1814 law deposing Napoleon I as Emperor of France
The
Acte de decheance de l'Empereur
(from
French
: "Emperor's Demise Act") was a law passed by the
Senat conservateur
on 2 April 1814, which deposed
Napoleon I
as
Emperor of the French
.
Background
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Since the
French Revolution
had deposed
Louis XVI
, France had been almost constantly at war with most of Europe. Chronic political instability and the constant rumbles of war created a favourable terrain for a military coup, which General Bonaparte exploited on
18 Brumaire
, establishing the
French Consulate
in the
Constitution of the Year VIII
, led by an equilateral
triumvirate
. Two years later, the Constitution was amended into the
Constitution of the Year X
, making Bonaparte
First Consul
for life. Finally, on 18 May 1804, the Senat conservateur passed the
Constitution of the Year XII
. establishing an Emperor, Bonaparte, styling himself "Napoleon I,
Emperor of the French
". Napoleon was
crowned
emperor on 2 December 1804, inaugurating the
First French Empire
.
A series of Napoleon's disasters and conflicts like the
Peninsular War
the
War of the Sixth Coalition
, and the
French invasion of Russia
led to the near obliteration of the once overwhelming
Grande Armee
. By February 1814, the French Army was so depleted that, even after winning every battle of the
Six Days' Campaign
, it could not stop the march of the Allies on French soil on its route on Paris.
The Allies arrived at the outskirts of Paris in late March, and
Talleyrand
maneuvered to take upon himself to negotiate the capitulation of
Marmont
, who defended the capital. On 31 March, Talleyrand dined at his hotel with
Frederick William III of Prussia
and
Alexander I of Russia
, and pleaded for a
Bourbon restoration
, arguing that the Senate would support the plan.
On 1 April 1814, the Senat conservateur elected
Talleyrand
chief of a five-member provisionary government.
[1]
The next morning, Talleyrand and
Barthelemy
, president of the Senate,
[1]
proposed a motion to depose Napoleon and the
House of Bonaparte
, and call the Count of Provence to the throne as King
Louis XVIII
.
On 3 April, the Senate voted a text detailing its reasons for ousting Napoleon. It charged the emperor with numerous violations of the
Constitution of the Year XII
, which it had itself approved over the years.
[1]
The minutes of the meeting were published in
Le Moniteur Universel
of 4 April.
[1]
[2]
The final paragraph read:
The Senate declares and decrees as follows:
1. Napoleon Buonaparte is cast down from the throne, and the right of succession in his family is abolished.
2. The French people and army are absolved from their oath of fidelity to him.
3. The present decree shall be transmitted to the departments and armies, and proclaimed immediately in all the quarters of the capital.
Aftermath
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On 11 April, after attempting to put his son on the throne, Napoleon abdicated unconditionally. The Allies allowed him to keep his title of Emperor, but exiled him to
Elba
. Napoleon attempted to return to power on 26 February 1815, leading to the
Hundred Days
. He was defeated at the
Battle of Waterloo
and imprisoned to the remote rock of
Saint Helena
for life.
In the following years, the Acte de decheance de l'Empereur served as a
litmus test
of allegiance to the
House of Bourbon
.
Sources and references
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