Milan Decree facts for kids

The Milan Decree was an important rule made by Napoleon I of France on December 17, 1807. It was created to make an earlier rule, the Berlin Decree from 1806, even stronger. These rules were part of Napoleon's big plan called the Continental System. His goal was to defeat Britain by using economic warfare, which means trying to hurt their economy instead of fighting directly with armies.

The Milan Decree basically said that no country in Europe was allowed to trade with the United Kingdom.

What Was the Milan Decree?

The Milan Decree was a set of rules Napoleon put in place to stop countries from trading with Britain. It was a key part of his "Continental System." This system was like a huge blockade, but on land, meant to cut off Britain from all trade with Europe. Napoleon believed if Britain couldn't trade, its economy would suffer, and it would have to give up.

How Did It Work?

The decree gave French warships (military ships) and privateers (private ships allowed to attack enemy ships) special permission. They could capture any ships from neutral countries if those ships were sailing from a British port. They could also capture ships from any country that Britain had taken control of.

The decree also said something very strict. If any ship, even a neutral one, allowed the British Royal Navy to search it at sea, that ship would be considered "denationalized." This meant it would lose the protection of its own country's flag. If French ships then captured it, it would be treated as a "lawful prize," meaning the French could legally take it.

Why Was This Decree Made?

Napoleon made the Milan Decree because he was upset about new rules Britain had put in place. Britain had started searching neutral ships and making them stop in English ports. They even made ships pay a tax on their cargo. Napoleon saw this as Britain trying to control all sea trade.

He believed Britain was trying to remove the independence of other countries' ships. He wanted to show that European countries would not accept this. The decree was a way to fight back against what he called Britain's "barbarous system."

Key Rules of the Decree

The Milan Decree had several main points:

• Any ship that let a British ship search it, or agreed to sail to England, or paid any tax to the British government, would lose its nationality. It would then be considered British property.
• If these "denationalized" ships entered French ports, or ports of France's allies, or were captured by French ships, they would be taken as legal prizes.
• The decree declared that the British Isles were under a blockade by both land and sea. Any ship, no matter its country or cargo, that sailed from or to British ports, British colonies, or areas controlled by British troops, would be considered a legal prize and could be captured by French ships.
• Napoleon stated that these rules were fair payback for Britain's actions. He said they would stop as soon as Britain started respecting international laws for civilized countries during wartime.

What Happened Next?

The Milan Decree, along with the Berlin Decree, caused big problems for neutral countries, especially the United States. American ships were caught in the middle. If they traded with Britain, France might seize them. If they didn't trade with Britain, their economy suffered. This tension eventually contributed to the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain.

The Continental System and decrees like the Milan Decree were very hard to enforce. They hurt the economies of many European countries, not just Britain. This made Napoleon less popular in some areas and contributed to his eventual downfall.