NAPOLEON’S FOREIGN POLICY (1800-1815)

Right from the start Napoleon was too ambitious and wished to control the whole Europe. His
aims and objectives were to conquer and dominate the whole of Europe and spread the
revolutionary ideas. He believed that it was only him who had the immediate solution to
problems facing Europe.

1.       The second coalition (1789-1802)

Napoleon came to power at a time when the second coalition (Britain, Turkey, Austria, Russia,
Portugal and Naples) had defeated the French troops. Napoleon re-organized the French army
and defeated Austria at the battle of Morengo in March 1800. Austria was forced to sign the
treaty of Luneville(1802) in which she surrendered Italy, Holland, Switzerland and the Rhine
territory to France. However, although Napoleon defeated the rest of coalition powers, he failed
to defeat Britain because of her Naval superiority.

2.       The treaty of Amiens (March 1802)

By 1802, both France and Britain were fed up of wars and they had failed to defeat each other.
They resorted to peace agreement known as the treaty of Amiens. According to the provision of
this treaty,
Britain was to recognize French boundaries of 1802
Britain was to evacuate Egypt, Malta and West India
France was to evacuate Southern Italy
France was to evacuate Sri-lanka which was to be retained by Britain
However, the treaty of Amiens short lived as Britain refused to evacuate Malta and France did
not surrender Egypt and Turkey.

3.       Napoleon and the third coalition

By 1805, the third coalition was formed against France. It was made of Britain, Austria, Russia,
and Sweden. Their aim was to force France out of Italy, Belgium, and the Rhineland. Britain
blocked the French troops and cut them off from the French colonies. This made Napoleon to
plan to invade England. He is reported to have remarked that “if I can be the master of the sea for
six hours, England would cease to exist.” Consequently, Napoleon attacked Britain and he was
assisted by Spanish fleet. However, he was finally defeated by the British Naval commander
Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar on 21stOctober 1805. It was a disaster to Napoleon as he lost all
his naval troops in Atlantic Ocean.
4.       The  continental system
The continental system was an economic war that was started by Napoleon in an attempt to
defeat Britain. It was an effort to bring Britain to her knees. Napoleon was advised that Britain
could easily be defeated by attacking her trade. Montgaillard remarked “it’s through her
commerce that England must be attacked”. Napoleon and his advisors had realized that British
military power rested on her strong economy and her dominance of international trade. They
therefore, started destroying the British trade throughout the continent. To implement the
continental system, Napoleon passed the Berlin decree of 1806 and Milan decree of 1807.
 Through these decrees, Napoleon put a ban on British ships and ordered French access to
confiscate British goods whenever they were found.

Reasons for the failure of the continental system

Why was the continental system aboomarang to Napoleon?
Account for the failure of the continental system
 Napoleon’s naval inferiority compared to British naval supremacy rendered the
continental system a failure. Britain used her naval power to bully those who had
accepted the continental system to abandon it. Napoleon lacked a strong naval to patrol
far and distant coastline where European gods were still smuggled.
 The battle of Trafalga destroyed Napoleon’s naval power and weakened his ability to
affect the continental system hence its failure.
 The confiscation of the Danish fleet by Britain in 1807 frustrated Napoleon’s plan of
using the fleet to patrol European coastline.
 Smuggling of British goods continued and was unchecked in some places. There was also
corruption that facilitated the consumption of the British goods.
 Britain was the workshop of Europe and napoleon’s continental system led to lack of
essential commodities, inflation and starvation which made the system to be rejected in
Portugal and Russia
 The French substitute to the British goods (products) which were of poor quality yet very
expensive compared to the British products. This made European public opinion to
pressurize their governments to withdraw from the system. It’s for this reason that
Portugal, Popal states had to open their ports for the British products and trade.
 The timing of the continental system was unfortunate since it was implemented during
economic depression following a long period of war and instability in Europe. This is
why it was impossible for Napoleon to divert European economy from depending on
British trade.
 The peninsular war tied Napoleon’s 300,000 troops in acute guerilla warfare and made
him unable to effect his continental system. It diverted his attention from implementing
the continental system and brought Spain and Portugal in an alliance against him.
 The Moscow campaign of 1812 that was due to the continental system diverted
Napoleon’s effort from enforcing the system in other states. Besides, he lost over 500,000
troops who would have assisted in patrolling European coastlines against the British
goods.
 Severe winter in Europe made those who could not do without coal and winter clothing’s
to abandon the continental system. That is what partly forced Russia out of the
continental system hence rendering it a failure
 Napoleon’s own mistake was a cause for the failure of the continental system. He over
concentrated on the British exports and not imports. He did not stop the export of wheat
to Britain for fear that it would provoke European resistance against him. He
miscalculated that the cause of British prosperity was her export and not import. He
failed to realize that export leads to export hence failure of the continental system.

5.       Napoleon and the Pope

The papal states were the first to denounce the continental system. This was due to economic
hardship caused by the system and the Pope’s desire to remain neutral as a spiritual leader. It
 made the Pope to open his ports to the British trading ships in 1808. Napoleon ignored the
concordant of 1801, invaded the popal states, abducted the Pope and imprisoned hi in France.
This greatly undermined Napoleon’s popularity amongst Catholics in France and the whole
catholic states in the whole world.

6.       The Peninsular war

Napoleon’s ambition to enforce the continental system drove him to invade Portugal and Spain.
When Prince John the regent of Portugal refused to abide by the continental system, Napoleon
attacked Portugal through Spain. The Spaniards rose against their King Charles IV for his
weakness that made it possible for the French troops to match through their territory up to
Portugal. Napoleon used this confused situation to force Charles to resign and imposed his
brother Joseph Bonaparte on the Spanish throne (1808). However, Spain and Portugal combined
and defeated Napoleon. He lost above 300,000 soldiers. He remarked, “The Spanish ulcer that
destroyed me”.

7.       The Moscow campaign (1812)

The negative effects of the continental system made Alexander of Russia to abandon the
continental system and opened the Russian ports to British goods. Napoleon mobilized over
600,000 troops the largest in history to teach Alexander a lesson that he would never forget. He
crossed River Niemen with a lot of expectations as he remarked, “Moscow is the half way house
of India”. The Russians reacted by withdrawing and using scorched earth policy in which they
destroyed everything that would be useful to the French soldiers. Napoleon reached Moscow
only to find the city burning without anyone. Above all, there was no safe water, foods and there
was outbreak of cholera that led to the death of Napoleon’s soldiers. The bridges also had drawn
thousands of soldiers. The above circumstance made Napoleon to reach France with about
20,000 out of which only 10,000 soldiers were useful for the military service.

Reasons for the defeat of Napoleon during the Moscow campaign

 Poor planning and military miscalculations undermined Napoleon’s conquest of Russia.
Russia was a big state which needed proper planning and two years to accomplish the
campaign. Unfortunately, Napoleon wanted the campaign only in one year that is why he
withdrew after conquering Moscow.
 The geographical landscape of Russia was an obstacle to the French invading army. It
was rugged and wintery that favored the Russian who were used to it compared to the
French troops.
 The Russian scorched earth policy was a total nuisance to napoleon. The Russian
destruction of food, shelter, water, wells, gardens and bridges led to massive death of
Napoleon’s soldiers. That is why he withdrew from Russia

 The Russian withdrawal and the burning of Moscow was a big blow to Napoleon’s
conquest. When Napoleon reached Moscow town, he conquered an empty place with no
people. He could not declare himself successful and that is why he withdrew from
Moscow.
 Winter became a natural weapon that helped Russians to defeat Napoleon. Napoleon and
his soldiers had not anticipated to get them in Moscow. They therefore went without
 winter clothing’s. When winter came, his soldiers therefore, froze and died in large
numbers due to extreme cold condition.
 Napoleon’s invasion of Moscow city was a fatal strategy that led to his failure. It aroused
Russian nationalism to the highest level. This is why there was severe resistance that
forced him to withdraw from Moscow.
 The Russian guerilla warfare was a big blow to Napoleon’s attempt to conquer Russia.
Aware that they could not withstand the strength of the French army, the Russians
decided to withdraw and engage the French troops in acute guerilla warfare that
weakened him e.g. in the battle of Boradine, napoleon lost 30,000 horses and 50,000
commanders

 Loss of sense of judgment and foresight also undermined Napoleon’s attempt to invade
Russia. By 1812, Napoleon had fought so many wars that weakened him leading to
exhaustion, fatigue and brain depreciation. This is why he failed to properly plan and
foresee winter condition that destroyed thousand of his soldiers.
 The distance between France and Russia also worked against Napoleon’s success. Russia
is located in the Far East of Europe and France is located in the extreme West of Europe.
This long distance made it impossible for Napoleon to get extra fodder and horses when
the ones he had died of starvation and cold.
 While in Moscow, strange things happened to Napoleon’s soldiers that threatened them
psychologically i.e. the lightning and thunder that they had never experienced in their
lives.

Consequences of the Moscow campaign

 The campaign was the worst disaster in the history of France and Napoleon ranked it high
in his life time. Napoleon lost over 580,000 soldiers that made him military weak.
According to Tally Rands his foreign minister, “is the beginning of the end”. It was
therefore a turning point against his control over Europe
 Napoleon’s defeat in Moscow campaign contributed to the formation of the 4 th coalition
and even the fifth coalition against him. It was a clear testimony that Napoleon was not
untouchable. This led to unity of Europe, even weaker states against him
 The Moscow disaster led to the rise of European nationalism against Napoleon’s
dominance over Europe. It became a source of inspiration for the states that were
dominated by Napoleon to start struggling for their independence. This led to war of
liberation among the Germans, Italians and Australians against Napoleon.
 The Russian victory increased the Russian prestige and ambition in Europe. She started
interfering in the French dominated states like Poland and German states in order to
destroy Napoleon’s influence in those countries i.e. it made Prussia promise to help
Russia against Napoleon
 The defeat denied Napoleon internal support from a section of the French. Napoleon
resorted to conscription into the army i.e. recruited young, ill trained and inexperienced
army that was easily defeated
 Napoleon’s failure in the Moscow campaign was the last blow to the continental system.
His failure to defeat Russia marked the end of the continental system and he was forced
to abandon it
 Many people and countries learnt how to defeat Napoleon and they later adopted the
same policies used by the Russians to defeat Napoleon e.g. guerilla warfare etc.