Histoire du Consulat et de l'Empire, (Vol. 13 / 20)

The volume opens amid the triumph and turmoil of 1811, when Napoleon celebrates the birth of his son, the future “Roi de Rome,” and prepares a lavish baptism. At the same time, France grapples with a cascade of economic woes—bankrupt textile mills, strained customs, and a surge in conscription that fuels public unease. Religious friction also surfaces, as the Pope and a resistant clergy challenge the empire’s authority, prompting Napoleon to contemplate a national council to assert his control.

Against this backdrop, the narrative follows the intricate web of European diplomacy: negotiations with Russia, the shifting stance of Alexander I, and the delicate balance of power with Austria, Prussia, Denmark and Sweden. Napoleon reshuffles his foreign ministry, appoints new envoys, and readies his armies for a campaign that looms on the horizon. The book paints a vivid picture of an empire striving to maintain its dominance while contending with internal dissent and the ever‑changing fortunes of war.