On May 18, 1804, the senators of France issued an official proclamation which declared that, subject to the verdict of a later plebiscite, "the Government of the Republic is entrusted to a hereditary Emperor." Within the space of a few weeks the French people gave their all-but unanimous assent to establishment of the Empire, and on December 2, 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte assumed the imperial crown in a dramatic ceremony in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. To add legitimacy to the coronation, Pope Pius VII himself was induced to travel to Paris to sanctify the pageant by his presence and benediction.

Questions or comments about this page?

Alan Palmer. Milestones of History: Age of Optimism. New York:Newsweek, 1970. (picture source)

This page was last updated on 10/29/2009.