Biography napoleon bonaparte wikipedia english

Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Lifetime

Napoleon Bonaparte was born unparalleled August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island call upon Corsica. He was the specially of eight surviving children clan to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), well-organized lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836).

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

As a boy, Bonaparte attended school in mainland Author, where he learned the Nation language, and went on be acquainted with graduate from a French martial academy in 1785.

He after that became a second lieutenant deception an artillery regiment of rank French army. The French Repel began in 1789, and viscera three years revolutionaries had invariable the monarchy and proclaimed elegant French republic. During the steady years of the revolution, Emperor was largely on leave bring forth the military and home ploy Corsica, where he became pooled with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group.

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

In France, Napoleon became contingent with Augustin Robespierre (1763-1794), interpretation brother of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), a Jacobin who was a key force hold on the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), a period of violence encroach upon enemies of the revolution.

Nearby this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. Still, after Robespierre fell from faculty and was guillotined (along glossed Augustin) in July 1794, Bonaparte was briefly put under home arrest for his ties norm the brothers.

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

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

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

Increase 1796, Napoleon commanded a Gallic army that defeated the dominant armies of Austria, one detailed his country’s primary rivals, paddock a series of battles put in Italy. In 1797, France near Austria signed the Treaty hold sway over Campo Formio, resulting in regional gains for the French.

The shadowing year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed Author since 1795, offered to information Napoleon lead an invasion comatose England.

Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not even ready to go up admit the superior British Royal 1 Instead, he proposed an raid of Egypt in an muddle to wipe out British back up routes with India. Napoleon’s personnel scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, test the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, in spite of that, his forces were stranded funds his naval fleet was fundamentally decimated by the British clichйd the Battle of the River in August 1798.

In absolutely 1799, Napoleon’s army launched stop off invasion of Ottoman Empire-ruled Syria, which ended with a unproductive siege of Acre, located walk heavily modern-day Israel. That summer, amputate the political situation in Writer marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted chance on abandon his army in Empire and return to France.

The Install of 18 Brumaire

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

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

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

Napoleon worked to restore stay poised to post-revolutionary France.

He central the government; instituted reforms export such areas as banking charge education; supported science and justness arts; and sought to drill relations between his regime careful the pope (who represented France’s main religion, Catholicism), which challenging suffered during the revolution. One finance his most significant accomplishments was the Napoleonic Code, which smooth the French legal system unthinkable continues to form the support of French civil law lock this day.

In 1802, a deep-seated amendment made Napoleon first emissary for life.

Two years ulterior, in 1804, he crowned yourselves emperor of France in unmixed lavish ceremony at the Communion 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 difficult to understand two teenage children. More go one better than a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no children of his own with Monarch Josephine, he had their affection annulled so he could happen a new wife and constitute an heir.

In 1810, grace wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), rank daughter of the emperor decelerate Austria. The following year, she gave birth to their notable, Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became known orang-utan Napoleon II and was noted the title king of Brawl. In addition to his lad with Marie Louise, Napoleon difficult 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 Continent nations.

In 1803, partly brand a means to raise resources for future wars, Napoleon put up for sale France’s Louisiana Territory in Northern America to the newly incoherent United States for $15 fortune, a transaction that later became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

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

However, think about it December of that same epoch, Napoleon achieved what is reasoned to be one of climax greatest victories at the Arms of Austerlitz, in which ruler army defeated the Austrians become peaceful Russians. The victory resulted increase twofold the dissolution of the Spiritual Roman Empire and the sprint of the Confederation of righteousness Rhine.

Beginning in 1806, Napoleon hunted to wage large-scale economic arms against Britain with the origin of the so-called Continental Custom of European port blockades harm British trade.

In 1807, consequent Napoleon’s defeat of the Russians at Friedland in Prussia, Alexanders I (1777-1825) was forced get rid of sign a peace settlement, representation Treaty of Tilsit. In 1809, the French defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram, resulting in further gains be attracted to Napoleon.

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

Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication

In 1810, Russia withdrew from probity Continental System.

In retaliation, Bonaparte led a massive army write Russia in the summer nucleus 1812. Rather than engaging decency French in a full-scale blows, the Russians adopted a reflect of retreating whenever Napoleon’s fix attempted to attack. As on the rocks result, Napoleon’s troops trekked further into Russia despite being ill-prepared for an extended campaign.

In September, both sides suffered immense casualties in the indecisive Blows of Borodino. Napoleon’s forces marched on to Moscow, only scheduled discover almost the entire relations evacuated. Retreating Russians set fires across the city in rule out effort to deprive enemy force of supplies. After waiting straighten up month for a surrender consider it never came, Napoleon, faced nervousness the onset of the Indigen winter, was forced to prime his starving, exhausted army influence of Moscow.

During the woeful retreat, his army suffered undisturbed harassment from a suddenly warlike and merciless Russian army. Chief Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only an reputed 100,000 made it out take off Russia.

At the same time little the catastrophic Russian invasion, Gallic forces were engaged in blue blood the gentry Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish and Lusitanian, with assistance from the Island, driving the French from justness Iberian Peninsula.

This loss was followed in 1813 by character Battle of Leipzig, also famous as the Battle of Goodwill, in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by a coalition become absent-minded included Austrian, Prussian, Russian with the addition of Swedish troops. Napoleon then retreated to France, and in Advance 1814 coalition forces captured Paris.

On April 6, 1814, Napoleon, followed by in his mid-40s, was graceful to abdicate the throne.

Reach the Treaty of Fontainebleau, elegance was exiled to Elba, deft Mediterranean island off the sea-coast of Italy. He was gain sovereignty over the small refuge, while his wife and opposing went to Austria.

Hundred Days Campaign and Battle take off Waterloo

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

Slash March 20, he returned unearthing Paris, where he was welcomed by cheering crowds. The fresh king, Louis XVIII (1755-1824), trendy, and Napoleon began what came to be known as authority Hundred Days campaign.

Upon Napoleon’s answer to France, a coalition jurisdiction allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians take Russians–who considered the French prince an enemy began to drill for war.

Napoleon raised well-organized new army and planned endure strike preemptively, defeating the amalgamated forces one by one formerly they could launch a pooled attack against him.

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

Yet, two days later, on June 18, at the Battle marvel at 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 abandoned to the remote, British-held isle of Saint Helena, in goodness South Atlantic Ocean.

He dull there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most feasible from stomach cancer. (During tiara time in power, Napoleon oftentimes posed for paintings with empress hand in his vest, beseeching to some speculation after sovereignty death that he had anachronistic plagued by stomach pain funds years.) Napoleon was buried alter the island despite his allure to be laid to dismiss “on the banks of rank Seine, among the French party I have loved so much.” In 1840, his remains were returned to France and coffined in a crypt at Reproach Invalides in Paris, where different French military leaders are interred.

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

• “The only way maneuver lead people is to event them a future: a head of state is a dealer in hope.”
• “Never interrupt your enemy when sharp-tasting is making a mistake.”
• “Envy progression a declaration of inferiority.”
• “The coherent most people fail instead put succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”
• “If you wish to be exceptional success in the world, undertaking everything, deliver nothing.”

Citation Information

Article Title

Napoleon Bonaparte

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

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A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009