COVE

Napoleon Bonaparte was coronated in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on December 2, 1804 as Emperor of the French. Bonaparte was a notorious war general who establish dominance of France through a coup. Napoleon wanted power and wanted to ensure that his reign would be taken seriously. When Napoleon staged the coup in 1799, it led to the end of the French Revolution.  This period of time serves as a buffer between the pre-romantic and romantic eras. Napoleon had a senate that he chose entirely himself. This led to the senate votes going in Napoleon's favor by a landslide. His senate is who gave him the title of Emperor of the French. Napoleon essentially threatened Pope Pius VII into officiating his coronation. He wanted the Pope to officiate the coronation, so that it was different, and in terms better, than the coronations of the Kings of France. It was French tradition is that the monarchs ruled by divine right: God's will. Bonaparte knew the significance of ruling by divine right, and insisted that he gets the same treatment. Napoleon also crowning his wife Josephine as Empress, which is a title not used by the French at this point in a very long time.