Napoleon Bonaparte crowned Emperor

Following a referendum in November 1804, Napoleon was elected as Emperor of the French. His coronation ceremony was performed at Norte Dame cathedral in the presence of Pope Pius VII on 2 December 1804. Napoleon had travelled to the ceremony wearing a golden laurel wreath reminiscent of the Caesars, and at the moment of consecration symbolically lowered the crown to, but not onto, his own head and then placed it on his consort Josephine’s head and she became Empress of France.