Greatest extent of Napoleon I's empire, 1812 (more) First French Empire historical empire, Europe Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Nov 25, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question First French Empire, historical empire established on May 18, 1804, with the creation of Napoleon I as “emperor of the French.” The Napoleonic empire persisted until the restoration of Louis XVIII on May 3, 1814. It enjoyed a brief resurrection during the Hundred Days (March 20, 1815–July 8, 1815) but concluded with Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, his final exile to St. Helena, and the second restoration of Louis XVIII to the throne. Why “Emperor of the French” and Not “Emperor of France”? Napoleon used this specific wording for a number of reasons. First, it signaled a break with the ancien ...(100 of 3549 words)

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