Editing Napoleon (section)

====War of the Fourth Coalition and Tilsit====
{{main|War of the Fourth Coalition}}

[[File:Iena.jpg|thumb|left|Napoleon reviewing the [[French Imperial Guard|Imperial Guard]] before the [[Battle of Jena]], 14 October 1806]]

After Austerlitz, Napoleon increased his political power in Europe. In 1806, he deposed the [[Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies|Bourbon king of Naples]] and installed his elder brother, Joseph, on the throne. He then made his younger brother, Louis, king of Holland.{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=216-20}} He also established the [[Confederation of the Rhine]], a collection of German states intended to serve as a buffer zone between France and Central Europe. The creation of the confederation spelled the end of the [[Holy Roman Empire]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Michael V. Leggiere |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-gn5CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA9 |title=Napoleon and Berlin: The Franco-Prussian War in North Germany, 1813 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-8061-8017-5 |page=9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161118001553/https://books.google.com/books?id=-gn5CQAAQBAJ&pg=PA9 |archive-date=18 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Napoleon's growing influence in Germany threatened the status of Prussia as a great power and in response [[Frederick William III of Prussia|Frederick William III]] decided on war with France. Prussia and Russia signed a military alliance creating the fourth coalition against France. Prussia, however, committed a strategic blunder by declaring war when French troops were still in southern Germany and months before sufficient Russian troops could reach the front.{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=224-25}} Napoleon invaded Prussia with 180,000 troops, rapidly marching on the right bank of the River [[Saale]]. Upon learning the whereabouts of the Prussian army, the French swung westwards thus cutting the Prussians off from Berlin and the slowly approaching Russians. At the twin [[Battle of Jena–Auerstedt|battles of Jena and Auerstedt]], fought on 14 October, the French convincingly defeated the Prussians and inflicted heavy casualties. With several major commanders dead or incapacitated, the Prussian king proved incapable of effectively commanding the army, which quickly disintegrated.<ref name="Brooks-2000">Brooks 2000, p. 110</ref>{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=225-228}}

[[File:Tilsitz 1807.JPG|thumb|The [[Treaties of Tilsit]]: Napoleon meeting with [[Alexander I of Russia]] on a raft in the middle of the [[Neman River]], 7 July 1807]]

In the following month, the French captured 140,000 soldiers and over 2,000 cannon. Despite their overwhelming defeat, the Prussians refused to negotiate with the French until the Russians had an opportunity to enter the fight.<ref name="Brooks-2000" />{{sfnp|Chandler|1966|pp=467–468}}{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=233-34}} Following his triumph, Napoleon imposed the first elements of the [[Continental System]] through the [[Berlin Decree]] issued in November 1806. The Continental System, which prohibited European nations from trading with Britain, was widely violated throughout his reign.<ref>{{harvp|McLynn|1997|p=497}}</ref> In the next few months, Napoleon marched against the advancing Russian armies through Poland and fought a bloody stalemate at the [[Battle of Eylau]] in February 1807.<ref>{{harvp|McLynn|1997|p=370}}</ref> After a period of rest and consolidation on both sides, the war restarted in June with an initial struggle [[Battle of Heilsberg|at Heilsberg]] that proved indecisive.{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|p=243}}

On 14 June Napoleon obtained an overwhelming victory over the Russians at the [[Battle of Friedland]], inflicting casualties of up to 30% of the Russian army.{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|p=244}} The scale of their defeat convinced the Russians to make peace with the French. The two emperors began peace negotiations on 25 June at the town of [[Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast|Tilsit]] during a meeting on a raft floating in the middle of the River [[Neman|Niemen]] which separated the French and Russian troops and their respective spheres of influence.{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=245-47}} Napoleon offered Alexander relatively lenient terms—demanding that Russia join the Continental System, withdraw its forces from [[Wallachia]] and [[Moldavia]], and hand over the [[Ionian Islands]] to France. In contrast, Prussia was treated harshly. It lost half its territory and population and underwent a two-year occupation costing it about 1.4 billion francs. From former Prussian territory, Napoleon created the [[Kingdom of Westphalia]], ruled by his young brother Jérôme, and the [[Duchy of Warsaw]].{{sfnp|Roberts|2014|pp=458–461}}{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=247-50}} Prussia's humiliating treatment at Tilsit caused lasting resentment against France in that country. The treaty was also unpopular in Russia, putting pressure on Alexander to end the alliance with France. Nevertheless, the [[Treaties of Tilsit]] gave Napoleon a respite from war and allowed him to return to France, which he had not seen in over 300 days.{{sfnp|Roberts|2014|pp=458–461}}{{sfnp|Dwyer|2013|pp=251-53}}