First French Empire

The First French Empire, officially the French Republic,[lower-alpha 2] then the French Empire (French: Empire Français; Latin: Imperium Francicum) after 1809 and also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from 18 May 1804 to 3 May 1814 and again briefly from 20 March 1815 to 7 July 1815.[7]

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French Republic[1] (1804–1808) République Française French Empire (1808–1815) Empire Français
1804 – 1814 20 March 1815 – 7 July 1815
Flag Imperial coat of arms
Motto: Liberté, Ordre Public[2] ("Liberty, Public Order")
Anthem: Chant du départ ("Song of the Departure") (official) Veillons au salut de l'Empire ("Let's ensure the salvation of the Empire") (unofficial)
The First French Empire at its peak territorial control in September 1812:   Directly administered   Client states   Military occupation   De jure borders of client states, but not under French nor client control
Capital	Paris
Common languages	French (official) Latin (formal) Regional Corsican Breton Basque Western Romance West Germanic West Slavic South Slavic
Religion	Catholic Church (State religion) Lutheranism Calvinism Judaism (Minority religion)
Demonym(s)	French
Government	Unitary Bonapartist absolute monarchy (1804–1814) Unitary Bonapartist semi-constitutional monarchy (1815)
Emperor
• 1804–1814/1815	Napoleon I
• 1815	Napoleon II (disputed)[lower-alpha 1]
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Sénat conservateur (until 1814) Chamber of Peers (from 22 April 1815 onward)
• Lower house	Corps législatif (until 4 June 1814) Chamber of Representatives (from 22 April 1815 onward)
Historical era	French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars
• Constitution adopted	18 May 1804
• Coronation of Napoleon I	2 December 1804
• Treaties of Tilsit	7 July 1807
• Invasion of Russia	24 June 1812
• Treaty of Fontainebleau	11 April 1814
• Hundred Days	20 March – 7 July 1815
Area
1812[4]	2,100,000 km2 (810,000 sq mi)
Population
• 1812	44 million[5]
Currency	French franc
ISO 3166 code	FR
Preceded by Succeeded by French First Republic Kingdom of Holland Ligurian Republic Andorra Kingdom of France S. Principality of the United Netherlands United Kingdom of the Netherlands Neutral Moresnet Luxembourg Grand Duchy of Tuscany Andorra Monaco Principality of Elba

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Although France had already established a colonial empire overseas since the early 17th century, the French state had remained a kingdom under the Bourbons and a republic after the French Revolution. Historians refer to Napoleon's regime as the First Empire to distinguish it from the restorationist Second Empire (1852–1870) ruled by his nephew Napoleon III. The First French Empire is considered by some to be a "Republican empire."[8]

On 18 May 1804, Napoleon was granted the title Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français, pronounced [ɑ̃.pʁœʁ de fʁɑ̃.sɛ]) by the French Sénat conservateur and was crowned on 2 December 1804,[9] signifying the end of the French Consulate and of the French First Republic. Despite his coronation, the state continued to be formally called the "French Republic" until October of 1808. The Empire achieved military supremacy in mainland Europe through notable victories in the War of the Third Coalition against Austria, Prussia, Russia, Britain and allied states, notably at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805.[10] French dominance was reaffirmed during the War of the Fourth Coalition, at the Battle of Jena–Auerstedt in 1806 and the Battle of Friedland in 1807,[11] before Napoleon's final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

A series of wars, known collectively as the Napoleonic Wars, extended French influence to much of Western Europe and into Poland. At its height in 1812, the French Empire had 130 departments, ruled over 44 million subjects, maintained an extensive military presence in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland, and counted Austria and Prussia as nominal allies.[5] Early French victories exported many ideological features of the Revolution throughout Europe: the introduction of the Napoleonic Code throughout the continent increased legal equality, established jury systems and legalized divorce, and seigneurial dues and seigneurial justice were abolished, as were aristocratic privileges in all places except Poland.[12] France's defeat in 1814 (and then again in 1815), marked the end of the First French Empire and the beginning of the Bourbon Restoration.