Facts About Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte was Emporer of France in the early 19th century. He is considered to be one of the most brilliant military leaders in history. He is also notorious for being dictatorial and ruthless.

Early Life

Napoleon was born in Corsica on August 15, 1769. He attended military school as a young man. He fought his first major battle against the British navy at Toulon.

First Consul

After success leading the Italian army In 1799, Napoleon staged a coup and declared himself First Consul of France. He revised many French laws, giving more freedom to the people, including expanded religious tolerance and the abolition of serfdom. He became enormously popular among the French people.

Emporer

In 1804, after being declared "Consul for Life" by the people, Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France. With the confidence of this title, Napoleon began war efforts against nearly every major European power. A brilliant tactician, these efforts were extremely successful.

Downfall

The beginning of the end for Napoleon came when he led a coup in Spain, establishing his brother, Joseph Bonaparte as the new king. The Spanish people rebelled and Napoleon had to commit endless troops to keep the nation under control. Over the next few years, Napoleon and his troops suffered serious losses to the Russians and the other European powers took advantage of the weakened state of his army.

Exile and Death

Defeated by the Sixth Coalition (including Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Britain), Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba. He returned to France in 1815 to make an attempt at regaining power. He was defeated by the Prussian army and exiled again, this time to St. Helena. Bonaparte died on the island in 1821.

References

• History of Napoleon
• Another Brief History
• Britannica Entry on Napoleon