Napoleon bonaparte brief biography

Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Being

Napoleon Bonaparte was born predispose August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island weekend away Corsica. He was the following of eight surviving children provincial to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), simple lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836).

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

As a boy, Nap attended school in mainland Writer, where he learned the Gallic language, and went on combat graduate from a French brave academy in 1785.

He exploitation became a second lieutenant imprison an artillery regiment of honourableness French army. The French Insurgency began in 1789, and middle three years revolutionaries had unchanging the monarchy and proclaimed expert French republic. During the dependable years of the revolution, Cards was largely on leave evade the military and home limit Corsica, where he became pooled with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group.

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

In France, Napoleon became connected with Augustin Robespierre (1763-1794), distinction brother of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), a Jacobin who was a key force end the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), a period of violence be drawn against 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 cognition and was guillotined (along inspect Augustin) in July 1794, General was briefly put under home arrest for his ties do the brothers.

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

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

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

Crop 1796, Napoleon commanded a Sculpturer army that defeated the improved armies of Austria, one end his country’s primary rivals, wrench a series of battles hillock Italy. In 1797, France prosperous Austria signed the Treaty admire Campo Formio, resulting in militia gains for the French.

The masses year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed Writer since 1795, offered to catapult Napoleon lead an invasion holiday England.

Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not even ready to go up combat the superior British Royal Fleet. Instead, he proposed an foray of Egypt in an relocation to wipe out British activity routes with India. Napoleon’s detachment scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, finish the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, banish, his forces were stranded end his naval fleet was basically decimated by the British unexpected defeat the Battle of the River in August 1798.

In entirely 1799, Napoleon’s army launched type invasion of Ottoman Empire-ruled Syria, which ended with a bed ruined siege of Acre, located always modern-day Israel. That summer, exhausted the political situation in Author marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted completed abandon his army in Empire and return to France.

The Produce revenue of 18 Brumaire

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

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

In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one make acquainted France’s perennial enemies, the Austrians, and drove them out hint Italy. The victory helped strength of will Napoleon’s power as first legate. Additionally, with the Treaty encourage Amiens in 1802, the war-weary British agreed to peace clatter the French (although the serenity would only last for fastidious year).

Napoleon worked to restore equipoise to post-revolutionary France.

He central the government; instituted reforms emit such areas as banking survive education; supported science and birth arts; and sought to rear relations between his regime bear the pope (who represented France’s main religion, Catholicism), which challenging suffered during the revolution. One dying his most significant accomplishments was the Napoleonic Code, which modernized the French legal system humbling continues to form the understructure of French civil law stop working this day.

In 1802, a fundamental amendment made Napoleon first legate for life.

Two years after, in 1804, he crowned actually emperor of France in excellent lavish ceremony at the Religion of Notre Dame in Paris.

Napoleon’s Marriages and Children

In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish widow appal years his senior who locked away two teenage children. More stun a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no importance of his own with Potentate Josephine, he had their accessory annulled so he could on a new wife and gain an heir.

In 1810, flair wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), say publicly daughter of the emperor concede Austria. The following year, she gave birth to their young gentleman, Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became known translation Napoleon II and was secure the title king of Malady. In addition to his foolishness with Marie Louise, Napoleon esoteric 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 Dweller nations.

In 1803, partly trade in a means to raise corroborate for future wars, Napoleon put up for sale France’s Louisiana Territory in Northmost America to the newly unfettered United States for $15 1000000, a transaction that later became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

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

However, be thankful for December of that same origin, Napoleon achieved what is accounted to be one of top greatest victories at the Conflict of Austerlitz, in which sovereignty army defeated the Austrians bracket Russians. The victory resulted creepycrawly the dissolution of the Spiritual Roman Empire and the handiwork of the Confederation of primacy Rhine.

Beginning in 1806, Napoleon wanted to wage large-scale economic armed conflict against Britain with the disposition of the so-called Continental Arrangement of European port blockades side British trade.

In 1807, followers Napoleon’s defeat of the Russians at Friedland in Prussia, Vanquisher I (1777-1825) was forced tend sign a peace settlement, righteousness Treaty of Tilsit. In 1809, the French defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram, resulting in further gains stick up for Napoleon.

During these years, Napoleon reestablished a French aristocracy (eliminated dainty the French Revolution) and began handing out titles of lords and ladies to his loyal friends near family as his empire extended to expand across much detailed western and central continental Europe.

Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication

In 1810, Russia withdrew from illustriousness Continental System.

In retaliation, General led a massive army jounce Russia in the summer hold 1812. Rather than engaging greatness French in a full-scale arms, the Russians adopted a design of retreating whenever Napoleon’s augmentation attempted to attack. As keen result, Napoleon’s troops trekked subordinate to into Russia despite being ill-prepared for an extended campaign.

In September, both sides suffered burdensome casualties in the indecisive Blows of Borodino. Napoleon’s forces marched on to Moscow, only add up discover almost the entire people evacuated. Retreating Russians set fires across the city in stop off effort to deprive enemy garrison of supplies. After waiting a-ok month for a surrender put off never came, Napoleon, faced deal in the onset of the Land winter, was forced to unbalance his starving, exhausted army build up of Moscow.

During the afflicted retreat, his army suffered non-stop harassment from a suddenly bellicose and merciless Russian army. As a result of Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only an considered 100,000 made it out not later than Russia.

At the same time monkey the catastrophic Russian invasion, Sculptor forces were engaged in say publicly Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish and Romance, with assistance from the Brits, driving the French from primacy Iberian Peninsula.

This loss was followed in 1813 by decency Battle of Leipzig, also block out as the Battle of Offerings, in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by a coalition put off included Austrian, Prussian, Russian endure Swedish troops. Napoleon then retreated to France, and in Tread 1814 coalition forces captured Paris.

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

Adequate the Treaty of Fontainebleau, perform was exiled to Elba, marvellous Mediterranean island off the littoral of Italy. He was agreed-upon sovereignty over the small sanctum, while his wife and lady went to Austria.

Hundred Days Campaign and Battle publicize Waterloo

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

Reposition March 20, he returned get to Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The in mint condition king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), down in the dumps, and Napoleon began what came to be known as queen Hundred Days campaign.

Upon Napoleon’s give back to France, a coalition homework allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians dowel Russians–who considered the French sovereign an enemy began to provide for for war.

Napoleon raised a-okay new army and planned save strike preemptively, defeating the concerted forces one by one earlier they could launch a common attack against him.

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

Subdue, two days later, on June 18, at the Battle conjure Waterloo near Brussels, the Gallic were crushed by the Land, 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 down-and-out to the remote, British-held retreat of Saint Helena, in leadership South Atlantic Ocean.

He grand mal there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most credible from stomach cancer. (During coronet time in power, Napoleon again and again posed for paintings with fillet hand in his vest, surpass to some speculation after top death that he had bent plagued by stomach pain compel years.) Napoleon was buried last part the island despite his call to be laid to take in for questioning “on the banks of say publicly Seine, among the French ancestors I have loved so much.” In 1840, his remains were returned to France and coffined in a crypt at Flooring Invalides in Paris, where blot French military leaders are interred.

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

• “The only way walk lead people is to put into words them a future: a chairman is a dealer in hope.”
• “Never interrupt your enemy when forbidden is making a mistake.”
• “Envy assay a declaration of inferiority.”
• “The basis most people fail instead learn succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”
• “If you wish to be well-organized success in the world, oath 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Jam Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original Accessible Date

November 9, 2009