First French Empire
empire of Napoleon I of France, from 1804 to 1815
The French Empire (French: Empire français; Latin: Imperium Francicum), known retroactively as the First French Empire, and colloquially 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 6 April 1814 and again briefly from 20 March 1815 to 7 July 1815, when Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helena.
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. Neither should be confused with the French colonial empire, which refers to France's various colonies, protectorates and mandate territories.
On 18 May 1804, Napoleon was granted the title Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français, pronounced [ɑ̃pʁœʁ de fʁɑ̃sɛ]) by the French Sénat conservateur and was crowned on 2 December 1804 (11 Frimaire year XIII), 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 1808. The empire achieved military supremacy in mainland Europe through the War of the Third Coalition, where French armies scored a string of decisive victories against Austrian and Russian forces, most notably at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. 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, before Napoleon’s 1812 invasion of Russia led to the near complete loss of his army, and the French empire started to collapse in 1814 amidst the severe depletion of its army and a mounting invasion from all sides by several countries. French forces fought with stiff resistance and Napoleon held off coalition forces with a series of successive victories in February and March 1814 before he was eventually defeated in April. The following year, Napoleon managed to briefly restore the French empire before he was finally defeated 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.
“First French Empire” enters the record as empire of Napoleon I of France, from 1804 to 1815. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what First, French and Empire can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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