1. The Rise of Napoleon, 1795-99

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, we explore the rise of Napoleon in the 1790s, focusing in particular on his military victories in Italy and Egypt, and how he found himself at the right place at the right time for a coup d'état that would bring down the French Directory.

Course

In this course, Professor Michael Broers (University of Oxford) thinks about one of the most influential figures in European history: Napoleon Bonaparte. In the first module, we explore Napoleon's rise to power between 1795-99, before moving on in the second module to consider Napoleon's effectiveness as First Consul of France between 1799-1804. In the third module, we think about Napoleon's military achievements in Europe, before considering in the fourth module the impact of Napoleon's achievements today.

Lecturer

Michael Broers is Professor of Western European History at the University of Oxford. His major research interests are in Italian and French history in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly the Napoleonic period. He is interested in the application of theories of cultural imperialism to European contexts in the Revolutionary-Napoleonic period, and in the relationship of regionalism and popular Catholicism to modern state-building.