3rd of December 1804

NEWS; POLITICS:

THE NEW EMPEROR OF FRANCE

Changes are coming in France

Napoleon

Yesterday, Napoleon Bonaparte obtain the last step of his prestigious career by crowned himself as Emperor of France with the support of the most of the population, in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, in front of Pope Pius VII, all the high French clergy and the highest representation of the political and aristocratic society of France and Europe.

Coronation in the cathedral

This  ascend to power began the 15th of August of 1769, in Ajaccio (Corsica) in a middle class family when he was born. At the age of 16 he join the army and thanks to his habilities he was promoted to ascend to captain, then to commander and finally to general due to his great strategies. After fought and won in several battles in Italy (Lodi, Arcole and Rivoli), in Austria, in the Netherlands and in Egypt, Napoleon became one of most important men in France. When he return, he saw that the Directory was unstable and incompetent he join to Sieyès and Ducos and organised a coup d'etat on the 9th of November of 1799 (18th  of Brumario in the French Republican Calendar).

Napoleon as general of the French army

They formed a new institution called the Consulate. The office of consuls was held by Napoleon, and Sieyès and Ducos temporaly, until the 12th of December, when Sieyès and Ducos were replaced by Jean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès and Charles François Lebrun, who  maintain the position until the past 28th of may, when Napoleon declared himself emperor of France saying: "I'am declaring myself emperor to finish with the Revolution and to improve the french society".

In the street the people seems to be happy with our new great leader Napoleon and we  only hope that the changes he promises  in his declaration come with a period of stability, equality and freedom in our country and if it is possible without more wars at least in a period of time.

      

                 

GROUP 2 - UNIT 2

Napoleon's return

The greatest emperor of Europe returns from Elba with a great army.

Napoleon, the great emperor who lost everything after a prolific ten year reign and being one of the greatest emperor of Europe, conquering it almost in its totality, is back to action.

As you know, in 1812, thinking that Russia was plotting an alliance with England, Napoleon launched an invasion against the Russians that eventually ended with his troops retreating from Moscow and much of Europe uniting against him. In 1814, Napoleon’s broken forces gave up and Napoleon offered to step down in favor of his son. When this offer was rejected, he abdicated and was sent to Elba.

Almost a year ago, on April 20, 1814, the dethroned Emperor left France for the isle of Elba, where he was exiled under the terms of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Napoleon would be allowed to rule Elba, which had 12,000 inhabitants. Perhaps cruelly, the treaty allowed him to retain the title "Emperor." On May 4 1814, Napoleon, now 45 years old, arrived at Elba's capital, Portoferraio. Saying, "I want to live from now on like a justice of the peace," Napoleon actually worked hard to improve Elba, and to all observers, it seemed as though Napoleon was content to a life of relative retirement. All the while, however, he was plotting his return to Europe. On Elba, Napoleon was under the constant watch of Austrian and French guards. Nonetheless, he was not isolated: he received thousands of letters from all over Europe and read major newspapers that kept him abreast of events throughout the world.

On February 26, 1815, after less than a year in exile, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed to the French mainland with a group of more than 1,000 supporters. On March 20, he returned to Paris, immediately, people and troops began to rally to the returned Emperor. French police forces were sent to arrest him, but upon arriving in his presence, they kneeled before him. Triumphantly where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The new king, Louis XVIII, fled. All his old supporters kneeled... his reign is back now, and what will happen is uncertain. Some people say that a war is coming.