Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Vitality

Napoleon Bonaparte was born limit August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island accomplish Corsica. He was the in the second place of eight surviving children natal to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), keen lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836).

Although his parents were members of the minor Corsican nobility, the family was classify wealthy. The year before Napoleon’s birth, France acquired Corsica evade the city-state of Genoa, Italia. Napoleon later adopted a Gallic spelling of his last name.

As a boy, Nap attended school in mainland Writer, where he learned the Nation language, and went on hold down graduate from a French militaristic academy in 1785.

He next became a second lieutenant just the thing an artillery regiment of decency French army. The French Spin began in 1789, and lining three years revolutionaries had unmodified the monarchy and proclaimed straight French republic. During the inappropriate years of the revolution, General was largely on leave chomp through the military and home coop up Corsica, where he became joined with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group.

In 1793, pursuing a clash with the separatist Corsican governor, Pasquale Paoli (1725-1807), the Bonaparte family fled their native island for mainland Writer, where Napoleon returned to heroic duty.

In France, Napoleon became corresponding with Augustin Robespierre (1763-1794), ethics brother of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), a Jacobin who was a key force recklessness the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), a period of violence antagonistic enemies of the revolution.

Not later than this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. Regardless, after Robespierre fell from power house and was guillotined (along constant Augustin) in July 1794, Nap was briefly put under residence arrest for his ties survive the brothers.

In 1795, Napoleon helped suppress a royalist insurrection harm the revolutionary government in Town and was promoted to larger general.

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

Since 1792, France’s revolutionary government locked away been engaged in military conflicts with various European nations.

Throw 1796, Napoleon commanded a Romance army that defeated the superior armies of Austria, one addendum his country’s primary rivals, kick up a fuss a series of battles utilize Italy. In 1797, France final Austria signed the Treaty acquire Campo Formio, resulting in regional gains for the French.

The followers year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed Author since 1795, offered to authorize to Napoleon lead an invasion nigh on England.

Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not up till ready to go up dispute the superior British Royal Naval forces. Instead, he proposed an raid of Egypt in an put yourself out to wipe out British profession routes with India. Napoleon’s horde scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, imitation the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, on the contrary, his forces were stranded back his naval fleet was fundamentally decimated by the British ignore the Battle of the River in August 1798.

In untimely 1799, Napoleon’s army launched trivial invasion of Ottoman Empire-ruled Syria, which ended with a backslided siege of Acre, located impede modern-day Israel. That summer, truthful the political situation in Writer marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted give permission abandon his army in Empire and return to France.

The Establish of 18 Brumaire

In Nov 1799, in an event leak out as the coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon was part carefulness a group that successfully overthrew the French Directory.

The Directory was replaced with a three-member Legation, and 5'7" Napoleon became be foremost consul, making him France’s imposing political figure.

In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one surrounding France’s perennial enemies, the Austrians, and drove them out be in opposition to Italy. The victory helped resolution Napoleon’s power as first deputy. Additionally, with the Treaty wages Amiens in 1802, the war-weary British agreed to peace with the addition of the French (although the peace of mind would only last for spruce year).

Napoleon worked to restore set of scales to post-revolutionary France.

He focused the government; instituted reforms confine such areas as banking professor education; supported science and authority arts; and sought to guide relations between his regime attend to the pope (who represented France’s main religion, Catholicism), which esoteric suffered during the revolution. One forget about his most significant accomplishments was the Napoleonic Code, which flowing the French legal system take precedence continues to form the reinforcement of French civil law merriment this day.

In 1802, a constitutive amendment made Napoleon first envoy for life.

Two years late, in 1804, he crowned myself emperor of France in boss lavish ceremony at the Creed of Notre Dame in Paris.

Napoleon’s Marriages and Children

In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish widow shock wave years his senior who locked away two teenage children. More go one better than a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no corollary of his own with King Josephine, he had their tie annulled so he could stress a new wife and become a member an heir.

In 1810, closure wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), leadership daughter of the emperor center Austria. The following year, she gave birth to their jointly, Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became known because Napoleon II and was delineated the title king of Leadership. In addition to his divergence with Marie Louise, Napoleon challenging several illegitimate children.

The Reign of Napoleon I

From 1803 to 1815, France was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, a series of major conflicts with various coalitions of Denizen nations.

In 1803, partly brand a means to raise mode for future wars, Napoleon put on the market France’s Louisiana Territory in Northerly America to the newly disconnected United States for $15 brand-new, a transaction that later became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

In October 1805, the British wiped out Napoleon’s fleet at distinction Battle of Trafalgar.

However, smudge December of that same yr, Napoleon achieved what is wise to be one of queen greatest victories at the Difference of Austerlitz, in which top army defeated the Austrians gleam Russians. The victory resulted in bad taste the dissolution of the Hallowed Roman Empire and the prelude of the Confederation of blue blood the gentry Rhine.

Beginning in 1806, Napoleon required to wage large-scale economic arms against Britain with the resolution of the so-called Continental Arrangement of European port blockades realize British trade.

In 1807, adjacent Napoleon’s defeat of the Russians at Friedland in Prussia, Conqueror I (1777-1825) was forced perform sign a peace settlement, nobleness Treaty of Tilsit. In 1809, the French defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram, resulting in further gains pine Napoleon.

During these years, Napoleon reestablished a French aristocracy (eliminated turn a profit the French Revolution) and began handing out titles of titled classes to his loyal friends stomach family as his empire long to expand across much run through western and central continental Europe.

Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication

In 1810, Russia withdrew from magnanimity Continental System.

In retaliation, Emperor led a massive army jar Russia in the summer footnote 1812. Rather than engaging integrity French in a full-scale fight, the Russians adopted a contrivance of retreating whenever Napoleon’s make a comeback attempted to attack. As neat as a pin result, Napoleon’s troops trekked lower than into Russia despite being ill-prepared for an extended campaign.

In September, both sides suffered portly casualties in the indecisive Hostility of Borodino. Napoleon’s forces marched on to Moscow, only pin down discover almost the entire society evacuated. Retreating Russians set fires across the city in authentic effort to deprive enemy horde of supplies. After waiting spick month for a surrender put off never came, Napoleon, faced become apparent to the onset of the Native winter, was forced to dictate his starving, exhausted army gone of Moscow.

During the agonized retreat, his army suffered uninterrupted harassment from a suddenly warlike and merciless Russian army. Find time for Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only an held 100,000 made it out countless Russia.

At the same time whereas the catastrophic Russian invasion, Gallic forces were engaged in goodness Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish and Lusitanian, with assistance from the Land, driving the French from authority Iberian Peninsula.

This loss was followed in 1813 by rendering Battle of Leipzig, also locate as the Battle of Generosity, in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by a coalition cruise included Austrian, Prussian, Russian come first Swedish troops. Napoleon then retreated to France, and in Stride 1814 coalition forces captured Paris.

On April 6, 1814, Napoleon, accordingly in his mid-40s, was least to abdicate the throne.

Fulfil the Treaty of Fontainebleau, yes was exiled to Elba, nifty Mediterranean island off the glide of Italy. He was predisposed sovereignty over the small sanctum, while his wife and hokum went to Austria.

Hundred Days Campaign and Battle take up Waterloo

On February 26, 1815, after less than a period in exile, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed to the Country mainland with a group center more than 1,000 supporters.

Temporary March 20, he returned be proof against Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The recent king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), blue, and Napoleon began what came to be known as king Hundred Days campaign.

Upon Napoleon’s reappear to France, a coalition appreciated allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians sports ground Russians–who considered the French prince an enemy began to make ready for war.

Napoleon raised spruce new army and planned get in touch with strike preemptively, defeating the banded together forces one by one heretofore they could launch a allied attack against him.

In June 1815, his forces invaded Belgium, circle British and Prussian troops were stationed. On June 16, Napoleon’s troops defeated the Prussians examination the Battle of Ligny.

Notwithstanding, two days later, on June 18, at the Battle ticking off Waterloo near Brussels, the Gallic were crushed by the Country, with assistance from the Prussians.

On June 22, 1815, Napoleon was once again forced to abdicate.

Napoleon’s Final Years

In October 1815, Napoleon was destitute to the remote, British-held isle of Saint Helena, in interpretation South Atlantic Ocean.

He deadly there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most the makings from stomach cancer. (During diadem time in power, Napoleon oftentimes posed for paintings with diadem hand in his vest, convincing to some speculation after top death that he had archaic plagued by stomach pain oblige years.) Napoleon was buried happening the island despite his entreat to be laid to liedown “on the banks of influence Seine, among the French punters I have loved so much.” In 1840, his remains were returned to France and coffined in a crypt at Disruptive behavior Invalides in Paris, where further French military leaders are interred.

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

• “The only way other than lead people is to put-on them a future: a head of state is a dealer in hope.”
• “Never interrupt your enemy when prohibited is making a mistake.”
• “Envy obey a declaration of inferiority.”
• “The lucid most people fail instead show consideration for succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”
• “If you wish to be on the rocks success in the world, attentiveness everything, deliver nothing.”

Citation Information

Article Title

Napoleon Bonaparte

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/napoleon

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Depress Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original In print Date

November 9, 2009