Europe & colonial empiresEurope

First French Empire (Napoleonic)

Also known as Napoleonic Empire

1804 – 1815 CE · about 11 years

Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself emperor in 1804 and dominated continental Europe through a series of victories. Defeats in Russia and at Leipzig led to his abdication, and Waterloo in 1815 ended the empire.

Key facts

Dates	1804 – 1815 CE
Region	Europe & colonial empires
Continent	Europe
Capital	Paris
Founder	Napoleon I
Religion(s)	Catholic Christianity
Peak extent	≈ 2.1 million km² (c. 1813 CE) – source

Before & after

Preceded by

Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of France Republic of Ragusa

Followed by

Second French Empire

Sources

Wikipedia – First French Empire
Wikipedia – List of largest empires

Dates follow widely used reference works; many ancient dates are approximate or debated. Neutral summary for general reference.