Nelson of England in the '' Battle of Nile.''
• In 1800, Napoleon captured power and became the ruler of France.
• Reforms by the Napoleon:
• He gave a new constitution called Consular Constitution.
• It provided for agencies like the Council of States, the tribunate, the legislative assembly, and the
Senate.
• The first is to introduce the law (Council of States), the second (tribunate) to discuss the law, third
(assembly) to decide about the law.
• Senate with 80 members will make all the nominations including members of the consulate.
• Napoleon as the first consulate would make all the appointments.
• His word was to be final in the matters of war & peace.
• The mayor as an administrator of cities, prefects for Cantons, and sub-prefects for Communes were

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 • The mayor as an administrator of cities, prefects for Cantons, and sub-prefects for Communes were
all appointed by Napoleon.
• A secretariat of ministers was provided but Napoleon took enough care to see that ministers are not
united.
• In other words, no collective responsibility.
• Though it appears that he honored the 'separation of powers, in reality, he went against the
spirit of revolution and concentrated the power in his hands as First Consulate.
• In financial reforms, the Bank of Paris was founded in the 1800s, and very soon it became one of
the best-managed institutions in Europe.
• In education, he revealed his remarkable foresight and statesmanly qualities.
• No other ruler in history gave that much importance to education as Napoleon did.
• He founded primary schools and high schools called Lycees, schools for technical education, a
school for studies like civil service, training schools, etc.
• Norman Schools for teacher training were founded.
• The University of Paris controls and coordinates the entire education system.
• He was the first to recognize the importance of woman's education (''the hand that rocks the
cradle is the hand that rules the world.'')
• He created the Legion of Honors to be conferred upon men of letters and experts who excelled in
their respective fields.
• He struck a perfect balance between humanities, sciences, and arts.
• This made the French education system the best in the world at that time.
• Public work, Roadways, as many as 200 were completed, of that 30 linked Paris with the borders.
• Irrigation systems were provided, and dams were renovated.
• However, Napoleon used war prisoners as a labor force and made defeated countries Italy, Austria,
and Prussia pay up public work expenditure in France. (Not a child of the revolution.)
• Introduced a new judicial code called''Code De Napoleon'' called the monumental work of
Napoleon's genius.
• The radical ideas of the code-
• (1) divorce accepted against the ideas of the Roman Catholic Religion.
• (2) Father, head of the family, but no right to dispose of more than 50% of the property.
• (3) Civil procedure code, penal code, and commercial codes were entirely innovations in the realm
of law.
• In the subject law, he extended them to all the countries he conquered.
• (4) In religion, he bestowed the relationship between the French catholic church and the Roman
church.
• In 1801, he entered into an understanding with Pope called
• However, he never hesitated to go against the pope in sanctioning the divorce and in extending
theContinental system.
• (He used religion for building up his public image)
• He created a sense of equality by opening up public offices for talents-''Careers are open for
talents.''
• However, he never accepted liberty, for him French asked for equality but not liberty. (Not a child
of the revolution.)
• However, he beautified the city of Paris and made it a center of European passions, founded the
Museum of Paris-one of the best managed even today.

NAPOLEAN'S FOREIGN POLICY (05:22 PM)

• It was more influenced by his personal ambition to rule Europe and partly by revolutionary ideas.
Austria formed a coalition with Sardinia & Prussia, against Napolean when he was defeated by
Nelson in the Battle of Nile. Napoleon defeated the Austrians and Sardinians and he could win the
support of Sweden and Russia against England.
• When Nelson of England defeated Sweden, both Sweden and Russia withdrew their support for
Napolean.
• Diplomatically, Napolean signed the "Treaty of Amiens" with England and ended the war,
however, his main purpose was to strengthen his position against England. Secretly he made an
attempt to occupy Belgium, a friendly country of England. He also tried to win the support of
Indian princes against England.

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 Indian princes against England.
• In the fresh rivalries started, Napolean was defeated by Nelson of England in the "Battle of
Trafalgar, 1804", however, Nelson died in the battle.
• As Napolean was defeated, Austria again formed a coalition with Prussia, and Russia against
Napolean. Napoleon defeated the Austrians and entered Prussia. The defeat of Austria made
England's prime minister, William Pitt, to remark "Roll up the map of Europe, It is not required for
another 10 years".
• Napolean defeated the Prussians in the "Battle of Jena". He celebrated his coronation festival as
Emperor of France in Berlin.
• He defeated the Russians in the "Battle of Britenfields" and forced the Czar of Russia to sign Tilsit
Treaty. The treaty marked the highest stage of Napolean's power, he had entire Europe at his feet
except England.

CONTINENTAL SYSTEM (06:21 PM)

• It means a policy of total blockade of England from the rest of the world. In other words, it is a
policy of isolating England. Under the policy, sanctions were imposed against England.

• It started with the "Berlin Decrees" passed by Napolean in Berlin. Under the policy, no country to
trade with England. Both Import and Export trade with England was banned. Countries cooperating
with England were threatened. England accepted the challenge and passed "orders-in-council".
• Continental system was a grave mistake committed by Napolean for the reasons
• a) France had no Naval strength to implement and enforce the continental system against England.
• b) Europe was dependent on England for essential goods like Textiles, leather products, and tea &
coffee.
• c) All along the sea coast of France, Smuggling started and France became the first country
affected. France was the major exporter of corn to England and France became the first country to

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 affected. France was the major exporter of corn to England and France became the first country to
violate the continental system.
• d) Portugal was the first European country to revolt against the continental and it was supported by
England. Even the pope questioned the continental system and was threatened by Napolean
offending the sentiments of Catholics.
• To punish Portugal, Napolean decided to enter Portugal via Spain. Spain as a country revolted
against Napolean, not allowing the French army. Egocentric Napolean remained in Spain without
any progress with a Six lakh army. It is said that it was a "Spanish Ulcer" that ruined Napolean just
as a "Deccan Ulcer" ruined Aurangzeb.
• When Russia withdrew from the continental system, Napolean went to war with Russia and it
ended up as a disaster.
• Austria formed the 4th coalition with the support of all European countries against Napolean. In the
"Battle of Libzig" also called the "Battle of Nations", Napolean was defeated and imprisoned on
the island of Elba.
• Napolean escaped from Elba by swimming in the sea and he returned back to Paris. The fifth
coalition was formed in the "Battle of Waterloo", Napolean was caught and he was imprisoned at
Helena where he died in 1821.
REASONS FOR THE DOWNFALL OF NAPOLEAN (06:43 PM)
• He never recognized the limitations of human energy. For him, nothing was impossible
• He was essentially a powermonger. Highly egocentric Napolean never allowed nationalism to
survive against his will.
• In the name of liberating the countries from monarchies, he finally established his own empire.
• He used the resources of Italy and Germany (Prussia) for the construction activities in France.
• The empire he built was built by force, not by the willing cooperation of the people, he appointed
his brothers Joseph and Loui as the rulers, undermining the spirit of nationalism.
• For all these reasons it is said that "Napolean's empire was destined to be doomed for its internal
contradictions".
NAPOLEAN- CHILD OF REVOLUTION?- CRITICAL ASSESSMENT
• Napolean declared himself a child of the revolution.
• It is a highly disputed matter between his admirers and adversaries.
• He was not the child of revolution for the reasons:
• He denied liberty, the first slogan of revolution. For him, the ''French wanted equality but not
liberty.''
• Even his concept of equality is superficial. He was not bothered about creating conditions
favorable for enjoying equality.
• The concept of Fraternity was blatantly violated.
• In the name of liberating the people and spreading revolutionary ideas he created an empire of his
own and satisfied his imperialistic desires.
• Never respected the nationalism of Italians and Germans, and used their resources and war
prisoners for his public works.
• However, there are equally valid reasons to call him a child of the revolution:
• He captured power while the revolution was passing through a crisis.
• He gave stability, prosperity, power, and prestige to disturbed France.
• Napoleon saved the French Revolution from external threats, particularly threats from Austria and
Prussia.
• It was he who spread the revolutionary ideas into different parts of Europe.
• He introduced liberal reforms and his 'Code De Napolean' in the newly conquered territories.
• He once and for all ended the medieval concept of the ''Holy Roman Empire'' and liberated
people from the absolutism and autocracy of Austria and Prussia.
• He heralded a new age characterized by the struggle between the forces of conservatism and
progressivism.
• It was he who gave peace and stability to disturbed revolutionary France.
• Some more arguments from the supporter of the idea
• He liberated Italians and Germans from the control of Austria. [* German and Italian unification
was the result of Napolean's war]
• Definitely, he heralded a new age characterized by a clash between the conservatism of the
monarchy and the progressivism of the people of Europe in General.

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 monarchy and the progressivism of the people of Europe in General.
• His legacy continued to decide the course of the history of Europe even after his death.
• It was Napolean who gave the masses the weapon of Constitutionalism and liberalism against the
monarchies. And after his death also, his ideas continued to inspire Europe till the 1870s
• In this regard, he definitely deserves to be called as the Child of Revolution.
EFFECTS OF FRENCH REVOLUTION- INTERNAL & EXTERNAL (07:13 PM)
• Impact on France
• The ancient regime/ Age old social and political system in France was dismantled with French
Revolution
• It ended Feudalism. Republicanism started in France
• Middle class took the leadership
• Slavery was banned
• Taxation system was rationalized- "Tax according to ability"
• Religion lost its vitality, State was upheld as the most powerful. Religion is subordinated to State.
• France understood the importance of Human rights.
• France understood the importance of Liberty and Equality.
• France became the first European country to have a written constitution.
• Impact on the world
• Great ideas such as Universalism got importance. [* Same is in India also in the form of "Sarve
bhavantu sukhinah bhavantu"]. [** Universalism= for humanity, all mankind, thinking in terms of
universe]
• Romanticism was replaced with the Scientific approach [* Romaticism= What that is not real, one
wants to be real. Wanting a society without hunger, poverty, starvation, and inequality is
romanticism.]
• [* Rousseau- "Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains"]
• [* Karl Marx- "Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains"]
• In the French Revolution, mobs could not capture power and were sidelined by the Middle class. In
the Russian Revolution, peasantry gained power thus Russian Revolution was the LOGICAL END
of the French Revolution.
• 1810- Spanish revolution, 1830- July revolution
• It inspired Italian unification, German unification
• After the Fall of Napolean, Vienna Treaty was signed in 1815. It has 4 principles- Balance of
power, Compensation, Legitimacy, and Restoration
• Different parts of Europe were demanding constitutionalism.

• Similarities Between German Unification and Italian Unification

• Factors were more or less the same for both:
• French Revolution, Napolean War, Vienna Conference 1815, 1838 & 1848 revolutions, and romanticism.
• In both the unification movement, Monarchy took the lead and got the support of the Prime Ministers.
• In Italian Unification, the Sardinian King initiated and PM Cavour supported. In Germany, Emperor
William was supported by Bismarck.
• For both movements, the common enemies were Austria and France
• Dissimilarities Between German Unification and Italian Unification
• From the beginning Italian unification was a reality, whereas German Unification was sheer romance. [*
German Unification was forced upon and Italian unification was a reality]
• In the relative strength also differ, Sardinia was a weak kingdom whereas Prussia was relatively stronger.
• In Italy, PM Couvour was very much supported by the monarchy and patriarchs whereas Bismarck had
not enjoyed any support except from emperor William I.
• In the means that followed Sardinia wanted foreign help whereas Prussia never wanted any help from any
country. Rather Bismarck followed a policy of isolating the enemy and neutralizing the other European
powers.
• In the spirit also they differ. Cavour was first an Italian then only Sardinian. Whereas Bismarck was first a
Prussian, and then only a German.
• Italianisation of Italy was the policy of Cavour whereas Bismark's policy was the Prussianisation of
Germany.
• Cavour was a democrat, who conducted plebiscites, whereas Bismarck was an autocrat who believed in

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• Cavour was a democrat, who conducted plebiscites, whereas Bismarck was an autocrat who believed in
the policy of blood and iron.
• Cavour had little problem compared to Bismarck. Cavour got the support of the Nationalists like
Garibaldi, Victor Emmanuel, etc whereas Bismarck only got the support of the emperor.
• Cavour was more an Italian than a Sardinian and Bismarck was more a Prussian than a German.
• Question- One thing Bismarck determined to prevent was the Unification of Germany. Comment.
• Cavour was first an Italian than a Sardinian and Bismarck was first a Prussian than a German.
• [* Bismarck Was never for German unification. Comment- Bismarck did Prussianization of Germany
and he founded Prussian Germany, Imperialism of Prussia, and not the other way around i.e.
Germanization of Prussia or Germanized Prussia. ]
• [* German unification under the Prussian leadership i.e. Bismarck. If any other state is ready for
unification then Bismarck would not have allowed it. ]
• [** Analogy in the Indian context- Chamber of Princes was headed by Nawab of Bhopal. Sardar Patel
wanted to unify India under the leadership of the Government of India and he was not ready to unify India
under the leadership of the Nawab of Bhopal]
• Bismarck was an Authoritarian, and Autocrat, and had no respect for democracy whereas Cavour was in
favour of democracy.
In what way Bismarck's German unification caused World War I?
• Germany's Unification and Italian unification movements ended European disorder. A geographical map
of Europe was clearly drawn, which ended disorder.
• Disorder also ended as the two archenemies in Europe's politics i.e. Austria and France got defeated.
• Quarantining France was the Keynote of Bismarck's Foreign policy.
• a) He kept the capital city Paris under his control for one year.
• b) France was made to Surrender Alsace and Lorraine (Iron rich areas)
• c) France paid 5 lakhs Francs as compensation.
• d) Bismarck declared William I of Germany as emperor of Germany in the hall of Paris.
• e) In 1873 Bismarck founded the Emperor's League comprising Austria, Russia, and Germany
• f) Differences started within the Emperor's League, between Austria and Russia on the matters of
"Balkan politics"/ Near East border of Europe. Russia shared the longest boundary with the Ottoman
Empire and wanted to control the Near East region. Austria also wanted to control this region.
• Bismarck of Germany supported Austria against Russia.
• Russia withdrew from the Triple Emperor's league. Bismarck asked Italy to join the group. But Italy
refused to join the Triple Emperors League.
• Bismarck supported France against Italy in Tunisia and forced Italy to join the Triple emperors league
which later became the "Triple Alliance"
• In 1884, Bismarck resigned, which became a greater relief for France.
• In 1894, France and Russia created the "Dual Entente"
• In 1902, England and Japan entered into an alliance.
• In 1907, England joined Dual Entente and it became the "Triple Entente"- France, Russia, And
England.

NAZI FOREIGN POLICY (05:55 PM)

• It was determined by the ideas:
• (1) To avenge the humiliation of Germany in the Paris Peace Conference.
• (2) Hitler believed in the concept of 'Lebensraum.'
• It believes in United Germany & Greater Germany are bound to rule the world.
• This concept was introduced by the German philosopher Carl Haushofer.
• As per the theory England and France were no more powerful nations and it is time for Germany to
rule Central Europe.
• Keynote of Hitler's foreign policy was South East of Germany with countries Austria, Romania,
and Hungary.
• Austria with rich coal mines and foreign reserves worth 10 Million Pounds, Romania with rich oil
mines, and Hungary with fertile lands.
• The Southern part of Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia.
• In 1934, he signed a 'No war pact' with Poland for 10 years just to convince the world that he was
for peace.

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 for peace.
• He tried to bring Austria under the control of Germany with a massive campaign against the Nazi
party.
• When questioned by European powers he disowned his responsibility.
• The major turning point was Hitler winning the plebiscite in the Saure Valley in 1935.
• In 1935, he convinced England that his fight was against communist Russia and secured the support
of England for the militarization of Germany.
• He went on violating the conditions of the Paris Peace Conference.
• Rhineland was militarized.
• Compulsory military training was ordered-
• An army of 6.5 laks was recruited.
• In 1936, in the Spanish civil war both Hitler and Mussolini dictator General Franco came to power.
• In 1936, Hitler signed a pact anti-communist or anti-Comintern pact with Japan against
Russia.
• Italy joined the pact in 1937 and that was how Berlin, Tokyo, and Rome axis was formed
called Grand Axis.
• In 1937, Hitler encouraged the Nazi party of Austria to create disturbances under the leadership
of Arthur Seyss.
• He himself invited Hitler to take over Austria.
• With the Austrian occupation, Hitler got 10 crores worth of foreign reserves from the Austrian bank
and the rich coal mines.
• Hitler instigated Germans of Sudetenland for the 'Right of Self-determination.'
• England's PM Chamberlin mediated between Hitler and Czechoslovakia when Hitler threatened to
attack Czechoslovakia.
• Finally Munich Pact was signed in 1938 accepting all the conditions of Hitler.
• In 1939, Hitler encouraged the Germans in Poland,
• He neutralized Russia and attacked Poland.
• With the Polish crisis Hitler started World War II.
• In Hitler's occupying Austria, threatening to attack Czechoslovakia, and occupying Poland, all three
instances, the League of Nations miserably failed.
• 'Principle of Collective Responsibility' was blatantly violated.

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