Berlin Decree

The Berlin Decree, issued by Napoleon on November 21, 1806, was a pivotal part of the Continental System. This economic policy aimed to cripple Great Britain by prohibiting neutral ships and French allies from trading with the British. The decree declared the British Isles under blockade, forbidding any vessel coming directly from Britain or its colonies from entering French-controlled ports. This measure, along with subsequent decrees like the Milan Decree, intensified economic warfare against Britain, though its enforcement proved challenging and ultimately contributed to Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia.12