Napoleon Bonaparte is considered one of the most outstanding generals and rulers in history. Due to his military talent, he quickly made a career in the French army and rose to become the most powerful politician in France. After his coup d’état in 1799 he became the center of French foreign policy. He exported the revolution to Europe and thus became a pioneer of modern times. This article provides a quick overview on the life and the end of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Early life and youth
Napoleon was born in 1769 as Napoleone Buonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica. His parents, who belonged to the Corsican minor nobility, had thirteen children. In 1778 Napoleon left the island and went to the Collège of Autun, after his father had received scholarships from the king due to good contacts. One year later he transferred to the cadet school of Brienne. After passing his exams, he transferred to the military school École royale militaire in 1784. His military talent helped him to a rapid rise in the French army.
Napoleon’s rise to General
In 1789 the French Revolution broke out. Napoleon welcomed this news with joy, because he saw in it a new chance for the independence of his homeland Corsica from France. After a brief stopover in Ajaccio, he returned to the army in 1791 and became the leader of the National Guard. Under the reign of terror of the Jacobins, Napoleon became commander of the artillery and successfully put down a royalist uprising in 1793. Due to this success, he was appointed brigadier general shortly afterwards. In 1795 he was appointed general of the division and commander-in-chief of the interior.
Coup d’Etat
Since 1792, revolutionary France had been facing the major European powers in the coalition wars. The centre of the revolution thus increasingly shifted to foreign policy. The initial defence became an export of the revolution to Europe. As commander of the Italian army, Napoleon undertook a campaign in Italy in 1796. There he brought his army to rapid success and also defeated Austria, which had to cede territories in the peace of Campo Formio. His expedition to Egypt, however, failed. Nevertheless, he had meanwhile achieved great prestige among the French population. As a result, he took the opportunity to appoint himself First Consul in a coup on November 9, 1799. Thus he abolished the board of directors.
Crowning of the Emperor
Since the coup d’état of 1799, Napoleon was de facto sole ruler and now made a name for himself in politics. He had himself appointed consul for life in 1801 and created a uniform civil code in 1804 with the Code civil. In 1801, he concluded a concordat with Pope Pius VII and reconciled with the church. With the Peace of Luneville in 1801 he annexed the left bank of the Rhine. On November 2, 1804 he crowned himself emperor in the presence of Pope Pius VII. However, he no longer saw himself as “appointed by God”, but considered himself sovereign of the people. In addition, through his military conquests he ensured the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Prussia was defeated in the battle of Jena and Auerstedt in 1806. In 1806 Napoleon founded the Confederation of the Rhine, which served him as a military protective alliance. Further stages of the Napoleonic Wars were Portugal and Spain during the Peninsular War between 1807-1814.
The end of Napoleon Bonaparte
In 1812 Napoleon failed in his campaign against Russia. Consequently, Prussia, Austria and Russia formed a new coalition and inflicted a devastating defeat on the French army in the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. The great European powers pushed the French back to their homeland. Napoleon had to abdicate in April 1814 and went into exile on the island of Elba. After a brief return and his reign of 100 days, he was finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He was exiled to the Atlantic island of St. Helena, where he lived until his death in 1821. In Europe the Napoleonic domination ended. At the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15, the period of restoration began, which was to ensure a stable peace order.