Amiens, Treaty of

AMIENS, TREATY OF

Treaty that brought peace to Europe under Napoléon, as signed by England and France, 27 March 1802.

The Napoleonic wars had reached a point where France and England concluded that further fighting was useless. Under the terms of the treaty, all of England's conquests were surrendered to France, but Napoléon Bonaparte delayed the signing because he still hoped to retain Egypt, which he had invaded in 1798; after his troops there capitulated to the British, however, he agreed to return Egypt to the Ottoman Empire and Malta to the Order of the Knights of Malta. Because of the treaty, peace was also concluded between France and the Ottomans. Napoléon became consul for life of the French Empire, with the right of appointing his successor, but his interlude was brief and Napoléon hinted at the possible reconquest of Egypt.

Britain, during this period, could not abide French control of Europe under Napoléon and refused to evacuate Malta. By 1803, war had resumed. Napoléon never managed to recover his position in the eastern Mediterranean.

see also bonaparte, napolÉon.

Bibliography

Lefebvre, Georges. Napoleon: From Tilsit to Waterloo, 1807–1815, translated by J. E. Anderson. New York: Columbia University Press, 1969.

Jon Jucovy