Napoleon becoming Emperor of the French.

Was there a perception he abandoned the ideas of republicanism and liberalism when he took the crown? Would the First French Republic win the Napoleonic Wars, would it be as expansionist as the First French Empire? And if the First French Empire wins, what would be the major changes in European liberalism the next decades (a second French Revolution, liberal and republican as before? or maybe a German revolution in the German puppet states?)
 
I'm not sure if it was universal or not, but the sentiment was definately there. For example Beethoven, upon hearing of the coronation, tore out the dedication page to Napoleon at the front of the Third Symphony remarking 'so he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread under foot all the rights of man, indulge only his ambition, now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant.'[1]. He still maintained a soft spot for Napoleon, but it certainly wasn't as strong as it had been.



[1] According to assistant Ferdinand Ries.
 
There was a feeling that Napoleon ended the republican-liberalism, though many in France saw him as consolidating the Revolution's gains and freeing the country from the chaotic upheavals in the wake of the Revolution. However, Napoleon was still considered, abroad, as far more liberal than his adversaries. Whether or not that was absolute truth is meh, but his symbol as a force of liberalism continued after his death into the 1800's.

A French Republic as opposed to a French Empire would be less-expansionist, methinks, if it would be able to form a solid government and have checks to stop a coup every couple of years.

A French Empire victory? I have no idea what would happen, but there's definitely some speculation on this forum. Cough.
 
i think the fact that he took the title Emperor of th French rather than of France helped mollify many of those who wouldve dissented against him....it made it seemt hat france was still revolutionary whilst having legitemecy and limiting his power..course it didnt but the veil of it was there
 
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