The title Emperor of the French was created as part of the establishment of the French Empire by Napoleon Bonaparte on May 18, 1804. This title was specifically crafted to differentiate the French imperial dignity from that of the Holy Roman Emperor, thus asserting a new form of sovereign authority in France separate from the traditional European monarchies.
Napoleon, who was initially First Consul of the French Republic, proclaimed himself Emperor following a Senate's endorsement, which was later confirmed by a national plebiscite. On December 2, 1804, he was crowned Emperor Napoleon I in a lavish ceremony at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris by Pope Pius VII, though he famously crowned himself, symbolizing his self-ascribed authority.
The title Emperor of the French emphasized that Napoleon's authority derived from the French people rather than divine right, aligning with the revolutionary principles of popular sovereignty. The Empire lasted until 1814 when Napoleon abdicated following his defeat in the War of the Sixth Coalition. He briefly returned to power during the Hundred Days in 1815, but was defeated again at the Battle of Waterloo.
The title was resurrected in 1852 by Napoleon's nephew, Louis-Napoleon, who became Napoleon III after a coup d'état in 1851 and a subsequent plebiscite. His reign ended with the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, leading to the establishment of the Third Republic.
Throughout its existence, the title Emperor of the French was associated with the expansion of French influence in Europe and beyond, marked by significant military campaigns, reforms in administration, law (notably the Napoleonic Code), and the centralization of government power.