# Concordat with the papacy (1801)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/1801-concordat-with-the-papacy
Location: France

Napoleon reconciled the state with the Catholic Church while preserving revolutionary property changes. Within the broader Consulate & Napoleonic Empire period, Napoleon consolidated many revolutionary reforms while concentrating power, building an empire and waging continental war. French institutions and armies reshaped Europe before military defeat restored the Bourbons. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Napoleon Bonaparte (First Consul). Concordat with the papacy mattered because religion was closely tied to political legitimacy, community identity and public institutions. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Concordat with the papacy mattered because religion was closely tied to political legitimacy, community identity and public institutions.

Ruler at the time: [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://history-france.com/rulers/napoleon-bonaparte)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Concordat with the papacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Concordat+with+the+papacy&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Concordat with the papacy](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Concordat+with+the+papacy)
- [Vie-publique — French institutions and history](https://www.vie-publique.fr/)