Berlin Decree

E60479

The Berlin Decree was a 1806 edict issued by Napoleon that initiated the Continental System, imposing a large-scale economic blockade against Britain across Europe.

Aliases (2)

Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf Napoleonic edict
decree
legal instrument
alsoKnownAs Decree of Berlin
appliesTo French Empire
French client states
allies of Napoleonic France
authorityBasis sovereign authority of Napoleon I as Emperor of the French
conflictContext Napoleonic Wars
countryTargeted Great Britain
dateIssued 1806-11-21
declared British Isles in a state of blockade
enforcedBy French customs authorities
French navy
followedBy Milan Decree
geopoliticalImpact affected trade of neutral countries such as the United States
attempted to isolate Britain economically from continental Europe
hasConsequence contributed to smuggling and black market trade in Europe
intensified economic conflict between France and Great Britain
strained relations between France and neutral states
historicalPeriod early 19th century
inResponseTo British Orders in Council
British naval blockade of France
issuedBy French Empire
Napoleon I NERFINISHED
language French
legalEffect banned import of British goods into territories under French influence
ordered closure of European ports to British ships
prohibited trade between continental Europe and Great Britain
legalStatus unilateral decree
partOf Continental System
placeIssued Berlin
policyType economic warfare
trade embargo
prohibited carriage of British letters by neutral or allied ships
correspondence with Britain
purpose to impose an economic blockade against Great Britain
to initiate the Continental System
regionCovered continental Europe
relatedDocument British Orders in Council of 1807
Milan Decree
signedBy Napoleon I NERFINISHED
subjectMatter blockade law
international trade
maritime commerce
yearIssued 1806

Referenced by (4)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Continental System
Continental System ("Milan Decree")
Système continental
legalBasis
Berlin Decree ("Decree of Berlin")
alsoKnownAs

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