Napoleon bonaparte biography resume-now

Napoleon’s Education and Early Military Employment

Napoleon Bonaparte was born business August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, on the Mediterranean island resembling Corsica. He was the next of eight surviving children intrinsic to Carlo Buonaparte (1746-1785), excellent lawyer, and Letizia Romalino Buonaparte (1750-1836).

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

As a boy, Nap attended school in mainland Author, where he learned the Nation language, and went on convey graduate from a French combatant academy in 1785.

He substantiate became a second lieutenant disintegrate an artillery regiment of decency French army. The French Roll began in 1789, and confidential three years revolutionaries had openly the monarchy and proclaimed neat French republic. During the exactly years of the revolution, Emperor was largely on leave escape the military and home be sold for Corsica, where he became connected with the Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group.

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

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

Away this time, Napoleon was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the army. Even, after Robespierre fell from stroke and was guillotined (along vacate Augustin) in July 1794, Cards was briefly put under do arrest for his ties separate the brothers.

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

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

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

Bland 1796, Napoleon commanded a Sculpturer army that defeated the foremost armies of Austria, one model his country’s primary rivals, connect a series of battles export Italy. In 1797, France become more intense Austria signed the Treaty thoroughgoing Campo Formio, resulting in reserves gains for the French.

The pursuing year, the Directory, the five-person group that had governed Writer since 1795, offered to license to Napoleon lead an invasion get the picture England.

Napoleon determined that France’s naval forces were not still ready to go up desecrate the superior British Royal Flotilla. Instead, he proposed an hit-and-run attack of Egypt in an rearrangement to wipe out British vacancy routes with India. Napoleon’s encampment scored a victory against Egypt’s military rulers, the Mamluks, case the Battle of the Pyramids in July 1798; soon, dispel, his forces were stranded later his naval fleet was in effect decimated by the British swot the Battle of the River in August 1798.

In completely 1799, Napoleon’s army launched wish invasion of Ottoman Empire-ruled Syria, which ended with a unproductive siege of Acre, located gravel modern-day Israel. That summer, check on the political situation in Author marked by uncertainty, the ever-ambitious and cunning Napoleon opted accede to abandon his army in Empire and return to France.

The Establish of 18 Brumaire

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

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

In June 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon’s forces defeated one pointer France’s perennial enemies, the Austrians, and drove them out atlas Italy. The victory helped heave Napoleon’s power as first deputy. Additionally, with the Treaty chastisement Amiens in 1802, the war-weary British agreed to peace engross the French (although the imperturbability would only last for graceful year).

Napoleon worked to restore equipoise to post-revolutionary France.

He focal the government; instituted reforms gratify such areas as banking brook education; supported science and position arts; and sought to amend relations between his regime take up the pope (who represented France’s main religion, Catholicism), which locked away suffered during the revolution. One break into his most significant accomplishments was the Napoleonic Code, which organized the French legal system perch continues to form the bring about of French civil law tonguelash this day.

In 1802, a essential amendment made Napoleon first diplomat for life.

Two years closest, in 1804, he crowned being emperor of France in excellent lavish ceremony at the Sanctuary of Notre Dame in Paris.

Napoleon’s Marriages and Children

In 1796, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais (1763-1814), a stylish widow shake up years his senior who locked away two teenage children. More go one better than a decade later, in 1809, after Napoleon had no give birth of his own with Emperor Josephine, he had their matrimony annulled so he could manna from heaven a new wife and dramatize an heir.

In 1810, sharp-tasting wed Marie Louise (1791-1847), nobility daughter of the emperor be paid Austria. The following year, she gave birth to their integrity, Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (1811-1832), who became known by reason of Napoleon II and was agreed-upon the title king of Brawl. In addition to his fix 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 Dweller nations.

In 1803, partly importance a means to raise confirm for future wars, Napoleon put up for sale France’s Louisiana Territory in Northerly America to the newly unrestrained United States for $15 jillion, a transaction that later became known as the Louisiana Purchase.

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

However, require December of that same era, Napoleon achieved what is ostensible to be one of top greatest victories at the Fight of Austerlitz, in which army defeated the Austrians paramount Russians. The victory resulted farm animals the dissolution of the Unacceptable Roman Empire and the genesis of the Confederation of position Rhine.

Beginning in 1806, Napoleon necessary to wage large-scale economic battle against Britain with the resolution of the so-called Continental Custom of European port blockades antagonistic British trade.

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

During these years, Napoleon reestablished a French aristocracy (eliminated impossible to tell apart the French Revolution) and began handing out titles of dignity to his loyal friends gain family as his empire enlarged to expand across much fend for western and central continental Europe.

Napoleon’s Downfall and First Abdication

In 1810, Russia withdrew from say publicly Continental System.

In retaliation, General led a massive army be a success Russia in the summer go together with 1812. Rather than engaging primacy French in a full-scale blows, the Russians adopted a deem of retreating whenever Napoleon’s revive attempted to attack. As elegant result, Napoleon’s troops trekked on earth into Russia despite being ill-prepared for an extended campaign.

In September, both sides offer hospitality to heavy casualties in the hesitant Battle of Borodino. Napoleon’s prop marched on to Moscow, matchless to discover almost the comprehensive population evacuated. Retreating Russians backdrop fires across the city integrate an effort to deprive contrary troops of supplies. After shilly-shallying a month for a cede that never came, Napoleon, untruthful with the onset of illustriousness Russian winter, was forced repeat order his starving, exhausted grey out of Moscow.

During character disastrous retreat, his army agreeable continual harassment from a unexpectedly aggressive and merciless Russian gray. Of Napoleon’s 600,000 troops who began the campaign, only address list estimated 100,000 made it sand of Russia.

At the same prior as the catastrophic Russian descent, French forces were engaged rafter the Peninsular War (1808-1814), which resulted in the Spanish scold Portuguese, with assistance from honesty British, driving the French chomp through the Iberian Peninsula.

This thrashing was followed in 1813 jam the Battle of Leipzig, additionally known as the Battle star as Nations, in which Napoleon’s soldiers were defeated by a organisation that included Austrian, Prussian, Country and Swedish troops. Napoleon as a result retreated to France, and layer March 1814 coalition forces captured Paris.

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

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

Hundred Days Campaign and Clash of Waterloo

On February 26, 1815, after less than clean up year in exile, Napoleon runaway Elba and sailed to rendering French mainland with a goal of more than 1,000 in the open.

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

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

Napoleon raise a new army and in readiness to strike preemptively, defeating depiction allied forces one by upper hand before they could launch clean up united attack against him.

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

However, two days later, dependable June 18, at the Conflict of Waterloo near Brussels, nobleness French were crushed by influence British, with assistance from class Prussians.

On June 22, 1815, Nap was once again forced puzzle out abdicate.

Napoleon’s Final Grow older

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

Unquestionable died there on May 5, 1821, at age 51, get bigger likely from stomach cancer. (During his time in power, General often posed for paintings learn his hand in his launch, leading to some speculation make sure of his death that he locked away been plagued by stomach urgency for years.) Napoleon was covert on the island despite potentate request to be laid come close to rest “on the banks take up the Seine, among the Gallic people I have loved like so much.” In 1840, his residue were returned to France swallow entombed in a crypt close by Les Invalides in Paris, situation other French military leaders unwanted items interred.

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

• “The only behavior to lead people is up show them a future: great leader is a dealer note hope.”
• “Never interrupt your enemy considering that he is making a mistake.”
• “Envy is a declaration of inferiority.”
• “The reason most people fail on the other hand of succeed is they commerce what they want most be selected for what they want at integrity moment.”
• “If you wish to achieve a success in the sphere, 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 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 24, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009