 Defeat in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870 brought the Empire down, and Offenbach, who was inextricably associated in the public mind with it, became unpopular and went briefly into exile.Lecocq's rise coincided with Offenbach's temporary eclipse.Before the war his only substantial success had been "Fleur-de-Thé" (Tea-flower) a three-act opéra-bouffe in 1868.