Napoleon Bonaparte
1. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on 15 August 1769 in Corsica into a gentry family.
Napoleon went into exile on the Mediterranean island of Elba.
The British imprisoned him on the remote Atlantic island of St. Helena where he died on 5 May 1821.
Map of europe in 1789
Napoleons Life
- He as given the unusual name "Napoleon", because of the floormat on which he was born, this depicted the heroes of Homeros
- His father managed to get him enrolled to military academy at Brienne, from where Napoleon transferred to ecole de militare de Paris, the military academy of Paris.
- He graduated as an artillery officer at 28th of October, 1785. His career had started.
- He was the second son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino.
- When it was time for revolution Napoleon was young and idealistic, he was deeply moved by the cause, and returned to Corsica to gain independence for his small homeland.
- Soon he returned back to Corsica and gave himself to france.
- At 1793, Napoleon had his first true military success.
- Napoleons had an idea to utilize artillery to re-capture Toulon, other warleaders favored straight attack, which by no means would have carried the day. With skillful artillerywork, Napoleon took one of the crucial forts, thus forcing the British fleet to sea.
- As the commandant for the third army to take part on France's side, it was Napoleon's mission to capture the valley
- Napoleon himself was surrounded by the enemy several times and many horses died from under him.
- Napoleon was a welcome surprise for many. He worked really hard and tried to know everything about everything. He codified the law, all of France now had only one, he stabilizes the currency, corrects the taxlaw, improves educational system , pacifies religious affairs in the country, gives pardons to condemned etc. In fact, one could say that he created the modern administration.
- Napoleon had offered peace to Austria and England at christmasday of 1799.
- Napoleon was the lifelong consul of France, but this was not enough
- Napoleon was the new president of Italy, many areas of Italy, like Genoa were attached to France, the Naples had her harbors manned by the French.
- Napoleon had created "de Grande Armee", the Great Army.
- He had centered his army to Bologna for the invasion of England, but as that did not come to pass, the army marched against Austria.
- 1808 Napoleon pushed the Bourbons out of Spain and placed his brother Joseph to the throne.
- War with Russia was still on horizon. Napoleon had tried many times to bring peace, but to no avail.
- Napoleon wanted to remain in charge, but wanted no more war
- Napoleon tried to get to the United States. At 3rd of July 1815 Napoleon reached Rochefort-sur-Mer. There he found British warships blockading the harbor. He made up his mind to surrender to the British, and asked to get a safehaven for himself. While the British did not grant him a sanctuary, neither did they do as the great powers of Europe demanded, execute him.
- He was to become a prisoner of war. St. Helena was Napoleon's fate
- August the 8th was the date he left for this small island
- Probably he missed his son, who had been taken to Vienna. The food was not too good, the climate unhealthy. He died the 5th of May, 1821, and he was 52 years old.
- Now he rests at Les Invalides church at Paris with some of his marshals. Next to the church, fittingly, is the war museum, in which are presented many of the flags of his regiments.
Labelled Map of Europe at the height of Napoleon's power.
