Treaty of Fontainebleau

What it is

The Treaty of Fontainebleau was agreed on 11 April 1814 between Napoleon and representatives of Austria, Russia and Prussia, and ratified by Napoleon on 13 April. It is held at the Palace of Fontainebleau. The treaty followed Napoleon's forced abdication after Allied armies invaded France and entered Paris.

Why it matters

By 1814 Austria, Prussia, Russia and other powers had defeated Napoleon's armies and occupied Paris. They refused to negotiate with him or his family any longer, and the French Senate formally dethroned him. This treaty ended Napoleon's rule as Emperor of the French and sent him into exile as sovereign of the island of Elba, closing the first phase of his reign. It shows how European powers dealt with a defeated ruler they still saw as dangerous.

Look closer

• Why might the Allied powers have insisted on exile rather than simply removing Napoleon from power?
• What does giving Napoleon sovereignty over Elba suggest about how seriously they took the risk of his return?
• Whose voices are missing from a treaty negotiated only between monarchs and their representatives?