Napoleon Exiled to Elba: Treaty Ends Napoleonic Wars
France and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris on May 30, 1814, restoring the French monarchy under Louis XVIII and setting France's borders to those of 1792, before the Revolutionary Wars. Napoleon was exiled to Elba with a personal guard and annual income. The treaty was remarkably lenient: France paid no war indemnity and retained most of its overseas colonies. This moderation reflected Talleyrand's diplomatic skill and the Allies' desire for a stable, moderate France that would not breed another revolution. The settlement lasted less than a year. Napoleon escaped from Elba in March 1815 and marched to Paris, beginning the Hundred Days. After Waterloo, the second Treaty of Paris imposed harsher terms, including an indemnity, territory losses, and a five-year military occupation.
May 30, 1814
212 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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