Peace

Portrait of Napoleon as First Consul, 1804, by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
© Collection: Musée d'Art moderne et d'Art contemporain de la Ville de Liège The Emperor arriving at Notre Dame – Napoleon's coronation, published 1807, by Charles Percier
© Photo12.com Signed in 1802, the Peace of Amiens marked the end of the French Revolutionary War. For the British, it brought respite from conflict abroad. As part of the peace treaty, Britain, isolated from her allies, agreed to return recent territorial conquests to France, Spain and Holland. These terms were heavily resented and the British, worried about Napoleon’s plans, refused to withdraw from Malta.

Peace boosted First Consul Bonaparte's popularity and gave him the opportunity to begin internal legal, economic and educational reforms in France. He confirmed himself as First Consul for life in May 1802 and declared himself Emperor in 1804, demonstrating his position to the world in December with a magnificent coronation in Paris.

Undermining the spirit of Amiens, he continued to strengthen his position in Italy, invaded Switzerland and stopped British trade in the continental ports that he controlled.

Britain and France >>