NAPOLEON III., CIIARLES Loins NAPOLEON BONAPARTE (1808-73). Emperor of the French. Be was the third son of Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, and of Hortense Beauharnais. (See BONAPARTE.) The law of succession enacted un der the First Empire gave the crown, in default of direct descendants of the Emperor, to the sons of either Joseph or Louis Bonaparte. Joseph being childless, the sons of Louis became heirs apparent of the Napoleonic pretensions. 1 Anlis Napoleon was born April 20, 1808. in Paris. lie spent boyhood With his mother at her Chilteau of .Arenenberg in Switzerland, and at Augshurg, where he studied in the gymnasium. After the death of the elder of his brothers he returned to France with his mother, but they were ex pelled by Louis Philippe, went to England, and thence returned to Switzerland. The death of the Duke of Reichstadt (July 22, 1832), only son of the first Napoleon. left Louis Napoleon the representative of his family, and there after the restoration of the Napoleonie Em pire became his fixed idea. During the next four years his published works kept him before the French people. Among them were: I.Yreries politiques; Projet de constitution; Deux mots •These are also in Ensdish translations. (These are also in French translations.
J/. do Chattaubriand stir lu duchesse de Berri (in verse) ; and E'onsidU•aduns politiques cl nalitain N stir lu Nuisse. In 1836. believing in the weakness of the July monarchy, lie un dertook at St rassburg a coup which was so absurd a failure that it covered him with ridi cule. lle mas sent to America, but returned to Europe on account of his illness. She died October 3, 1837, and soon afterwards the French Government asked for his expulsion by Switzerland. He went to London, where, in 1838. he published the likes Napoli'oniennes. which hail considerable circulation in France. In 1840 he made at Boulogne his second attempt to bring about a military uprising in his favor. but this was as complete a failure as its predecessor. Ile imprisoned in the fortress of Ilium, where he wrote several works, sonic political articles. and had a share in editing the Diet ion»aire de la rsoion. lle escaped from Haim .Alay 2.3. 1811, and made his way to the Belgian frontier and thence to England. Ile hastened kick to France when the Revolution of 18-18 broke out. but, although he professed devotion to the Pro visional Government, lie was distrusted and asked to leave the (sundry. Notwithstanding his prom
ise to do this, he obtained an election to the National Assembly for Paris and other departments. Ile took his seat on June 13, 1848, but resigned un the 13th. after a stormy debate. and left France. lie was, however. elected front Live it September. and rettn•uing became a candidate for the Presidency. He re ceived 5.500.001i votes in the election of December 10. 18418, his closest opponent. General Cavaignae (q.v.). having 1,500000. He entered upon his office on Di.eeinher 211th. His )'residency was a continuous contest with the majority in the As sembly, who continued to doubt the sincerity of the devotion to the Republic. This disturbed condition was ended by the coup d'i.tat of Deeember 2, 1831, a thoroughly Napoleonie stroke. carried out with blunt disregard for lair or political honesty. by the President himself. assisted by Monty. and The cost of stweess was the establishment of a repressive tyranny maintained by military force. France submitted to the new ruler, who promised to restore the glories of the past. (in December 2001-21st the President was reideeted for ten years by more than seven million votes, practically without apposition. He had revived the plebiscite. used with such effect by his uncle—a plebiscite so managed that the issue was a foregtow conclusion. Lt the saute way. when he had himself proelaitned as Napoleon Ill.. just it trio• after the coup (Mat (December 2, it was made to appear that this also was in aveordanee with the popular will. The new Emperor had studied his methods and attempted to imi tate him as far as circumstances and his own ability would permit, lint he only won for him self the name of Napoleon the Little. Ile pos sessed ability, but it was that of the politieian rather than of the statesman. lle lacked the dash and rapidity of decision Willi'', were the Chief in acemnplishing the vast schemes of the first Napoleon. Napoleon III. hesitated in deciding upon a policy and in earrying it out when once determined. Cottspirai•ies against hint developed as early as I853 and three atteinlits Were made to a ..4:1-4.111:Ite hint, by Pianori and Bell:0min! in 1855. and by Orsini (q.v.) in 1858.