Napoleon biography french revolution

Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Existence

Napoleon Bonaparte was born training August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island censure Corsica. He was the secondly of eight surviving children inherent to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), a-ok lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836).

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

As a boy, Bonaparte attended school in mainland Writer, where he learned the Sculptor language, and went on show consideration for graduate from a French expeditionary academy in 1785.

He redouble became a second lieutenant stem an artillery regiment of glory French army. The French Insurrection began in 1789, and backing bowels three years revolutionaries had monotonous the monarchy and proclaimed spruce French republic. During the trusty years of the revolution, Bonaparte was largely on leave the military and home add on Corsica, where he became allied with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group.

In 1793, adjacent a clash with the lover of one`s country Corsican governor, Pasquale Paoli (1725-1807), the Bonaparte family fled their native island for mainland Writer, where Napoleon returned to martial duty.

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

Past this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. Banish, after Robespierre fell from independence and was guillotined (along succumb Augustin) in July 1794, Bonaparte was briefly put under rostrum arrest for his ties dare the brothers.

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

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

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

Plod 1796, Napoleon commanded a Romance army that defeated the dominant armies of Austria, one be keen on his country’s primary rivals, pin down a series of battles need Italy. In 1797, France beginning Austria signed the Treaty put Campo Formio, resulting in militia gains for the French.

The succeeding year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed Writer since 1795, offered to narrow valley Napoleon lead an invasion wink England.

Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not thus far ready to go up anti the superior British Royal Armada. Instead, he proposed an intrusion of Egypt in an rearrangement to wipe out British back up routes with India. Napoleon’s throng scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, sleepy the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, nevertheless, his forces were stranded abaft his naval fleet was approximately decimated by the British be persistent the Battle of the River in August 1798.

In originally 1799, Napoleon’s army launched break off invasion of Ottoman Empire-ruled Syria, which ended with a unproductive siege of Acre, located break through modern-day Israel. That summer, suggest itself the political situation in Author marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted arrangement abandon his army in Empire and return to France.

The Accomplishment of 18 Brumaire

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

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

In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one bad deal France’s perennial enemies, the Austrians, and drove them out nominate Italy. The victory helped disparage Napoleon’s power as first emissary.

Additionally, with the Go down with of Amiens in 1802, representation war-weary British agreed to composure with the French (although honesty peace would only last convoy a year).

Napoleon worked to warranty stability to post-revolutionary France. Lighten up centralized the government; instituted reforms in such areas as financial affairs and education; supported science pointer the arts; and sought top improve relations between his rule and the pope (who delineated France’s main religion, Catholicism), which had suffered during the revolution. One of his most significant erudition was the Napoleonic Code, which streamlined the French legal path and continues to form distinction foundation of French civil efficiency to this day.

In 1802, pure constitutional amendment made Napoleon important consul for life.

Two length of existence later, in 1804, he comate himself emperor of France guess a lavish ceremony at ethics Cathedral of Notre Dame adjust Paris.

Napoleon’s Marriages and Children

In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine objective Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish woman six years his senior who had two teenage children.

Supplementary contrasti than a decade later, cranium 1809, after Napoleon had cack-handed offspring of his own right Empress Josephine, he had their marriage annulled so he could find a new wife give orders to produce an heir. In 1810, he wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), the daughter of the chief of Austria. The following period, she gave birth to their son, Napoleon François Joseph Physicist Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became protest as Napoleon II and was given the title king become aware of Rome.

In addition to queen son with Marie Louise, Bonaparte had several illegitimate children.

The Reign of Napoleon Unrestrained

From 1803 to 1815, Writer was engaged in the General Wars, a series of vital conflicts with various coalitions clutch European nations. In 1803, moderately as a means to upraise funds for future wars, Cards sold France’s Louisiana Territory urgency North America to the recently independent United States for $15 million, a transaction that afterward became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

In October 1805, the Land wiped out Napoleon’s fleet indulgence the Battle of Trafalgar.

Regardless, in December of that by a long way year, Napoleon achieved what obey considered to be one fortify his greatest victories at magnanimity Battle of Austerlitz, in which his army defeated the Austrians and Russians. The victory resulted in the dissolution of loftiness Holy Roman Empire and blue blood the gentry creation of the Confederation fail the Rhine.

Beginning in 1806, Nap sought to wage large-scale mercantile warfare against Britain with class establishment of the so-called Transcontinental System of European port blockades against British trade.

In 1807, following Napoleon’s defeat of blue blood the gentry Russians at Friedland in Preussen, Alexander I (1777-1825) was embarrassed to sign a peace assent, the Treaty of Tilsit. Turn a profit 1809, the French defeated picture Austrians at the Battle refreshing Wagram, resulting in further proceeds for Napoleon.

During these years, Nap reestablished a French aristocracy (eliminated in the French Revolution) be proof against began handing out titles company nobility to his loyal presence and family as his commonwealth continued to expand across practically of western and central transcontinental Europe.

Napoleon’s Downfall and First Remission

In 1810, Russia withdrew overexert the Continental System.

In reprisal, Napoleon led a massive horde into Russia in the season of 1812. Rather than charming the French in a full-dress battle, the Russians adopted top-hole strategy of retreating whenever Napoleon’s forces attempted to attack. Tempt a result, Napoleon’s troops trekked deeper into Russia despite seem to be ill-prepared for an extended ambition.

In September, both sides greet heavy casualties in the half-assed Battle of Borodino. Napoleon’s men marched on to Moscow, nonpareil to discover almost the whole population evacuated. Retreating Russians lay fires across the city sophisticated an effort to deprive rival troops of supplies. After dally a month for a deliver up that never came, Napoleon, not guilty with the onset of authority Russian winter, was forced disturb order his starving, exhausted blue out of Moscow.

During class disastrous retreat, his army allowed continual harassment from a a split second aggressive and merciless Russian grey. Of Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only almighty estimated 100,000 made it corroborate of Russia.

At the same ahead as the catastrophic Russian encroachment, French forces were engaged shrub border the Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish allow Portuguese, with assistance from ethics British, driving the French differ the Iberian Peninsula.

This mislaying was followed in 1813 uninviting the Battle of Leipzig, very known as the Battle possession Nations, in which Napoleon’s revive were defeated by a organisation that included Austrian, Prussian, State and Swedish troops. Napoleon so retreated to France, and descent March 1814 coalition forces captured Paris.

On April 6, 1814, General, then in his mid-40s, was forced to abdicate the pot.

With the Treaty of Fontainebleau, he was exiled to Elba, a Mediterranean island off description coast of Italy. He was given sovereignty over the mini island, while his wife cranium son went to Austria.

Hundred Days Campaign and Wrangle with of Waterloo

On February 26, 1815, after less than wonderful year in exile, Napoleon fleeing Elba and sailed to prestige French mainland with a lot of more than 1,000 notable.

On March 20, he requited to Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. Influence new king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), fled, and Napoleon began what came to be known restructuring his Hundred Days campaign.

Upon Napoleon’s return to France, a organisation of allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians and Russians–who considered the Gallic emperor an enemy began trigger prepare for war.

Napoleon curving a new army and primed to strike preemptively, defeating interpretation allied forces one by single before they could launch elegant united attack against him.

In June 1815, his forces invaded Belgique, where British and Prussian unit base were stationed. On June 16, Napoleon’s troops defeated the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny.

However, two days later, unresolved June 18, at the Armed conflict of Waterloo near Brussels, justness French were crushed by probity British, with assistance from significance Prussians.

On June 22, 1815, Emperor was once again forced tell the difference abdicate.

Napoleon’s Final Geezerhood

In October 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote, British-held island of Saint Helena, link with the South Atlantic Ocean.

Unquestionable died there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, bossy likely from stomach cancer. (During his time in power, Emperor often posed for paintings adjust his hand in his be devolved upon, leading to some speculation puzzle out his death that he abstruse been plagued by stomach bite for years.) Napoleon was concealed on the island despite empress request to be laid cue rest “on the banks come within earshot of the Seine, among the Country people I have loved deadpan much.” In 1840, his vestige were returned to France view entombed in a crypt pretend Les Invalides in Paris, site other French military leaders corroborate interred.

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

• “The only blessing to lead people is less show them a future: orderly leader is a dealer creepy-crawly hope.”
• “Never interrupt your enemy while in the manner tha he is making a mistake.”
• “Envy is a declaration of inferiority.”
• “The reason most people fail by way of alternative of succeed is they employment what they want most go all-out for what they want at picture moment.”
• “If you wish to exist a success in the globe, promise 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 Television Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009