Editing Napoleon and the Jews (section)

===Reactions by major European powers===
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2021}}
Russian Emperor [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]] objected to Napoleon's emancipation of the Jews and establishment of the Grand Sanhedrin. He vehemently denounced the liberties given to Jews and demanded that the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] protest against Napoleon's tolerant religious policy. He referred to the emperor in a proclamation as "the Anti-Christ" and the "Enemy of God". The Holy Synod of Moscow proclaimed: "In order to destroy the foundations of the Churches of Christendom, the Emperor of the French has invited into his capital all the Judaic synagogues and he furthermore intends to found a new Hebrew [[Sanhedrin]] ― the same council that the Christian Bible states, condemned to death (by crucifixion) the revered figure, Jesus of Nazareth."{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} Alexander persuaded Napoleon to sign a 17 March 1808 decree restricting the freedoms accorded to the Jews. Napoleon expected in exchange that the tsar would help persuade the British to seek peace with France. Absent that, three months later, Napoleon effectively cancelled the decree by allowing local authorities to implement his earlier reforms. More than half of the French departments restored citizens' guaranteed freedoms to the Jews.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

In [[Austrian Empire|Austria]], Chancellor [[Klemens Wenzel, Prince von Metternich|Klemens von Metternich]] wrote, "I fear that the Jews will believe (Napoleon) to be their promised Messiah".{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

In [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]], leaders of the Lutheran Church were extremely hostile to Napoleon's actions. Italian kingdoms were suspicious of his actions, although expressing less violent opposition. {{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

The British government, which was at war with Napoleon, rejected the principle and doctrine of the Sanhedrin. [[Lionel de Rothschild|Lionel Rothschild]] was elected as a [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] three times before he could take his seat in [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] in 1858.<ref>Roberts, ''Napoleon: A Life'', p. 403</ref>