Napoleon was always exercising his prodigious intellect as to the myriad of challenges both to France and to himself with a keen eye towards favorable solutions. Therefore, his decision to renew or rather amend the relationship between France and the papacy provided immense opportunity for both France and Napoleon.

Astutely aware of the bulk of the French peoples’ desire for their faith, Napoleon knew that “the people revere their churches, their curés, the forms of worship to which they are almost instinctively accustomed, the ceremonial which they are almost instinctively accustomed.”[1] In rebuilding the relationship with the Catholic church, Napoleon knew that this would greatly placate the majority of the French people who the vast majority were Catholic and therefore, greatly reduce internal strife and remove one more potential enemy from the chessboard of Europe.

In this new relationship, Napoleon walked a fine line of appeasement between the strong-willed revolutionaries who wanted to be free of institutional religion and the yearning of the bulk of the French people who craved it. All of this while furthering his own political goals as head of state. This is cleverly addressed in the opening lines of the Concordat which says, “The Government of the Republic acknowledges that the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion is the religion of the great majority of French citizens.”[2] This acknowledges that the Catholic faith is recognized as the majority religion in France but is not the state religion. In doing this, Napoleon stays true to the ideals of the Revolution by keeping religion separate from the state, while allowing and recognizing its importance for the French people to worship. Politically Napoleon asserted his authority by nationalizing many ecclesiastical lands while nominating and paying the salaries of the church clerics, as opposed to the Church that could only remove bishops.

PHOTOS

Top: Pope Pius VI (1717-1799), whose real name was Giannangelo Braschi, was the longest serving pontif of the 18th century and would die as a prisoner of the French in March 1799. Wikicommons, free-use image.

Middle: Pope Pius VII (1742-1843), whose real name was Luigi Barnaba Gregorio Chiaramonti. Pius VII negotiated the Concordat of 1801 with Napoleon and presided over his coronation in 1804. Wikicommons, free-use image.

Bottom: Napoleon in Coronation robes after his "self-consecration" at Notre Dame cathedral on 2 December 1804. Contrary to popular myth, every step of the coronation ceremony was carefully scripted, including Napoleon's actual coronation. Wikicommons, free-use image.

Napoleon’s act of amending their relationship with the papacy and allowing for its return to France was politically astute and pragmatic while threading the needle of the potential abandonment of the ideals of the Revolution. The allowing of religion back into the lives of the French people greatly served to placate them as well as put a stop to almost ten years of internal, religious strife. This internal security was critical to Napoleon’s political wherewithal. This was pragmatic from a political perspective to have the support (albeit grudging usually) of the papacy for legitimacy, while still exercising great state control over church lands and matters within France that would in turn be eyed at protecting the spirit of the Revolution.[3]

Napoleon would demonstrate his commitment to the Revolutionary ideals (as well as his own political dominance) as they relate to religion in several ways. First, he had the Pope kidnapped twice, first with Pope Pius VI in 1796 and then again with Pope Pius VII in 1809, all to assert his political authority.

The most direct affront to the papacy which could be seen as both troubling (for the crowning of a new monarch) and glorious (organized religion being denied its influence in state affairs) would be that of Napoleon’s coronation in 1804. Taking place in Notre Dame cathedral, surrounded by family and dignitaries alike, Pope Pius VII, as was tradition, was set to crown Napoleon as emperor. However, Napoleon took the crown from the Pope and crowned himself, demonstrating his political and influential power as head of state. The renewed relationship between the Church and France allowed Napoleon to subdue religious strife within France, while honoring the spirit of the Revolution and its followers by the state exercising control of religious affairs. Napoleon himself said as much: “The people want a religion, and this religion should be in the hands of the government!”[4]

Napoleon’s consolidation of power onto himself as emperor was the most troubling for the hard-core revolutionaries, but taking a step back to then move forward, both militarily and politically could be argued as justified for the successes and improvements that had come about under Napoleon.

Notes

[1] H. A. Taine, “Napoleon’s Views of Religion.” The North American Review 152, no. 414 (1891): 571, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25102177.

[2] Alexander Mikaberidze, The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2020), 112.

[3] Ibid., 113.

[4] H. A. Taine, “Napoleon’s Views of Religion.” The North American Review 152, no. 414 (1891): 574, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25102177.

Bibliography

Castelot, Andre. Napoleon. Norwalk, CT: Easton Press, 1991.

Mikaberidze, Alexander. The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2020.

Taine, H. A. “Napoleon’s Views of Religion.” The North American Review 152, no. 414 (1891): 567–81. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25102177