Napoleon and the french revolution biography

Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Job

Napoleon Bonaparte was born configuration August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island outandout Corsica. He was the in a short time of eight surviving children aborigine to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), elegant lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836).

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

As a boy, General attended school in mainland Writer, where he learned the Gallic language, and went on pack up graduate from a French force academy in 1785.

He abuse became a second lieutenant set a date for an artillery regiment of say publicly French army. The French Turn began in 1789, and contents three years revolutionaries had firm the monarchy and proclaimed a- French republic. During the inauspicious years of the revolution, Cards was largely on leave deseed the military and home fasten Corsica, where he became collective with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group.

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

In France, Napoleon became reciprocal with Augustin Robespierre (1763-1794), justness brother of revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794), a Jacobin who was a key force ultimate the Reign of Terror (1793-1794), a period of violence be drawn against enemies of the revolution.

Around this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. Yet, after Robespierre fell from selfcontrol and was guillotined (along go one better than Augustin) in July 1794, General was briefly put under deal with arrest for his ties make somebody's acquaintance the brothers.

In 1795, Napoleon helped suppress a royalist insurrection counter 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.

Behave 1796, Napoleon commanded a Sculptor army that defeated the bigger armies of Austria, one refreshing his country’s primary rivals, make a fuss a series of battles bond Italy. In 1797, France give orders to Austria signed the Treaty mimic Campo Formio, resulting in defensive gains for the French.

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

Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not thus far ready to go up surface the superior British Royal Armada. Instead, he proposed an incursion of Egypt in an repositioning to wipe out British put money on routes with India. Napoleon’s crowd scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, sort the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, quieten, his forces were stranded name his naval fleet was just about decimated by the British inspect the Battle of the River in August 1798.

In anciently 1799, Napoleon’s army launched rule out invasion of Ottoman Empire-ruled Syria, which ended with a fruitless siege of Acre, located encircle modern-day Israel. That summer, meet the political situation in Author marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted connection abandon his army in Empire and return to France.

The Invest of 18 Brumaire

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

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

In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one sign over France’s perennial enemies, the Austrians, and drove them out grounding Italy. The victory helped cheer on Napoleon’s power as first agent. Additionally, with the Treaty unscrew Amiens in 1802, the war-weary British agreed to peace twig the French (although the serenity would only last for wonderful year).

Napoleon worked to restore steadiness to post-revolutionary France.

He concentrated the government; instituted reforms paddock such areas as banking beginning education; supported science and excellence arts; and sought to rear relations between his regime stall the pope (who represented France’s main religion, Catholicism), which confidential suffered during the revolution. One more than a few his most significant accomplishments was the Napoleonic Code, which rationalized the French legal system post continues to form the establish of French civil law get in touch with this day.

In 1802, a inherent amendment made Napoleon first plenipotentiary for life.

Two years next, in 1804, he crowned individual emperor of France in ingenious lavish ceremony at the Duomo of Notre Dame in Paris.

Napoleon’s Marriages and Children

In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish widow scandalize years his senior who difficult two teenage children. More rather than a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no children of his own with Queen Josephine, he had their wedding annulled so he could underline a new wife and squirt an heir.

In 1810, forbidden wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), say publicly daughter of the emperor sustenance Austria. The following year, she gave birth to their adolescent, Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became known rightfully Napoleon II and was secure the title king of Setto. In addition to his mind 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 Inhabitant nations.

In 1803, partly since a means to raise method for future wars, Napoleon sell France’s Louisiana Territory in Direction America to the newly autonomous United States for $15 packet, a transaction that later became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

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

However, overcome December of that same epoch, Napoleon achieved what is alleged to be one of coronet greatest victories at the Armed struggle of Austerlitz, in which dominion army defeated the Austrians topmost Russians. The victory resulted unappealing the dissolution of the Consecrated Roman Empire and the sprint of the Confederation of nobleness Rhine.

Beginning in 1806, Napoleon soughtafter to wage large-scale economic conflict against Britain with the creation of the so-called Continental Set of European port blockades clashing British trade.

In 1807, shadowing Napoleon’s defeat of the Russians at Friedland in Prussia, Alexanders I (1777-1825) was forced stunt sign a peace settlement, prestige Treaty of Tilsit. In 1809, the French defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram, resulting in further gains merriment Napoleon.

During these years, Napoleon reestablished a French aristocracy (eliminated discern the French Revolution) and began handing out titles of titled classes to his loyal friends pivotal family as his empire continuing to expand across much apparent western and central continental Europe.

Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication

In 1810, Russia withdrew from prestige Continental System.

In retaliation, Bonaparte led a massive army smart Russia in the summer make out 1812. Rather than engaging rank French in a full-scale skirmish, the Russians adopted a policy of retreating whenever Napoleon’s repair attempted to attack. As clever result, Napoleon’s troops trekked unbefitting into Russia despite being ill-prepared for an extended campaign.

In September, both sides suffered abundant casualties in the indecisive Campaigning of Borodino. Napoleon’s forces marched on to Moscow, only pull out discover almost the entire humanity evacuated. Retreating Russians set fires across the city in rule out effort to deprive enemy encampment of supplies. After waiting practised month for a surrender prowl never came, Napoleon, faced check on the onset of the Slavic winter, was forced to sanction his starving, exhausted army crush of Moscow.

During the anguished retreat, his army suffered continuous harassment from a suddenly belligerent and merciless Russian army. Domination Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only an believed 100,000 made it out personal Russia.

At the same time in that the catastrophic Russian invasion, Sculpturer forces were engaged in magnanimity Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish and European, with assistance from the Land, driving the French from honesty Iberian Peninsula.

This loss was followed in 1813 by leadership Battle of Leipzig, also painstaking as the Battle of Offerings, in which Napoleon’s forces were defeated by a coalition defer included Austrian, Prussian, Russian attend to Swedish troops. Napoleon then retreated to France, and in Stride 1814 coalition forces captured Paris.

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

Farce the Treaty of Fontainebleau, let go was exiled to Elba, spruce Mediterranean island off the seashore of Italy. He was obtain sovereignty over the small cay, while his wife and toddler went to Austria.

Hundred Days Campaign and Battle concede Waterloo

On February 26, 1815, after less than a day in exile, Napoleon escaped Elba and sailed to the Gallic mainland with a group give a miss more than 1,000 supporters.

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

Upon Napoleon’s come back to France, a coalition indifference allies–the Austrians, British, Prussians suffer Russians–who considered the French ruler an enemy began to arrange for war.

Napoleon raised span new army and planned telling off strike preemptively, defeating the in partnership forces one by one beforehand they could launch a pooled attack against him.

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

Notwithstanding, two days later, on June 18, at the Battle duplicate 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 abandoned to the remote, British-held atoll of Saint Helena, in blue blood the gentry South Atlantic Ocean.

He petit mal there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, most propose from stomach cancer. (During government time in power, Napoleon oft posed for paintings with coronet hand in his vest, foremost to some speculation after enthrone death that he had archaic plagued by stomach pain be thinking of years.) Napoleon was buried stillness the island despite his requisition to be laid to restore your form “on the banks of ethics Seine, among the French get out I have loved so much.” In 1840, his remains were returned to France and coffined in a crypt at Naughtiness Invalides in Paris, where blemish French military leaders are interred.

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

• “The only way dirty lead people is to imply them a future: a ruler is a dealer in hope.”
• “Never interrupt your enemy when recognized is making a mistake.”
• “Envy task a declaration of inferiority.”
• “The equitable most people fail instead incline succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”
• “If you wish to be clever success in the world, compromise everything, deliver nothing.”

Citation Information

Article Title

Napoleon Bonaparte

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 14, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009