From 1802 to 1815, Napoleon was so dominant in European affairs that his name was a common talk in every household.

 Although he experienced serious opposition from 1808 that climaxed in to his downfall, he had dominated the whole Europe with the exception of Britain and Turkey by 1807. He was able to achieve this by using a combination of force and diplomacy.

i). In the first place, Napoleon used force to dominate Europe up to his downfall in 1815. He had a large well motivated and efficient army that he used to conquer states like Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium etc and make them part of his empire. He also maintained an army of occupation to guarantee the loyalty of conquered states and ensure that they paid tributes to France. The army was useful in maintaining law, order and suppressing resistance hence consolidation of power in the conquered states,

ii. Napoleon also used his close relatives and friends to administer the conquered States. For example, Louis Bonaparte was made the King of Holland, Jerome Bonaparte was made the King of Westphalia, Joseph Bonaparte was in charge of Spain and Sister Caroline was the Queen of Naples. Thus, by using his brothers, sisters and very close friends. Napoleon was able to use loyal and trusted administrators who maintained effective control in their areas of influence, which avoided any sabotage against him.

iii. He created a continental Empire that was sub-divided into republics for administrative purposes. For instance, the Rhine, Helevitic and Cisalphine Republics, were administrative units that were entrusted to the people who were loyal to him. He ensured effective control in these states from Paris where he dispatched orders. Therefore, by creating an effectively centralized administrative structure and hierarchy. Napoleon was able to dominate Europe.

iv. Napoleon also used marriage ties as a political tool to gain a natural alliance. In 1810, he divorced Josephine because she was barren and married Marie Louise from Austria. This improved on the diplomatic relationship between France and Austria, which explains whyAustria remained a French ally until 1813. Although the alliance system ended in 1813, it nevertheless enabled Napoleon to consolidate his control over Europe from 1810-1813.

V. Economically, Napoleon dominated European economies using the continental system although only for a short period. In 1806, he declared the continental system in which British manufactured products became the forbidden goods in Europe. Eventually, he frustrated the sales and consumption of British goods in States where he was influential like Austria, Prussia, Italy, Holland etc. Although the continental system later backfired against Napoleon, nevertheless, he used it to temporarily dominate trade and European economy against Britain.

vi. Napoleon temporally used alliance system to isolate Britain. In 1802, He formed temporally armed neutrality with the conquered States of Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Prussia etc to isolate Britain that he had failed to defeat militarily. Although this alliance was short-lived, it nevertheless isolated Britain, gained him diplomatic ties and gave him time to consolidate his power at home.

vii. Treaty signing was yet another instrument Napoleon used, to establish his dominance over Europe. He concluded his military victories by forcing the defeated powers to sign treaties of submission to him. For example, Austria was forced to sign the Luneville treaty (1801) in which she relinquished control over Italians and Germans to France. Russia was defeated at Fried land and signed the Tilsit treaty (1807) in which Tsar Alexander re-cognized Napoleon as Emperor of the West. On the other hand in 1802, Napoleon signed the Amiens treaty with Britain in order to re-organize his troops since he had failed to defeat Britain.

viii. Napoleon s Socio-economic and political achievements in France were so great that made the Frenchmen to give him solid support in his conquest and domination of Europe. He modernized France, improved on education, codified the law, centralized administration, improved on French economy, brought reconciliation between the French Catholics and the revolutionaries and above all restored law and order. There was therefore no serious opposition to Napoleon in France that gave him freedom to concentrate on dominating Europe.

ix. Similarly, Napoleon embarked on Socio-Economic developments in the, conquered States, which made him to be welcomed as a liberator. For instance, he constructed and improved on Roads, Railways, Ports and Harbours in the Italian and German States. He also eliminated inequality and destroyed the privileges of the nobles and clergy. This is what made the Italians and Germans to; support Napoleon's conquest without resistance until when he started exploiting them. This (acceptance of Napoleon) was inevitable because Austria's rule was so oppressive, exploitative and discriminative.

X. On the other hand, Napoleon resorted to over taxation and collection of tributes as strategies of dominating the conquered States. By subjecting the conquered states to over taxation and payment of tributes, Napoleon made them so poor and submissive that they could not finance a well coordinated resistance against him. Secondly, he raised money for administration and financing his wars and further conquests.

xi. On the same footing, Napoleon adapted forceful conscription of the conquered States as a means of raising an army to maintain his control over Europe. His grand army was an amalgam (composed of) of Italians, Germans, Poles, Portuguese, and Danes etc. Through conscription, Napoleon raised the biggest army of the time that he effectively used in conquering other states, suppressing resistance in the conquered States and fighting hostile foreign powers. The army was constantly kept busy in military campaigns to reduce the problem of military redundancy and boredom that could have led to a mutiny against him. All these helped Napoleon to be in effective control over Europe.

xii. Napoleon dubiously used revolutionary doctrines of equality, Liberty and Fraternity in Europe to win support as a Liberator. He falsely preached such revolutionary doctrines to cool down resistance in the conquered States and consolidate his power. Much as he later violated such revolutionary principals through oppression and exploitation, they had nonetheless enabled him to establish a firm and dominant position in Europe.

xiii) Napoleon established firm control over the press and education since they were potential departments that could be used by his opponents to undermine his rule. In the conquered States such as Italian,

German and Spain, he censored the press and journalists who published articles intended to incite people against him were arrested, tortured, killed or exiled. The teaching of liberal and revolutionary subjects like history, literature-and political science were banned. He used the police and spies to ensure that his policies on the press and education were effective. These helped him to identify, isolate and paralyze the activities of his opponents.

xiv) Lastly, Napoleon used the concordat with the Pope to consolidate his influence in Europe. He believed that a friendly relation with the Pope was a friendly relation with the Catholics in France and the whole Europe. This consideration made him to sign the concordat with Pope Pius vii in 1801. It brought reconciliation between the Pope and the government of France. Consequently, it earned Napoleon support from the Pope, Catholic States and the Catholic community all over Europe, France inclusive. Although Napoleon violated the concordat in 1808 when he imprisoned the Pope and lost his support, It nevertheless helped him to consolidate his power in Europe from 1801-1808.

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