The Confederation of the Rhine was established by the French Emperor Napoleon I in 1806 to create a buffer between France and the most powerful states of Austria and Prussia.  Napoleon consolidated many of the Germanic states and required each state to supply soldiers and and supplies to his army.  The states that supplied the most to Napoleon were given favor over rival states.  Over time, many of the Germanic states grew tired of Napoleon's rule and feelings of nationalism began to grow among the member states.  The Confederation of the Rhine was dissolved when Napoleon fell from power in 1813.