5 CONSEQUENCES OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS - HISTORY - 2025

The consequences of the Napoleonic Wars, also called "Coalition Wars", were political, economic and social for much of the world, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.

During the period when Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France, he fought a series of battles in his long and costly military campaigns for the conquest of the European continent and Africa.

Portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte

These wars, which go from 1799 to 1815, arise as a prolongation of the French Revolution and contributed to provoking the wars of Independence of the Spanish colonies in America, the fall of the Spanish Empire and others in Europe, the establishment of the rights of the man, European Industrialization and the two world wars.

Outstanding consequences of the Napoleonic Wars

Establishment of Human Rights

The Napoleonic Code in force today, together with the liberal ideas promoted by the French Revolution of liberty, equality and fellowship, helped to institute civil rights and establish democracies in the world.

This code that prohibits privileges is the forerunner of modern civil law.

The Wars of Independence in America and Europe

The emergence of the independence movements and the wars of emancipation in America and Europe are the product of the weakening of the Spanish Empire at the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte during the expansion of the French Empire.

The peoples of the American colonies saw in the breakdown of the Spanish monarchy, an opportunity to proclaim their independence, fed by the ideas of freedom and equality promoted by the French Revolution.

Fall of the Spanish Empire

Although he ended up proclaiming himself emperor, Napoleon promised to free Europe from the absolutist monarchies and fought the Spanish Empire in Europe and America between 1808 and 1813.

Since the reign of Felipe II, the Spanish Empire had already been dragging serious economic problems.

The fall of the Spanish Empire accelerated with the loss of the colonies in the Americas that provided gold and silver, among other precious metals and merchandise.

The industrial Revolution

The Napoleonic Wars fought and ended feudalism leading to the establishment of the modern state and the advancement of capitalism as a system of production.

This allowed the momentum of the Industrial Revolution in Europe - especially in England.

While Spain was swimming in precious metals looted from the rich American colonies and was busy fighting Napoleon's troops, France was conquering territories and the English were strengthening their economy through machinism and industrialization.

England became the first industrial power in Europe.

The two world wars

The two world wars that humanity suffered were another subsequent consequence of Napoléon's reign and the wars that it promoted.

After being deposed from power in France, the countries conquered by the French emperor regained their sovereignty. So, nationalism increased in those nations along with border controls for foreigners.

Tensions grew between European countries and the assassination of the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, lit the fuse for the First World War.

Later, that same nationalism and the growing rivalry of Nazi Germany and the other axis powers (Italy and Japan) with Great Britain, France and the United States, set off World War II.

References

1. Eugene N. White. The Costs and Consequences of the Napoleonic Reparations. NBER Working Paper No. 7438. Taken from nber.org
2. Napoleonic Wars. Taken from es.wikipedia.org
3. Effects of the Napoleonic wars. Taken from collegetermpapers.com
4. The impact of the Napoleonic Wars in Britain. Taken from bl.uk
5. Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Taken from es.wikipedia.org.