Hundred Days

Quick Facts: Who was Hundred Days?

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Hundred Days

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The period marking Napoleon's return from Elba to his final defeat in 1815.

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Origins & Early Life

The Hundred Days, commonly referred to as The War Of The Seventh Coalition or Napoleon’s Hundred days (French: les Cent-Jours IPA: [le sɑ̃ ʒuʁ]) marked the period between Napoleon's return from ten months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of 110 days). This period saw the War of the Seventh Coalition (French: Guerre de la Septième Coalition), a commonly-used name for the Hundred Days, which includes the Waterloo campaign and the Neapolitan War (Naples and Austria) as well as several other minor campaigns. The phrase les Cent Jours (the Hundred Days) was first used by the prefect of Paris, Gaspard, count of Chabrol, in his speech welcoming the king back to Paris on 8 July. Napoleon returned while the Congress of Vienna was sitting. On 13 March, seven days before Napoleon reached Paris, the powers at the Congress of Vienna declared him an outlaw, and on 25 March, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and the United Kingdom, the four Great Powers and key members of the Seventh Coalition, bound themselves to put 150,000 men each into the field to end his rule.

Career & Major Achievements

This set the stage for the last conflict of the Napoleonic Wars, the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, the second restoration of the French kingdom, and the permanent exile of Napoleon to the distant island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821. The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars pitted France against various coalitions of other European nations nearly continuously from 1792 onward. The overthrow and subsequent public execution of Louis XVI in France had greatly disturbed other European leaders, who vowed to crush the French Republic. Rather than leading to France's defeat, the wars allowed the revolutionary regime to expand beyond its borders and create client republics. The success of the French forces made a hero out of their best commander, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1799, Napoleon staged a successful coup d'état and became First Consul of the new French Consulate. Five years later, he crowned himself Emperor Napoleon I. The rise of Napoleon troubled the other European powers as much as the earlier revolutionary regime had. Despite the formation of new coalitions against him, Napoleon's forces continued to conquer much of Europe. The tide of war began to turn after a disastrous French invasion of Russia in 1812 that resulted in the loss of much of Napoleon's army. The following year, during the War of the Sixth Coalition, Coalition forces defeated the French in the Battle of Leipzig.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1792: 1792 Milestone — The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars pitted France against various coalitions of other European nations nearly continuously from 1792 onward.
2. 1799: 1799 Milestone — In 1799, Napoleon staged a successful coup d'état and became First Consul of the new French Consulate.
3. 1812: 1812 Milestone — The tide of war began to turn after a disastrous French invasion of Russia in 1812 that resulted in the loss of much of Napoleon's army.
4. 1815: 1815 Milestone — The Hundred Days, commonly referred to as The War Of The Seventh Coalition or Napoleon’s Hundred days (French: les Cent-Jours IPA: [le sɑ̃ ʒuʁ]) marked the period between Napoleon's return from ten months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of 110 days).
5. 1821: 1821 Milestone — This set the stage for the last conflict of the Napoleonic Wars, the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, the second restoration of the French kingdom, and the permanent exile of Napoleon to the distant island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Hundred Days

True or False: “Did the phrase 'Les Cent Jours' originate from Napoleon himself during his return to Paris?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The phrase was first used by Gaspard, count of Chabrol, the prefect of Paris, in a speech welcoming the king back on July 8th.

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