Drafted by Benjamin Constant, the Additional Act gave the Empire two chambers, ministerial responsibility and freedom of the press: the 'liberal Empire' that opinion demanded. Nicknamed 'la Benjamine', it was ratified by a plebiscite that drew only a million and a half voters out of five. The country wanted peace more than institutions: the liberal conversion lacked legitimacy.
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Recommended books to dig deeper (affiliate links)
Napoleon — A magisterial biography
An exhaustive biography of the Emperor, the fruit of rigorous research.
≈ £14.99 Napoleon's Army
Organization, tactics and daily life of the Grande Armée soldiers.
≈ £18.00 Austerlitz 1805
The detailed account of the Battle of the Three Emperors.
≈ £12.99As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases.
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