CDIS4 — From King To Emperor
The political upheaval unleashed by the French Revolution starting in 1789 led to the unlikely, yet meteoric rise of a young, ambitious Corsican named Napoleon Boneparte. As the Revolution culminated in the Reign of Terror in 1793-4—including the execution of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette—Napoleon’s unlikely successes on the battlefield turned the tide in the Revolutionary Wars, setting him up to seize power in a war-weary country. As Emperor, Napoleon used art and monument building to craft his image as a modern-day Roman Emperor and establish his legitimacy and legacy. Disastrous defeats in Russia and Waterloo led to his downfall and exile, but Napoleon’s story continues to fascinate. In the class we’ll explore the tumultuous history of the French Revolution, the rise and fall of Napolean, and the legacy of both.