List of Events and Dates Having Reference to Napoleon Bonaparte
1769. Aug. 15. Napoleon the First born.
1789. July 14. French Revolution breaks out with the
destruction of the Bastille.
1790. July 14. France declared a Limited Monarchy.
July 14. Louis XVI. swears to maintain the Constitution.
1791. June 21. The King, Queen, and Royal family arrested
at Varennes.
Sept. 15. Louis (a prisoner) signs the National Constitution.
1792. July 17. First coalition against France.
Nov. 19. French people declare their fraternity
with all nations who desire to be free
and offer help.
1796. Mar. 9. Bonaparte’s marriage with Josephine.
Bonaparte’s successful campaign in Italy.
1798. Expedition to Syria and Egypt.
1799. April. European coalition against France.
Nov. 10. Council of 500 deposed by Bonaparte; he
is declared First Consul.
1800. June 14. Bonaparte defeats the Austrians at Marengo.
Dec. 24. Bonaparte’s life attempted by an infernal
machine.
Bank of France founded by Napoleon.
1802. Mar. 28. Peace of Amiens (with England, Spain,
and Holland) signed.
1802. May 19. Legion of Honour instituted by Napoleon.
Aug. 2. Napoleon made First Consul for life.
1803. April 14. Bank of France established.
May 22. Declaration of war against England.
1804. Feb. 15. Conspiracy of Moreau and Pichegru against
Napoleon.
Mar. 21. Duc d’Enghien executed.
May 18. Napoleon proclaimed Emperor of France.
Dec. 2. Napoleon crowned by the Pope.
1805. May 26. Napoleon crowned King of Italy.
Aug. Third coalition against France.
Dec. 2. Napoleon defeats the Allies at Austerlitz.
1806. Oct. 14. Napoleon defeats the Prussians at Jena.
1807. Feb. 8. Napoleon defeats the Russians at Eylau.
July 7. Peace of Tilsit signed.
Dec. 17. Napoleon issues his Milan Decree against
British commerce.
1808. Mar. 1. New Nobility of France created.
May 5. Abdication of Charles IV. of Spain and his
son in favour of Napoleon.
July Commencement of the Peninsular War.
1809. April Alliance of England and Austria against
France.
May Napoleon defeats the Austrians and enters
Vienna.
Oct. 14. Peace of Vienna signed.
Dec. 16. Divorce of the Emperor and the Empress
Josephine decreed by the Senate.
1810. April 1. Marriage of Napoleon to Marie Louise of
Austria.
July 9. Holland united to France.
1811. Mar. 20. Birth of the King of Rome (Napoleon II.).
1812. June 22. War with Russia declared.
Oct. The retreat from Moscow.
1813. Mar. Alliance of Austria, Russia, and Prussia
against France.
Oct. 7. British enter France.
1814. Mar. 31. Surrender of Paris to the Allies.
1814. April 5. Abdication of Napoleon negotiated.
May 3. Restoration of the Bourbon dynasty.
Louis XVIII. arrives at Paris.
May 4. Napoleon arrives at Elba.
May 29. Death of Josephine.
1815. Mar. 1. Napoleon escapes from Elba and lands
at Cannes.
Mar. 20. Napoleon arrives at Fontainebleau.
Mar. 22. Napoleon is joined by all the Army.
Mar. The Allies sign a treaty against him.
Mar. 29. Napoleon abolishes the slave trade.
June 12. Napoleon leaves Paris for the Army.
June 18. Battle of Waterloo.
June 20. Napoleon returns to Paris.
June 22. Abdicates in favour of his son.
July 3. He arrives at Rochefort, intending to
embark for America.
July 3. Louis XVIII. re-enters Paris.
July 15. Napoleon surrenders to Captain Maitland,
of the Bellerophon, at Rochefort.
Aug. 8. Is transferred at Torbay to the Northumberland,
and, with Admiral Sir George Cockburn, sails for St. Helena.
Oct. 15. Arrives at St. Helena, to remain for life.
Dec. 7. Execution of Marshal Ney.
1816. Jan. 12. Family of Bonaparte excluded for ever
from France by the Law of Amnesty.
1821. May 5. Death of Napoleon.
1836. Oct. 29. Attempted insurrection by Louis Napoleon
(afterwards Emperor).
1837. May 8. Amnesty proclaimed for political offences.
1838. “Idees Napoleoniennes” published by
Prince Louis Napoleon.
1840. May 12. The Chambers decree the removal of
Napoleon’s remains from St. Helena.
Oct. 15. Exhumation of Napoleon’s remains.
Nov. 30. Arrival of Belle Poule frigate at Cherbourg
with remains on board.
1840. Dec. 15. Remains deposited in the Hôtel des Invalides.33
Aug. 6. Descent of Louis Napoleon, General Montholon,
and fifty followers at Vimeraux, near Boulogne.
Oct. 6. The Prince captured and sentenced to
imprisonment for life.
1841. Aug. 15. Bronze statue of Napoleon placed on the
column of the Grande Armée, Boulogne.
1846. May 25. Louis Napoleon escapes from Ham.
1847. Oct. 10. Jerome Bonaparte returns to France, after
an exile of thirty-two years.
1848. June 13. Election of Louis Napoleon to the National
Assembly.
Sept. 26. Louis Napoleon takes his seat in the
National Assembly.
1857. Longwood, the residence of Napoleon
Bonaparte at St. Helena, bought for
180,000 francs.
1860. June 24. Jerome Bonaparte (the Emperor’s uncle)
dies, aged 76.
1861. Mar. 31. Napoleon’s body finally placed in the crypt
of the Hôtel des Invalides.
Footnotes
33 The ceremony was witnessed by about 1,000,000 persons and 150,000 soldiers assisted at the obsequies. No relatives of the Emperor were present, as at this time the various members of the Bonaparte family were either proscribed and in exile or in prison.