After the Reign of Terror a new ruling body
came into power, known as the Directory. It was very incompetent
and riddled with corruption, making it very easy for Napoleon
Bonaparte to rise to dictatorship in 1799 and later be crowned
emperor. He was an aggressive leader who challenged the authority
of the Church itself and embarked on extensive military campaigns
through which he greatly expanded his empire.
Napoleon was finally defeated in Russia in
1812, which weakened his position and encouraged his enemies
to become allies against him. Napoleon lost his final campaign
in Waterloo in 1815. The ruler who replaced the famous general
was Louis XVIII, brother of the king guillotined in 1793.
He was then overthrown by Charles X in 1824, who was an ultra-royalist
and who reminded the French too much of absolutism. Fearing
for their liberal principles, the people ended up protesting
and rallying until the July Revolution of 1830 broke out.
A new king, King Louise Phillipe, also the Duke of Orleans,
was elected by the July Monarchy and went on to reign for
18 years.
During this time France enjoyed a period of prosperity, until
in 1848, Napoleon I’s nephew, Louis Napoleon was elected
president of the Second Republic, only to be crowned emperor
four years later. The resistance by Emperor Napoleon III and
the government to adapt the political institutions to the
socio-economic changes that were taking place, eventually
led to the outbreak of the French industrial revolution.
