Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative Assembly, and the third being the French Directory. The Napoleonic Era begins roughly with Napoleon's coup d'état, overthrowing the Directory, establishing the French Consulate, and ends at the Hundred Days and his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo (18 June 1815). The Congress of Vienna soon set out to restore Europe to pre-French Revolution days.
On arriving at Paris, three days after Waterloo, Napoleon still clung to the hope of concerted national resistance, but the temper of the chambers and of the public generally forbade any such attempt. Napoleon and his brother Lucien Bonaparte were almost alone in believing that, by dissolving the chambers and declaring Napoleon dictator, they could save France from the armies of the powers now converging on Paris. Even Davout, minister of war, advised Napoleon that the destiny of France rested solely with the chambers. Clearly, it was time to safeguard what remained, and that could best be done under Talleyrand's shield of legitimacy. Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès was the minister of justice during this time and was a close confidant of Napoleon.
Napoleon himself at last recognized the truth. When Lucien pressed him to "dare", he replied, "Alas, I have dared only too much already". On 22 June 1815, he abdicated in favour of his son, Napoleon II, well knowing that it was a formality, as his four-year-old son was in Austria. On 7 July 1815, German troops of the Seventh Coalition (Siebte Koalition) occupied Paris as they already had on 31 March 1814.
