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Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led a series of successful campaigns across Europe during the Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars from 1796 to 1815.
- Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Career
- Napoleon’s Rise to Power
- The Coup of 18 Brumaire
- Napoleon’s Marriages and Children
- The Reign of Napoleon I
- Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication
- Hundred Days Campaign and Battle of Waterloo
- Napoleon’s Final Years
- Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes
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Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. He was the second of eight surviving children born to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), a lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836). Although his parents were members of the minor Corsican nobility, the family was not wealthy. The year before N...
Since 1792, France’s revolutionary government had been engaged in military conflicts with various European nations. In 1796, Napoleon commanded a French army that defeated the larger armies of Austria, one of his country’s primary rivals, in a series of battles in Italy. In 1797, France and Austria signed the Treaty of Campo Formio, resulting in te...
In November 1799, in an event known as the coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon was part of a group that successfully overthrew the French Directory. The Directory was replaced with a three-member Consulate, and 5'7" Napoleon became first consul, making him France’s leading political figure. In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeat...
In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish widow six years his senior who had two teenage children. More than a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no offspring of his own with Empress Josephine, he had their marriage annulled so he could find a new wife and produce an heir. In 1810, he wed Marie Louise (1791-18...
From 1803 to 1815, France was engaged in the Napoleonic Wars, a series of major conflicts with various coalitions of European nations. In 1803, partly as a means to raise funds for future wars, Napoleon sold France’s Louisiana Territory in North America to the newly independent United States for $15 million, a transaction that later became known as...
In 1810, Russia withdrew from the Continental System. In retaliation, Napoleon led a massive army into Russia in the summer of 1812. Rather than engaging the French in a full-scale battle, the Russians adopted a strategy of retreating whenever Napoleon’s forces attempted to attack. As a result, Napoleon’s troops trekked deeper into Russia despite b...
On February 26, 1815, after less than a year in exile, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed to the French mainland with a group of more than 1,000 supporters. On March 20, he returned to Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The new king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), fled, and Napoleon began what came to be known as his Hundred Days campaign. Up...
In October 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote, British-held island of Saint Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean. He died there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most likely from stomach cancer. (During his time in power, Napoleon often posed for paintings with his hand in his vest, leading to some speculation after his death that he had been plagued ...
“The only way to lead people is to show them a future: a leader is a dealer in hope.”“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”“Envy is a declaration of inferiority.”“The reason most people fail instead of succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”Learn about the life and achievements of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French military leader and emperor who conquered much of Europe in the early 19th century. Explore his rise to power, his wars, his exile and his death.
Jun 17, 2024 · Napoleon I, the ambitious French emperor and military genius, reshaped Europe’s political landscape through his conquests and introduced significant reforms that continue to influence modern society.
- Napoleon I, also called Napoléon Bonaparte, was a French military general and statesman. Napoleon played a key role in the French Revolution (1789–...
- Napoleon first seized political power in a coup d’état in 1799. The coup resulted in the replacement of the extant governing body—a five-member Dir...
- Napoleon served as first consul of France from 1799 to 1804. In that time, Napoleon reformed the French educational system, developed a civil code...
- After a series of military defeats in 1812–13, Napoleon was forced to abdicate the French throne on April 6, 1814. Napoleon returned to power in ea...
- No! “Le Petit Caporal” wasn’t petite—at least not by 19th-century standards. The estimated average height of a French man in 1820 was 5 feet 4 inch...
Oct 19, 2023 · Napoleon Bonaparte was a Corsican-born French general and politician who ruled as Emperor of the French with the regnal name Napoleon I from 1804 to 1814 and then again briefly in 1815.
- Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio, Corsica.
- Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at the Battle of Leipzig, or the Battle of the Nations, in October 1813; afterwards, France was invaded, and he was...
- Napoleon Bonaparte was significant for founding the First French Empire and reshaping Europe through his conquests and liberal reforms. He also cha...
Nov 22, 2023 · French General Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the world’s greatest military leaders who became the first emperor of France, from 1804 to 1815. Born on the Mediterranean island of Corsica,...
Nov 14, 2022 · Learn about the former emperor's humiliating exile on Saint Helena island, his mysterious death at age 51, and the bizarre postmortem events involving his penis. Explore the historical debate and medical science on what killed Napoleon Bonaparte.
One of the most celebrated figures in history, Napoleon revolutionized military organization and training and brought about reforms that permanently influenced civil institutions in France and throughout Europe.
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