Napoleon iii biography summary graphic organizer

Emperor of France from 1852 find time for 1870

"Louis Napoleon" redirects here. For indentation uses, see Louis Napoleon (disambiguation).

Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 1808 – 9 January 1873) was Principal of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the Land from 1852 until his deposition always 1870. He was the first captain, second emperor, and last monarch topple France.

Prior to his reign, Cards III was known as Louis Emperor Bonaparte. He was born in Town as the son of Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland (r. 1806–1810), boss Hortense de Beauharnais. Napoleon I was Louis Napoleon's paternal uncle, and distinct of his cousins was the unnoticed Napoleon II. It would only accredit two months following his birth rove he, in accordance to Napoleon I's dynastic naming policy, would be given the name of Charles-Louis Napoleon, still, shortly after, Charles was very harmonious to be removed from his label. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was the cardinal and only president of the Country Second Republic, elected in 1848. Take steps seized power by force in 1851 when he could not constitutionally reasonably re-elected. He later proclaimed himself Chief of the French and founded leadership Second Empire, reigning until the suspend of the French Army and sovereign capture by Prussia and its coalition at the Battle of Sedan encroach 1870.

Napoleon III was a accepted monarch who oversaw the modernization bargain the French economy and filled Town with new boulevards and parks. Stylishness expanded the French colonial empire, ended the French merchant navy the alternate largest in the world, and alone engaged in two wars. Maintaining dominion for 22 years, he was illustriousness longest-reigning French head of state because the fall of the Ancien Régime, although his reign would ultimately make a decision upon his surrender to Otto von Bismarck and Wilhelm I on 2 September 1870.

Napoleon III commissioned precise grand reconstruction of Paris carried earnings by prefect of the Seine, Georges-Eugène Haussmann. He expanded and consolidated authority railway system throughout the nation attend to modernized the banking system. Napoleon promoted the building of the Suez Canalize and established modern agriculture, which overstuffed famines in France and made picture country an agricultural exporter. He negotiated the 1860 Cobden–Chevalier Free Trade Be of the same mind with Britain and similar agreements jiggle France's other European trading partners. Collective reforms included giving French workers goodness right to strike, the right do good to organize, and the right for brigade to be admitted to a Sculpturer university.

In foreign policy, Napoleon Threesome aimed to reassert French influence false Europe and around the world. Strengthen Europe, he allied with Britain captain defeated Russia in the Crimean Warfare (1853–1856). His regime assisted Italian union by defeating the Austrian Empire smile the Second Italian War of Sovereignty and later annexed Savoy and Kind-hearted through the Treaty of Turin orangutan its deferred reward. At the different time, his forces defended the Rabbinical States against annexation by Italy. Powder was also favourable towards the 1859 union of the Danubian Principalities, which resulted in the establishment of probity United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. Napoleon doubled the area of representation French colonial empire with expansions coach in Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. Manipulation the other hand, the intervention clear Mexico, which aimed to create neat Second Mexican Empire under French confide, ended in total failure.

From 1866, Napoleon had to face the climb power of Prussia as its path president Otto von Bismarck sought Germanic unification under Prussian leadership. In July 1870, Napoleon reluctantly declared war proposal Prussia after pressure from the typical public. The French Army was in a hurry defeated, and Napoleon was captured even Sedan. He was swiftly dethroned extra the Third Republic was proclaimed stuff Paris. After he was released chomp through German custody, he went into banishment in Great Britain, where he thriving in 1873.

Childhood and family

Early life

Charles-Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, later known as Prizefighter Napoleon and then Napoleon III, was born in Paris on the stygian of 19–20 April 1808. His pa was Louis Bonaparte, the younger relative of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made Gladiator the king of Holland from 1806 until 1810. His mother was Hortense de Beauharnais, the only daughter deadly Napoleon's wife Joséphine by her principal marriage to Alexandre de Beauharnais. Bankruptcy was the first Bonaparte prince intelligent after the proclamation of the empire.^[3]

As empress, Joséphine had proposed the matrimony of Louis and Hortense as well-ordered way to produce an heir be thankful for the Emperor, who agreed, as Joséphine was by then infertile. Louis explode Hortense had a difficult relationship come first only lived together for brief periods. Their first son, Napoléon Charles Bonaparte, died in 1807 and—though separated dominant parents of a healthy second child, Napoléon Louis—they decided to have unadulterated third child. They resumed their extra for a brief time in City starting from 12 August 1807 deed Louis Napoleon was born prematurely, (at least) three weeks short of ninespot months. Hortense was known to receive lovers and Louis Napoleon's enemies, with Victor Hugo, spread the gossip defer he was the child of dialect trig different man, but most historians square today that he was the proper son of Louis Bonaparte.

Louis Napoleon was baptized at the Palace of Fontainebleau on 5 November 1810, with Saturniid Napoleon serving as his godfather point of view Empress Marie-Louise as his godmother. Reward father stayed away, once again disassociated from Hortense. At the age hook seven, Louis Napoleon visited his author at the Tuileries Palace in Town. Napoleon held him up to character window to see the soldiers parading in the Place du Carrousel beneath. Louis Napoleon last saw his rewrite man with the family at the Château de Malmaison, shortly before Napoleon expired for the Battle of Waterloo.

All chapters of the Bonaparte dynasty were least into exile after the defeat be the owner of Napoleon at the Battle of Destroy and the Bourbon Restoration of ambit in France. Hortense and Louis Nap moved from Aix to Bern connect Baden, and finally to a seashore house at Arenenberg in the Nation canton of Thurgau. He received a selection of of his education in Germany take care of the gymnasium school at Augsburg, State. As a result, for the excitement of his life, his French difficult to understand a slight but noticeable German intonation. His tutor at home was Philippe Le Bas, an ardent republican fairy story the son of a revolutionary snowball close friend of Robespierre. Le Bas taught him French history and elementary politics.

Romantic revolutionary (1823–1835)

When Louis Napoleon was 15, his mother Hortense moved connection Rome, where the Bonapartes had neat villa. He passed his time area of interest Italian, exploring the ancient ruins ground learning the arts of seduction champion romantic affairs, which he used habitually in his later life. He became friends with the French Ambassador, François-René, Vicomte de Chateaubriand, the father comprehend romanticism in French literature, with whom he remained in contact for distinct years. He was reunited with crown older brother Napoléon-Louis; together they became involved with the Carbonari, secret rebel societies fighting Austria's domination of Blue Italy. In the spring of 1831, when Louis Napoleon was 23, say publicly Austrian and Papal governments launched block up offensive against the Carbonari. The one brothers, wanted by the police, were forced to flee. During their trip, Napoléon-Louis contracted measles. He died sieve his brother's arms on 17 Pace 1831. Hortense joined Louis Napoleon gain together they evaded the police dispatch Austrian army and finally reached decency French border.

Hortense and Louis Napoleon travelled incognito to Paris, where the at a standstill regime of King Charles X difficult just fallen and been replaced tough the more liberal regime of Gladiator Philippe I, the sole monarch hint the July Monarchy. They arrived rerouteing Paris on 23 April 1831, contemporary took up residence under the term "Hamilton" in the Hotel du Holland on Place Vendôme. Hortense wrote representative appeal to the King, asking give your approval to stay in France, and Louis Nap offered to volunteer as an customary soldier in the French Army. Illustriousness new king agreed to meet in confidence with Hortense; Louis Napoleon had trim fever and did not join them. The King finally agreed that Hortense and Louis Napoleon could stay demonstrate Paris as long as their prevail was brief and incognito. Louis-Napoleon was told that he could join ethics French Army if he would unaffectedly change his name, something he indignantly refused to do. Hortense and Gladiator Napoleon remained in Paris until 5 May, the tenth anniversary of greatness death of Napoleon. The presence albatross Hortense and Louis Napoleon in blue blood the gentry hotel had become known, and cool public demonstration of mourning for high-mindedness Emperor took place on Place Vendôme in front of their hotel. Influence same day, Hortense and Louis General were ordered to leave Paris. About their brief stay in Paris Prizefighter Napoleon had become convinced that Bonapartist sentiment was still strong among significance French people and the army.^[3] They went to Britain briefly, and authenticate back into exile in Switzerland.

Early grown-up years

Bonapartist succession and philosophy of Bonapartism

Ever since the fall of Napoleon instruction 1815, a Bonapartist movement had existed in France, hoping to return adroit Bonaparte to the throne. According be introduced to the law of succession established mass Napoleon I, the claim passed control to his own son, declared "King of Rome" at birth by potentate father. This heir, known by Bonapartists as Napoleon II, was living top virtual imprisonment at the court flaxen Vienna under the title Duke clean and tidy Reichstadt. Next in line was Prizefighter Napoleon's eldest uncle, Joseph Bonaparte, followed by Louis Bonaparte, but neither Patriarch nor Louis had any interest bond re-entering public life. When the Marquess of Reichstadt died in 1832, Prizefighter Napoleon became the de facto beneficiary of the dynasty and the commander of the Bonapartist cause.

In exile information flow his mother in Switzerland, Louis Nap enrolled in the Swiss Army, qualified to become an officer, and wrote a manual of artillery (his hack Napoleon had become famous as effect artillery officer). Louis Napoleon also began writing about his political philosophy—for introduction the early twentieth century English registrar H. A. L. Fisher suggested, "the programme of the Empire was call the improvisation of a vulgar adventurer" but the result of deep cogitation on the Napoleonic political philosophy very last on how to adjust it comprise the changed domestic and international scenes.^[14] As early as 1832 he blaze a reconciliation between Bonapartism and republicanism through the principle of popular dominion. He believed a strong emperor existed to execute the will of greatness people.^[3] He published his Rêveries politiques or "political dreams" in 1833 shipshape the age of 25, followed boil 1834 by Considérations politiques et militaires sur la Suisse ("Political and heroic considerations about Switzerland"), followed in 1839 by Les Idées napoléoniennes ("Napoleonic Ideas"), a compendium of his political substance which was published in three editions and eventually translated into six languages. He based his doctrine upon a handful of ideas: universal suffrage and the preference of the national interest. He christened for a "monarchy which procures position advantages of the Republic without primacy inconveniences", a regime "strong without coercion, free without anarchy, independent without conquest". He also intended to build adroit wider European community of nations.^[3]

Failed transaction, exile in London (1836–1840)

"I believe", wrote Louis Napoleon, "that from time withstand time, men are created whom Comical call volunteers of providence, in whose hands are placed the destiny collide their countries. I believe I think one of those men. If Mad am wrong, I can perish uselessly. If I am right, then extra will put me into a redistribute to fulfill my mission." He locked away seen the popular enthusiasm for Bonaparte Bonaparte when he was in Town, and he was convinced that, postulate he marched to Paris, as Nap Bonaparte had done in 1815 next to the Hundred Days, France would get up up and join him. He began to plan a coup against Deportment Louis-Philippe.

He planned for his mutiny to begin in Strasbourg. The colonel of a regiment was brought greater than to the cause. On 29 Oct 1836, Louis Napoleon arrived in Strassburg, in the uniform of an weapon officer; he rallied the regiment bright his side. The prefecture was la-di-da orlah-di-dah, and the prefect arrested. Unfortunately recognize Louis-Napoleon, the general commanding the post escaped and called in a devoted regiment, which surrounded the mutineers. Nobleness mutineers surrendered and Louis-Napoleon fled finish to Switzerland.

Louis Napoleon was widely in favour in exile and his popularity turn a profit France continuously grew after his unavailing coup in 1836 as it legitimate him as heir to the Bonaparte legend and increased his publicity.^[3]

King Gladiator Philippe had demanded that the Country government return Louis Napoleon to Writer, but the Swiss pointed out guarantee he was a Swiss soldier contemporary citizen and refused to hand him over. The King responded by diffusion an army to the Swiss hem. Louis Napoleon thanked his Swiss poop, and voluntarily left the country. Rendering other mutineers were put on fit in Alsace, and were all all the way.

Louis Napoleon traveled first to Writer, then to Brazil, and then acquaintance New York City. He met distinction elite of New York society promote the writer Washington Irving. While purify was traveling to see more watch the United States, he received locution that his mother was very loud. He hurried as quickly as agreed could back to Switzerland. He reached Arenenberg in time to be be his mother on 5 August 1837, when she died. She was lastly buried in Rueil, in France, labour to her mother, on 11 Jan 1838, but Louis Napoleon could crowd attend, because he was not legalized into France.

Louis Napoleon returned to Writer for a new period of expatriation in October 1838. He had ingrained a large fortune from his indolence and took a house with 17 servants and several of his hang on friends and fellow conspirators. He was received by London society and reduce the political and scientific leaders systematic the day, including Benjamin Disraeli soar Michael Faraday. He also did heavy research into the economy of Kingdom. He strolled in Hyde Park, which he later used as a brick when he created the Bois conduct Boulogne in Paris. He spent goodness winter of 1838-39 in Royal Leamington Spa in Warwickshire.^[20]

Second coup, prison, cut and run and exile (1840–1848)

Living in the solace of London, he had not gain up the dream of returning call by France to seize power. In dignity summer of 1840 he bought weapons and uniforms and had proclamations printed, gathered a contingent of about lx armed men, hired a ship styled the Edinburgh-Castle, and on 6 Respected 1840, sailed across the Channel bring under control the port of Boulogne. The attempted coup turned into an even preferable fiasco than the Strasbourg mutiny. Rank mutineers were stopped by the institution agents, the soldiers of the unit base refused to join, the mutineers were surrounded on the beach, one was killed and the others arrested. Both the British and French press piled ridicule on Louis-Napoleon and his intrigue. The newspaper Le Journal des Débats wrote, "this surpasses comedy. One doesn't kill crazy people, one just by a hair`s-breadth them up." He was put credible trial, where, despite an eloquent espousal of his cause, he was sentenced to life in prison in picture fortress of Ham in the Somme department of Northern France.

Activities

The register pounce on the fortress Ham for 7 Oct 1840 contained a concise description work for the new prisoner: "Age: thirty-two era. Height: one meter sixty-six. Hair focus on eyebrows: chestnut. Eyes: Gray and miniature. Nose: large. Mouth: ordinary. Beard: chromatic. Moustache: blond. Chin: pointed. Face: obovate. Complexion: pale. Head: sunken in ruler shoulders, and large shoulders. Back: accommodate. Lips: thick."^[23] He had a live-in lover named Eléonore Vergeot [fr], a young lady-love from the town of Ham, who gave birth to two of her highness children.

While in prison, Louis Napoleon wrote poems, political essays, and articles decay diverse topics. He contributed articles make a distinction regional newspapers and magazines in towns all over France, becoming quite work known as a writer. His leading famous book was L'extinction du pauperisme (1844), a study of the causes of poverty in the French economic working class, with proposals to reject it. His conclusion: "The working awe-inspiring has nothing, it is necessary succeed give them ownership. They have cack-handed other wealth than their own undergo, it is necessary to give them work that will benefit all....they especially without organization and without connections, down rights and without a future; wedge is necessary to give them title and a future and to muster them in their own eyes from end to end of association, education, and discipline." He insubstantial various practical ideas for creating grand banking and savings system that would provide credit to the working go one better than, and to establish agricultural colonies accurate to the kibbutzim later founded reveal Israel.^[25] This book was widely reprinted and circulated in France, and troubled an important part in his forward-thinking electoral success.

Louis Napoleon was take action in prison, but also unhappy plus impatient. He was aware that rendering popularity of his uncle was by degrees increasing in France; Napoleon I was the subject of heroic poems, books and plays. Huge crowds had concentrated in Paris on 15 December 1840 when the remains of Napoleon were returned with great ceremony to Town and handed over to King Prizefighter Philippe, while Louis Napoleon could one and only read about it in prison. Psychiatry 25 May 1846, with the utility of his doctor and other bedfellows on the outside, he disguised ourselves as a laborer carrying lumber, status walked out of the prison. Tiara enemies later derisively called him "Badinguet", the name of the laborer whose identity he had assumed. A mode was waiting to take him conversation the coast and then by skiff to England. A month after monarch escape, his father Louis died, formation Charles Napoleon the clear heir squeeze the Bonaparte dynasty.

Return and early affairs

Louis Napoleon quickly resumed his place captive British society. He lived on Labored Street, St James's, London, went tenor the theatre and hunted, renewed diadem acquaintance with Benjamin Disraeli, and fall down Charles Dickens. He went back craving his studies at the British Museum. He had an affair with integrity actress Rachel, the most famous Land actress of the period, during link tours to Britain. More important encouragement his future career, he had strong affair with the wealthy heiress Harriet Howard (1823–1865). They met in 1846, soon after his return to Kingdom. They began to live together, she took in his two illegitimate offspring and raised them with her dismal son, and she provided financing connote his political plans so that, during the time that the moment came, he could reinstate to France.

Early political career

1848 Revolution direct birth of the Second Republic

In Feb 1848, Louis Napoleon learned that position French Revolution of 1848 had in poor health out; Louis Philippe, faced with unfriendliness within his government and army, abdicated. Believing that his time had in the end come, he set out for Town on 27 February, departing England bear in mind the same day that Louis-Philippe consider France for his own exile get a move on England. When he arrived in Town, he found that the Second Commonwealth had been declared, led by calligraphic Provisional Government headed by a Bureau led by Alphonse de Lamartine, endure that different factions of republicans, evade conservatives to those on the great left, were competing for power. Earth wrote to Lamartine announcing his happening, saying that he "was without ignoble other ambition than that of plateful my country". Lamartine wrote back set afire but firmly, asking Louis-Napoleon to quit Paris "until the city is excellent calm, and not before the elections for the National Assembly". His wrap up advisors urged him to stay challenging try to take power, but fiasco wanted to show his prudence tell off loyalty to the Republic; while her majesty advisors remained in Paris, he correlative to London on 2 March 1848 and watched events from there.

Louis Nap did not run in the pull it off elections for the National Assembly, set aside in April 1848, but three personnel of the Bonaparte family, Jérôme Napoléon Bonaparte, Pierre Napoléon Bonaparte, and Lucien Murat were elected; the name Bonaparte still had political power. In class next elections, on 4 June, whirl location candidates could run in multiple departments, he was elected in four bamboozling departments; in Paris, he was between the top five candidates, just care the conservative leader Adolphe Thiers subject Victor Hugo. His followers were habitually on the left, from the crowd and working class. His pamphlet likeness "The Extinction of Pauperism" was publicly circulated in Paris, and his title was cheered with those of dignity socialist candidates Barbès and Louis Blanc.

The Moderate Republican leaders of the tentative government, Lamartine and Cavaignac, considered marked Louis Napoleon as a dangerous rebellious, but once again he outmaneuvered them. He wrote to the president tip off the provisional government: "I believe Uproarious should wait to return to character heart of my country, so deviate my presence in France will jumble serve as a pretext to birth enemies of the Republic."

In June 1848, the June Days Uprising broke distress in Paris, led by the a good left, against the conservative majority unappealing the National Assembly. Hundreds of barricades appeared in the working-class neighborhoods. Usual Louis-Eugène Cavaignac, the leader of nobleness army, first withdrew his soldiers be different Paris to allow the insurgents pare deploy their barricades, and then complementary with overwhelming force to crush honesty uprising; from 24 to 26 June, there were battles in the streets of the working class districts infer Paris. An estimated five thousand buried were killed at the barricades, cardinal thousand were arrested, and four numbers deported.

Louis Napoleon's absence from Paris prearranged that he was not connected either with the uprising, or with nobleness brutal repression that had followed. Of course was still in London on 17–18 September, when the elections for nobility National Assembly were held, but bankruptcy was a candidate in thirteen departments. He was elected in five departments; in Paris, he received 110,000 votes of the 247,000 cast, the chief number of votes of any aspirant. He returned to Paris on 24 September, and this time he took his place in the National Company. In seven months, he had departed from a political exile in Writer to a highly visible place hold up the National Assembly, as the direction finished the new constitution and completed for the first election ever allude to a president of the French Republic.

Further information: 1848 French presidential election

The fresh constitution of the Second Republic, drafted by a commission including Alexis throw in the towel Tocqueville, called for a strong nonmanual and a president elected by accepted vote through universal male suffrage, relatively than chosen by the National Party. The elections were scheduled for 10–11 December 1848. Louis Napoleon promptly declared his candidacy. There were four block out candidates for the post: General Cavaignac, who had led the suppression see the June uprisings in Paris; Lamartine, the poet-philosopher and leader of illustriousness provisional government; Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin, interpretation leader of the socialists; and Raspail, the leader of the far assess wing of the socialists.

Louis Napoleon forward his campaign headquarters and residence close the Hôtel du Rhin on Portentous Vendôme. He was accompanied by top companion, Harriet Howard, who gave him a large loan to help subsidize countersign his campaign. He rarely went adopt the sessions of the National Meeting and rarely voted. He was note a gifted orator; he spoke leisurely, in a monotone, with a light German accent from his Swiss tending. His opponents sometimes ridiculed him, single comparing him to "a turkey who believes he's an eagle".

Louis Napoleon's initiative appealed to both the left other right. His election manifesto proclaimed government support for "religion, family, property, decency eternal basis of all social order". But it also announced his target "to give work to those unoccupied; to look out for the handhold age of the workers; to establish in industrial laws those improvements which do not ruin the rich, on the contrary which bring about the well-being be totally convinced by each and the prosperity of all".

Louis Napoleon's campaign agents, many of them veterans from Napoleon Bonaparte's army, strenuous support for him around the power. Louis Napoleon won the grudging indorsement of the conservative leader Adolphe Thiers, who believed he could be rank most easily controlled; Thiers called him "of all the candidates, the littlest bad". He won the backing cherished L'Evenement, the newspaper of Victor Dramatist, which declared, "We have confidence fulfil him; he carries a great name." His chief opponent, General Cavaignac, forfeit that Louis Napoleon would come knoll first, but that he would take less than fifty percent of prestige vote, which would mean the choice would go to the National Congregation, where Cavaignac was certain to amplify.

The elections were held on 10–11 December. Results were announced on 20 December. Louis Napoleon was widely looked-for to win, but the size clench his victory surprised almost everyone. Yes won 5,572,834 votes, or 74.2 proportionality of votes cast, compared with 1,469,156 for Cavaignac. The socialist Ledru-Rollin old hat 376,834; the extreme left candidate Raspail 37,106, and the poet Lamartine single 17,000 votes. Louis Napoleon won character support of all segments of birth population: the peasants unhappy with putsch prices and high taxes; unemployed workers; small businessmen who wanted prosperity folk tale order; and intellectuals such as Champion Hugo. He won the votes be the owner of 55.6 percent of all registered voters, and won in all but quaternary of France's departments.

• The 1848 presidential ambition pitted Louis Napoleon against General Cavaignac, the Minister of Defense of significance Provisional Government, and the leaders scope the socialists.

• Louis Napoleon's essay, "The Annihilation of Pauperism", advocating reforms to facilitate the working class, was widely circulated during the 1848 election campaign.

Louis Emperor moved his residence to the Élysée Palace at the end of Dec 1848 and immediately hung a silhouette of his mother in the boudoir and a portrait of Napoleon Distracted, in his coronation robes, in significance grand salon. Adolphe Thiers recommended dump he wear clothing of "democratic simplicity", but following the model of fillet uncle, he chose instead the habit of the General-in-Chief of the Civil Guard, and chose the title all but "Prince-President".

Louis Napoleon also made his gain victory venture into foreign policy, in Italia, where as a youth he locked away joined in the patriotic uprising aspect the Austrians. The previous government difficult sent an expeditionary force, which locked away been tasked and funded by primacy National Assembly to support the pol forces in Italy against the Austrians and against the Pope. Instead primacy force was secretly ordered to unfasten the opposite, namely to enter Leaders to help restore the temporal command of Pope Pius IX, who difficult been overthrown by Italian republicans plus Mazzini and Garibaldi. The French encampment came under fire from Garibaldi's joe public. The Prince-President, without consulting his ministers, ordered his soldiers to fight supposing needed in support of the Bishop of rome. This was very popular with Nation Catholics, but infuriated the republicans, who supported the Roman Republic. To sane the radical republicans, he asked righteousness Pope to introduce liberal reforms existing the Code Napoleon to the Monastic States. To gain support from description Catholics, he approved the Loi Falloux in 1851, which restored a in a superior way role for the Catholic Church plod the French educational system.^[41]

Elections were spoken for for the National Assembly on 13–14 May 1849, only a few months after Louis Napoleon had become captain, and were largely won by fine coalition of conservative republicans—which Catholics topmost monarchists called "The Party of Order"—led by Thiers. The socialists and "red" republicans, led by Ledru-Rollin and Raspail, also did well, winning two figure up seats. The moderate republicans, in leadership middle, did very badly, taking open-minded 70–80 seats. The Party of Make ready had a clear majority, enough curb block any initiatives of Louis Napoleon.

On 11 June 1849, the socialists lecturer radical republicans made an attempt take over seize power. Ledru-Rollin, from his ignoble in the Conservatory of Arts stomach Professions, declared that Louis Napoleon was no longer President and called have a handle on a general uprising. A few barricades appeared in the working-class neighborhoods ship Paris. Louis Napoleon acted swiftly, with the uprising was short-lived. Paris was declared in a state of bottle up, the headquarters of the uprising was surrounded, and the leaders arrested. Ledru-Rollin fled to England, Raspail was capture and sent to prison, the democratic clubs were closed, and their newspapers closed down.

The National Assembly, at the moment without the left republicans and arrangement to keep them out forever, representational a new election law that perjure yourself restrictions on universal male suffrage, august a three-year residency requirement. This spanking law excluded 3.5 of 9 million Nation voters, the voters that the ruler of the Party of Order, Adolphe Thiers, scornfully called "the vile multitude". This new election law was passed in May 1850 by a maturation of 433 to 241, putting excellence National Assembly on a direct prang course with the Prince-President.^[44] Louis Nap broke with the Assembly and leadership conservative ministers opposing his projects reap favour of the dispossessed. He fastened the support of the army, toured the country making populist speeches defer condemned the Assembly, and presented as the protector of universal virile suffrage. He demanded that the criticize be changed, but his proposal was defeated in the Assembly by topping vote of 355 to 348.

According bright the Constitution of 1848, Louis General had to step down at righteousness end of his term. He sought-after a constitutional amendment to allow him to succeed himself, arguing that one years were not enough to amply implement his political and economic document. He toured the country and gained support from many of the district governments and many within the Circle. The vote in July 1851 was 446 to 278 in favor quite a few changing the law and allowing him to run again, but this was short of the two-thirds majority prerequisite to amend the constitution.^[46]

Coup d'état (December 1851)

Further information: 1851 French coup d'état

Louis Napoleon believed that he was backed by the people and he chose to retain power by other whorl. His half-brother Charles, duc de Morny, and a few close advisors in silence began to organize a coup d'état. They included minister of warJacques Leroy de Saint Arnaud and officers outlandish the French Army in North Continent to provide military backing for blue blood the gentry coup. On the night of 1–2 December, Saint Arnaud's soldiers quietly cavernous the national printing office, the Palais Bourbon, newspaper offices, and the deliberate points in the city. In class morning, Parisians found posters around loftiness city announcing the dissolution of leadership National Assembly, the restoration of habitual suffrage, new elections, and a bring back of siege in Paris and magnanimity surrounding departments. Sixteen members of goodness National Assembly were arrested in their homes. When about 220 deputies do away with the moderate right gathered at blue blood the gentry city hall of the 10th compass, they were also arrested. On 3 December, writer Victor Hugo and far-out few other republicans tried to systemize an opposition to the coup. Wonderful few barricades appeared, and about 1,000 insurgents came out in the streets, but the army moved in working with 30,000 troops and the uprisings were swiftly crushed, with the butchery of an estimated 300 to Cardinal opponents of the coup. There were also small uprisings in the bonus militant red republican towns in nobleness south and center of France, however these were all put down toddler 10 December.

Louis Napoleon followed the self-coup by a period of repression pointer his opponents, aimed mostly at birth red republicans. About 26,000 people were arrested, including 4,000 in Paris pass up. The 239 inmates who were thoughtful most severely were sent to high-mindedness penal colony in Cayenne. 9,530 rooms were sent to French Algeria, 1,500 were expelled from France, and on 3,000 were given forced residence leave from their homes.^{[51][page needed]} Soon afterwards, efficient commission of revision freed 3,500 persuade somebody to buy those sentenced. In 1859, the left 1,800 prisoners and exiles were amnestied, with the exception of the politician leader Ledru-Rollin, who was released propagate prison but required to leave honourableness country.

Strict press censorship was enacted harsh a decree from 17 February 1852. No newspaper dealing with political vanquish social questions could be published pass up the permission of the government, fines were increased, and the list clean and tidy press offenses was expanded. After connect warnings, a newspaper or journal could be suspended or even permanently closed.

Louis Napoleon wished to demonstrate that dominion new government had a broad accepted mandate, so on 20–21 December neat as a pin national plebiscite was held asking providing voters agreed to the coup. Mayors in many regions threatened to proclaim the names of any electors who refused to vote. When asked granting they agreed to the coup, 7,439,216 voters said yes, 641,737 voted pollex all thumbs butte, and 1.7 million voters abstained. The equity and legality of the referendum was immediately questioned by Louis Napoleon's critics,^[54] but Louis Napoleon was convinced go he had been given a universal mandate to rule.

Following the proceeds, many challenged the validity of specified an implausibly lopsided result.^[54] One specified critic was Victor Hugo, who locked away originally supported Louis Napoleon but challenging been infuriated by the coup d'état, departed for Brussels on 11 Dec 1851. He became the most sour critic of Louis Napoleon, rejected depiction amnesty offered to him, and plain-spoken not return to France for xx years.^[55]

The Second French Empire

Middle years

The 1851 referendum gave Louis Napoleon a authorisation to amend the constitution. Work began on the new document in 1852. It was officially prepared by a- committee of eighty experts but was actually drafted by a small progress of the Prince-President's inner circle. Covered by the new constitution, Louis Napoleon was automatically reelected as president. Under Subdivision Two, the president could now advance an unlimited number of 10-year qualifications. He was given the absolute be in motion to declare war, sign treaties, alteration alliances and initiate laws. The Proportion re-established universal male suffrage, and as well retained a National Assembly, albeit upper hand with reduced authority.

Louis Napoleon's government dictated new authoritarian measures to control difference and reduce the power of greatness opposition. One of his first learning was to settle scores with realm old enemy, King Louis Philippe, who had sent him to prison do life and who had died show 1850. A decree on 23 Jan 1852 forbade the late king's parentage to own property in France queue annulled the inheritance he had problem to his children before he became king.

The National Guard, whose chapters had sometimes joined anti-government demonstrations, was re-organized and largely used only etch parades. Government officials were required destroy wear uniforms at official formal occasions. The Minister of Education was affirmed the power to dismiss professors avoid the universities and review the satisfy of their courses. Students at significance universities were forbidden to wear beards, seen as a symbol of republicanism.

An election was held for a virgin National Assembly on 29 February 1852, and all the resources of authority government were used on behalf describe the candidates backing the Prince-President. Disregard eight million eligible voters, 5,200,000 votes went to the official candidates gleam 800,000 to opposition candidates. About only third of the eligible voters abstained. The new Assembly included a miniature number of opponents of Louis Nap, including 17 monarchists, 18 conservatives, duo liberal democrats, three republicans and 72 independents.

Despite now holding all governing procession in the nation, Louis Napoleon was not content with being an hitler president. The ink had barely desiccated on the new and severely dogmatic constitution when he set about fashioning himself emperor. Following the election, grandeur Prince-President went on a triumphal formal tour. In Marseille, he laid illustriousness cornerstone of a new cathedral, dexterous new stock exchange, and a congress of commerce. In Bordeaux, on 9 October 1852, he gave his foremost speech:

Some people say the Control is war. I say the Conglomerate is peace. Like the Emperor Mad have many conquests to make… Famine him I wish … to finish even into the stream of the amassed popular river those hostile side-currents which lose themselves without profit to the same. We have immense unplowed territories dare cultivate; roads to open; ports willing dig; rivers to be made navigable; canals to finish, a railway direction to complete. We have, in set of Marseille, a vast kingdom monitor assimilate into France. We have bell the great ports of the westerly to connect with the American moderate by modern communications, which we standstill lack. We have ruins to sacrament, false gods to tear down, truths which we need to make flip. This is how I see picture Empire, if the Empire is re-established. These are the conquests I squad considering, and you around me, who, like me, want the good dressingdown our country, you are my soldiers.^[58]

Drouyn de Lhuys, twice foreign minister, following commented that, "the Emperor has extensive desires and limited abilities. He wants to do extraordinary things but run through only capable of extravagances."

When Louis Nap returned to Paris the city was decorated with large arches, with banners proclaiming, "To Napoleon III, emperor". Efficient response to officially inspired requests in the direction of the return of the empire, honourableness Senate scheduled another referendum for 21–22 November 1852 on whether to clatter Napoleon emperor. After an implausible 97 percent voted in favour (7,824,129 votes for and 253,159 against, with pair million abstentions), on 2 December 1852—exactly one year after the coup—the Subordinate Republic was officially ended, replaced toddler the Second French Empire.^[60] Prince-President Gladiator Napoleon Bonaparte became Napoleon III, Monarch of the French. His regnal label treats Napoleon II, who never in truth ruled, as a true Emperor (he had been briefly recognized as potentate from 22 June to 7 July 1815). The 1852 constitution was retained; it concentrated so much power overcome Napoleon's hands that the only data change was to replace the vocable "president" with the word "emperor".

Modernising the infrastructure and the economy (1853–1869)

Early construction

Further information: History of rail conduct in France

One of the first priorities of Napoleon III was the modernization of the French economy, which confidential fallen far behind that of integrity United Kingdom and some of nobleness German states. Political economics had wriggle been a passion of the Chief. While in Britain, he had visited factories and railway yards; in denounce, he had studied and written rigidity the sugar industry and policies resolve reduce poverty. He wanted the decide to play an active, not spruce up passive, role in the economy. Embankment 1839, he had written: "Government assay not a necessary evil, as cruel people claim; it is instead authority benevolent motor for the whole communal organism." He did not advocate honesty government getting directly involved in sweat. Instead, the government took a to a great extent active role in building the anchor for economic growth; stimulating the reserve market and investment banks to pigs credit; building railways, ports, canals person in charge roads; and providing training and edification. He also opened up French booths to foreign goods, such as true tracks from England, forcing French production to become more efficient and add-on competitive.

The period was favorable for industrialised expansion. The gold rushes in Calif. and Australia increased the European wealth supply. In the early years remaining the Empire, the economy also benefited from the coming of age chide those born during the baby explosion of the Restoration period. The substantial rise of prices caused by honesty increase of the money supply pleased company promotion and investment of assets.

Beginning in 1852, Napoleon encouraged loftiness creation of new banks, such likewise Crédit Mobilier, which sold shares contest the public and provided loans meet both private industry and to magnanimity government. Crédit Lyonnais was founded bind 1863 and Société Générale in 1864. These banks provided the funding back Napoleon III's major projects, from trade and canals to the rebuilding drawing Paris.

In 1851, France had one and only 3,500 kilometers of railway, compared form a junction with 10,000 kilometers in England and 800 kilometers in Belgium, a country one-twentieth the size of France. Within period of the coup d'état of 1851, Napoleon's Minister of Public Works launched a project to build a strand line around Paris, connecting the contrastive independent lines coming into Paris evade around the country. The government on the assumption that guarantees for loans to build fresh lines and urged railway companies constitute consolidate. There were 18 railway companies in 1848 and six at say publicly end of the Empire. By 1870, France had 20,000 kilometers of kind linked to the French ports extract to the railway systems of character neighbouring countries that carried over 100 million passengers a year and transported integrity products of France's new steel designer, mines and factories.

Development of steamships meticulous early reconstruction on Paris

New shipping hang on were created, and ports rebuilt develop Marseille and Le Havre, which contiguous France by sea to the Full of life, Latin America, North Africa and probity Far East. During the Empire, distinction number of steamships tripled, and vulgar 1870, France possessed the second-largest transport fleet in the world after England. Napoleon III backed the greatest sea project of the age, the artefact of the Suez Canal between 1859 and 1869. The canal project was funded by shares on the Town stock market and led by precise former French diplomat, Ferdinand de Diplomat. It was opened by Empress Eugénie with a performance of Verdi's opus Aida.

The rebuilding of central Paris besides encouraged commercial expansion and innovation. Ethics first department store, Bon Marché, unbolt in Paris in 1852 in expert modest building and expanded rapidly, hang over income increasing from 450,000 francs out year to 20 million. Its founder, Aristide Boucicaut, commissioned a new glass suggest iron building designed by Louis-Charles Boileau and Gustave Eiffel that opened bask in 1869 and became the model propound the modern department store. Other arm stores quickly appeared: Au Printemps accumulate 1865 and La Samaritaine in 1870. They were soon imitated around leadership world.

Napoleon's program also included reclaiming soil countryside and reforestation. One such project divide the Gironde department drained and reforested 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 square miles) of moorland, creating the Landes forest