Similarity and Difference (1715-1815)

Identifying Similarities (1715-1815)

Continuity in Absolutism: The Ancien Régime was maintained from the reign of Louis XV until the French Revolution, asserting the monarch’s power, the principle of divine right, control over nobility, and the hierarchical structure of Estates-General.
Court Life and Culture: From the sumptuous and aristocratic lifestyle in Versailles under the Ancien Régime to the lavish imperial court under Napoleon, court culture and lavish lifestyles continued to hold sway.
Economic Adversity: Financial crisis, excessive state expenditure, and an unsustainable taxation system persisted from the late Builtasarmonarchial period through revolution and into the Napoleonic period, resulting in high levels of national debt.
Religious Control: Even though the relationship between the state and religion shifted after the revolution, control over the Catholic Church continued, with Napoleon’s Concordat (1801) ensuring state dominance over church affairs.

Identifying Differences (1715-1815)

Shift from Absolute Monarchy: The French Revolution marked a significant departure from absolutist rule, with the rise of the National Assembly and the abolition of the monarchy. This transition laid the groundwork for Napoleon’s empire.
Establishment of Civil Law: The Napoleonic Code (1804) established a set of civil laws that fundamentally changed the nature of French society, distinguishing it from the Ancien Régime’s more arbitrary laws.
secularisation of Society: Post-revolutionary France saw a shift towards secularisation and anti-clerical policies contrasted with religious control typical of the Ancien Régime, despite Napoleon later re-establishing links between church and state.
Changes in Military Strategy and Structure: The Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars showcased the shift from professional armies of the Ancien Régime to Napoleon’s mass conscript levee en masse, creating the concept of ‘total war’.
Expansion of French Territory: Unlike the relatively static borders of the Ancien Régime, the Napoleonic era saw extensive territorial expansion across Europe.