Napoleon and the Church

Napoleon Bonaparte: The life and career of Napoleon, including his early years, rise to power, military conquests, and legacy.

The Church in France before Napoleon: The role of the Catholic Church in France before the French Revolution and the early years of the First Republic.

The Concordat of 1801: The agreement between Napoleon and the Pope, which re-established the Catholic Church in France and redefined its relationship with the state.

The Organic Articles of 1802: The series of laws passed by Napoleon to regulate the Catholic Church in France, which became a source of tensions between the Church and the state.

Cardinal Ercole Consalvi: The Papal Secretary of State who negotiated the Concordat with Napoleon and played a key role in the Church-state relations of the Napoleonic era.

The Pope and Napoleon: The complex relationship between the Pope and Napoleon, including their conflicts and alliances, and the shifting balance of power between the Church and the state.

The Gallican Church: The tradition of French Catholicism that emphasized the autonomy of the French Church from Rome and its subordination to the state, which influenced Napoleon's policies towards the Church.

The Council of State and the Church: The institution created by Napoleon to oversee his policies towards the Church, including the appointment of bishops and the implementation of the Organic Articles.

The Ultramontane movement: The Catholic movement that emphasized the authority of the Pope and his role as the head of the Church, which challenged Napoleon's policies towards the Church in France.

The Papal States: The territories in Italy controlled by the Pope, which were annexed by Napoleon in 1809 and became a source of tension between the Church and the French state.

Concordat of 1801: This was a treaty between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII that re-established the Catholic Church in France after the French Revolution. The Concordat recognized Catholicism as the religion of the majority of French citizens and granted the Church certain rights, such as the ability to appoint bishops and priests.

Organic Articles of 1802: This was a series of laws that were intended to regulate the relationship between the Catholic Church and the French state. The laws required the Church to swear loyalty to the government, established state control over seminaries and religious orders, and prohibited the publication of papal documents without government approval.

Excommunication of Napoleon: In 1809, Pope Pius VII excommunicated Napoleon for his treatment of the Church and violation of the Concordat. This strained the relationship between Napoleon and the Catholic Church, and was a major factor in the eventual downfall of the Napoleonic regime.

Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy: After Napoleon's defeat in 1815, the Bourbon monarchy was restored in France. The new government sought to re-establish the Catholic Church's traditional authority and independence, and reversed many of the Napoleonic reforms.

Ultramontanism: This was a movement within the Catholic Church that emerged in the early 19th century, and advocated for a strong central authority for the Church, with the Pope as the ultimate authority. Ultramontanism was often associated with conservative political views, and was opposed by some liberal and nationalist elements within the Catholic Church.