How did Napoleon’s conquests influence Europe?

Napoleon's popularity as a military hero made it fairly easy for him to claim power in France in 1799. On declaring himself emperor, he immediately began to spread his influence, leading conquests throughout Europe. Between 1799 and 1806, he managed to defeat European armies in Austria, Russia, and Prussia on multiple occasions. His campaigns led to the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. He also formed a practical alliance with the Catholic Church.

Napoleon’s domestic policies also had a significant impact on Europe. In 1804, Napoleon established the Napoleonic Code, a unified collection of civil laws based entirely on secular reason. The Napoleonic Code had repercussions throughout Europe, laying the foundations for the development of other nations' legal codes. The code was implemented in all nations under France’s control during Napoleon’s reign, and even today, it is the foundation of civil law in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Monaco. (Britannica)

Napoleon's influence on Europe wasn't just geographical or political; it was also ideological. In each territory he conquered, Napoleon spread the progressive ideals of the French Revolution. He promulgated the idea that Europeans were trapped under the tyranny of an old system and presented himself as the hero who would free them from it. The spread of these ideas created a strong nationalistic sentiment throughout Europe and the Americas that would help lay the foundation for the numerous revolutions of the nineteenth century.

Only Britain managed to resist Napoleon's spreading power, and in response, in 1806 Napoleon created the Continental System, blockading any nation under French power from trading with Britain. Unfortunately for Napoleon, the Continental System wasn't a particularly effective punishment for Britain. While it decreased British exports to continental Europe, Britain's trade with the rest of the world expanded. On the other hand, Britain's hard line against the blockade—stating that they would sink any ship in British territory that obeyed the Continental System—led to massive conflict with American trading ships, eventually helping prompt the War of 1812.

While Britain remained economically stable, France and continental Europe suffered from the blockade, as they relied on British exports for manufacturing. Port cities like Marseilles suffered financially, and the price of food skyrocketed. By the time Russia withdrew from the Continental System in 1812, ending the blockade, Napoleon's power had weakened significantly, and in 1813, he was exiled to Elba.

Ultimately, Napoleon's conquests lay the groundwork for the first-ever European continental alliance. The success of the Napoleonic Code influenced the systems of law in other European nations, the spread of nationalism inspired numerous political movements, and the failed Continental System offered clues about how European states could collaborate together in the future. The Congress of Vienna in 1814 was the most significant result of Napoleon’s conquests, as European nations met to discuss ways to avoid the rise of another Napoleon-like figure. In these meetings, the Congress created new goals for a unified Europe: encouraging peace and comprise instead of war, abolishing the slave trade and enforcing religious toleration, and creating a workable example of an international alliance.

What was Napoleon's impact on Europe and other regions?

Napoleon Bonaparte was a skilled military strategist, and his keen intelligence lead him to great success in the unification of France after the Revolution. His rise to power began with his leading armies to victory against the Austrians in Italy, and then in the invasion of Egypt. In 1799 he was made first consul of the new consulate, which made him the head political figure of France. He instituted a number of reforms in social, legal, and administrative matters and centralized the French government. He brought much relief to the French republic, who had suffered in the disorganization which followed the downfall of the monarchy. Unfortunately, Napoleon's success made him blind to the possibility of defeat. The French army was spread thin while engaged in war in the Iberian peninsula and simultaneously attempting to invade Russia. Napoleon sought to expand the French empire, but he was defeated in 1813 at the Battle of Liepzig by forces from Prussia, Russia, Austria, and Sweden. He retreated to Paris and was there forced to abdicate the throne for his failure. He was exiled to the island of Elba and escaped a year later to return to France for a sort of "victory lap." He intended to give another go at leading France to imperial victory, but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. As punishment for this failure, he was again exiled to an island, where he died.

One of Napoleon's lasting impacts on the world was the decision to sell the Louisiana territory to the United States in effort to raise funds for the war he planned to wage throughout Europe. If he had not sold this territory to the then-small United States, it might still be French territory today. The acquisition of the Louisiana territory encouraged a new wave of expansion and exploration into the American west.

Much of Napoleon's reforms persist today, particularly the effects of the Napoleonic code, which made all French citizens equal at birth and demanded freedom of religion. The Napoleonic code served as a template for the legal systems of many nations formed after the Napoleonic Wars.

Napoleon's reign also had the effect of spreading the values of the French Revolution (freedom, equality, and brotherhood or nationalism) to areas beyond France and even outside Europe. These ideas helped spur revolutions across Europe, and combined with the Napoleonic code are at the basis of a number of legal systems around the world.

Because it is such a popular myth, I'd like to address whether or not Napoleon's armies actually shot off the nose of the Great Sphinx. While it's a great story, sketches made 50 years prior to Napoleon's invasion show the statue already without a nose. A 15th century source credits the disfigurement to Muhammad Sa'im al-Dahr, who saw the practice of praying to the Sphinx for a good harvest as idolatry. In 1378, he was so angered by this act of devotion to a false idol, that he knocked off the nose and was hanged for his crime.