1802

The year 1802, in the early Napoleonic era, saw a temporary easing of European conflict and substantial political changes in France and its client states, as well as in the Atlantic world.

In France, Napoleon Bonaparte consolidated his authority. Following a plebiscite, he was named First Consul for Life, foreshadowing his eventual proclamation as Emperor. The Concordat of 1801 remained in effect, and the Organic Articles issued in 1802 increased state supervision over the Catholic Church, limiting papal authority in France.

In the Caribbean, Toussaint Louverture, a leading figure of the Haitian Revolution, was captured by French forces in 1802 and deported to France, where he died in 1803. His capture weakened the rebellion temporarily, which would culminate in Haitian independence in 1804.

The Treaty of Amiens, signed on 25 March 1802, brought a temporary peace between the French Republic and the United Kingdom, suspending hostilities and reordering colonial possessions. The accord would endure only until 1803, when war resumed in the Napoleonic era.

Across Europe, French influence continued to reshape territories such as the Batavian Republic and other client states, aligning administrative structures with French models as the Napoleonic system expanded.