Life of Napoleon (Episode 17) - The Imperial Coronation & the War of the Third Coalition

In which Napoleon sees a crown in a gutter, and picks it up...

This episode covers events from May 1803 to December 1804

Music:
Le Chant du départ (instrumental)

Sources/References:
- The Black Jacobins (1936) - C.L.R. James
- The Campaigns of Napoleon (1966) - David Chandler
- The French Revolution (1980) - Christopher Hibbert
- In the Words of Napoleon (2002) - Philip Haythornwaithe & R.M. Johnston
- Napoleon (2015) - Andrew Roberts
- Naploleon's Wars (2006) - Charles Esdaile

[johnrockefeller]

I love seeing the maps and graphics improve. Youtube channels like this one that improve and innovate always succeed.

[NeverGoingToGiveYouUp]

You did not disappoint, one hour long! A person not being born into royalty, using his own skills, intelligence and luck crowning himself Emperor is one hell of a sight.
Would've loved to hear about each Marshal receiving their batons and what they thought about it. Superb.

[historicallyadequate]

So after a fashion, here it is. I've been very busy with life things recently so unfortunately this came out later than I'd hoped. Things are gonna be like that for at least a few more weeks sadly.

Pretty interesting content this time around. Not only are we dealing with the birth of an Empire, but Napoleon taking the crown Caesar never did. Honestly, I could've gone on for hours about the whole imperial transition, but this thing was already oversized. You might notice the omission of any talk about the Grande Armée or the Marshallate - that's on purpose. To do those topics justice requires their own videos, so that'll be for a later date. So before plunging into Germany for the Ulm campaign, expect a squiz at La Grande Armée and the Marshalls - I know everyone will like that very much

Anyway, as always, any comments/criticisms/thoughts/questions, feel free to ask!

[marcoestebancarrionc]

Sir, im drunk and convinced that you could narrate a month of any of your dedicated followers lives and still inspire the anxious wait that is born after the final sentence of each episode. I truly dread the day we shall hear the adieux to the Vieille Garde at Fontainebleau.

[theswordson]

Had a rough day but hearing your description of Napoleons coronation has made my day

[liamobrien]

This series has been phenomenal. An episode or two a day to relax after work. Sad to be (currently) at the end of the series, looking forward to each new episode, hopefully not too long to wait for the next. Keep up the great work, your knowledge and delivery of it is fantastic.

[abrahamoyevaar]

Stirring stuff. Thanks again for such a flowing, fascinating narrative. Am salivating (ew!) For the next installment my good lord Blackadder. En avánt!

[zomorozna]

I have just been hearing about this war being discussed in Mike Duncan's Revolutions podcast! Perceft timing

[stug]

Incredible series, this pairs perfectly with Historia Civilis' series on Caesar and the Roman Civil War.

[lokiloptr]

Absolutely wonderful work. Very underrated channel, keep up the quality work and the channel will grow exponentially one day!

[omarbradley]

There are some things who i would like to point. While the subject could be pretty contradictory and difficult to explain in many ways the Empire forging is actually a much more pragmatic than an idealistic issue. To begin with we should first go back to the Royalist affairs; as you remember Napoleon was playing a double game during the Consulate in wich he pretended to leave all the wounds in the past, (even when the Royalist tried to blow him up) he apealed to the "moderate" for supporters, the broke of Amiens alongside other things forced Napoleon to side with his own self, in other words going back to his own roots. The first issue is the Cadoudal conspiracy, who while not much is to being said except who Cadoudal wounded (badly) but not kill the Gendarme, (who become the first police officer in being awarded with a badge of "on duty wounded", something who continue until this day) Napoleon couldn't simply walk away after so much done to "apeace" the royaliststs. So he did what he logicaly would had done earlier who was hunt for the Royalists, about Moreau, while not a royalist himself, he was far from a republican, the rivalry between Moreau and Napoleon can be reduced to the rivalry of their wives, with Moreau's wife being every time more envious of Josephine and repudiating her for her "Past", Moreau was also actually jealous of Napoleon being elevated, especially since he himself came from the Freuilliant moderates, while Napoleon altought acting as one of them was a Montagnard, However was who altought Moreau had his fifteen minutes of fame after Hohenlinden (where the Austrians commited many mistakes in part because their desperation after Marengo) it was difficult to forget his disaster on the Rhine of 1796, in the end Moreau was pretty treacherous but indecise, thus Napoleon put him out of comission, and then emigrated to New Jersey.
The Duc D'Enghien affair is a more ideological issue than pragmatic, while he was suspected in great reason for the Cadoudal conspiracy, there was a fact who remained clear, He was the leader of the royalists, (even more than the Brother of Louis XVI) and he had actually fought with his father's Conde's Army against France during the Vendee and Chouanierie. Dummoriez the traitor to the revolution was also a likly target who Fouche belived was with him. However Napoleon made the decition alongside members of the legislature to size D'Enghien, for this he almost sidelined Fouche and sent one agent Madame D'Oettlinger (disapeared after the hundred days) who reported directly to Napoleon, D'Enghien was actually lured into beliving who he was safe in Bavaria, (a semi ally of France right now) and then he was seized by Colincourt. In France the news of it fueled the same ones as in Europe, but first the Trial was made under the direction of Pierre Hulin (a staunch revolutionary, and the hero and leader of the 14 of July, a pretty important fact) the Consul sent his questionary during the trial, and was asked when it ended, then at the end, Colincourt, doubted who Napoleon will carry the sentence if informed, but he failed to grant a stay, when Savray "took the pen out of his hand", Napoleon indeed wanted to shoot D'Enghien, but the decition even martial one, was maded by the military prefects.
The reaction to the execution was as said before the same as in Europe, the difference was who the people had the say, and Napoleon was actually aclaimed by many, (even oposition members) from the Left for finally taking action against the Royalists. The Burgoise acused him of being a Robespierre wanabe, but this in turn only fueled Napoleon support from the "Montagnards", Napoleon didn't feel eager to back down now who the mascarade was out. At the end of the day Napoleon was the revolutionary, and the European powers even defeated "preyed" on the moderation of France.
Now who the Rubbicon had been crossed, Napoleon sphere begun to atract every leftist from the old times, those put the "Question of sucession" foward, in reality Napoleon indeed didn't like the idea so much, but a legitimisation as such could erode many barriers for diplomacy with "Peers" and above all can avoid the Cromwellian mistake of not having a clear sucession. The title Emperor came from the parliament as a way to "ensure who the head of the Republic is elevated over the Monarchy" As an Emperor is more than a King, and thus the Legitimist claims will fail to adress the issue of having more "Given Power" than the head of the Republic. About the support and oposition to it, it's worth of mention who many "Republicans" remained in the highest positions, and they supported Napoleon as an Emperor, mainly because the Revolution wasn't about a title but about social and economic issues. Among the many of them Hulin already mentioned was Barere, Jourdan, Brunne, Davout, Thuriot (and a list who actually i posted on a previous video, altought only included the Montagnards and Maraisards rather than the broad "Republican"). Another issue is the poverty in France, who to be clear was a poor nation with a rich elite, that elite had been beheaded but their lands and wealth were not distributed among the people, and as mention in the video by 1803 the poors were poorer, but it didn't remain there as the lands begun to be granted to any citizen, the wealth was put on the people's pocket, and the masses become prosperous, with poverty almost unseen on France, of course when the state begun to fell apart in late 1813 the people was struck down but it was a consequence of the defeat rather than of policy, then the Bourbons came, and then the restoration never leaved totally (not even today, not with Napoleon III who "betrayed" many people who "wanted him to be a Napoleon", not even during the thirty "gloriouses"). But overall Napoleon's times in the Empire was one of poorer getting richer and all enriching a bit from before and a lot of actual merit, rather than birth. The 1804 referendum altougth said who was a bit "fraudulent" was actually the most transparent up to that time, (while it's true who in 1800 there was a doubling of votes, the army members were counted as a yes, etc, this one was a massive one and had security meassures, in fact by mistake or wherever some ballots survive until our times. It was a tremendous victory, and almost no one oposed him, but that never meant to be because (ballot harvesting or wherever as normally is portrayed because the one of 1800 had many incidents of it).
The catholic marriage between Josephine and Napoleon happen because the insistence of the Pope, otherwise he would never accept to "crown Napoleon", yet it was an unpublished affair, at the coronation speech afterwards, Napoleon also begun to speak about the tolerance of religions, like the Protestants, Judaism, Hinduism, Islamism etc and that angered the Pope a bit more.
About the Ottoman effort being sustained by Britain it must be noticed however who the French supported them even more and the troop training was under the French supervision, the Ottomans will eventually close their ports to Britain, but even before that, the Nizam-I-Cedit infantry trained by the French put the Ottomans into friendly terms with France among other things, so Russia naturally disliked Britain but also France.
About England it's difficult to see the true intentions of Napoleon, he in fact opossed any invasion of Britain in 1796 and 1798, he also said who he needed to put an army somewhere and at Boulogne it made Britain fear enough with their mere presence and thus a diversion of resources from them was a good outcome. Furthermore the manouver on the Atlantic was indeed a pretty good idea who was not only put on practice, but it only failed when Villenueve decided to ignore orders thrice. But Napoleon was not actually going to conquer Britain, he maded it clear who his problems will be their population and his own supply lines, in fact there were many talks of how to invade but never a concrete plan to do it, Britain after the disaster of the coalition wanted to paint Trafalgar as a turning point or wherever, but there was not really an invation threat, (of course if the fleet would have been at Brest, if Alliances in Europe secured, some excursion was likely planned but not in a scale in wich an army could be entraped in enemy territory

[riley]

I've been re-reading Roberts' biography of Napoleon and these videos are really great for visualizing what's going on. Loving the content, thanks so much

[jimmyo]

We NEED more of these please. Also why not go on for another hour about the imperial transition in a supplemental?

[Martmi]

Finished all 17 looking forward to the next installment.

[TheMarshal.]

Amazing video. Keep up the good work.
Did joseph Bonaparte attend the coronation? I have heard from some that he didn’t and that the painting by David is inaccurate because he is shown. However from what I have read he did attend. Do you know the truth?

[EchoSeeker]

1 hour my giddie aunt outstanding content

[rhelyputra]

Why we never hear Ney's name until now ?

[jamagnus]

I am flabbergasted!! Sir, you've done another excellent job combining the facts and narrative, into an easy to follow and exceedingly interesting presentation. Thank You!

[geebards]

Damn ... I've finally caught up. Your series is fantastic - I've been enjoying your narrative immensely.

[jimmydonaghy]

well researched and told a joy to listen to history so well told again as always 10/10