Birth: August 15th, 1769, Corsica
Death: May 5th, 1821, Saint Helena
Vocation: Emperor of France, March 20, 1804 - April 6th, 1815
Accomplishments: Napoleonic Code, selling the Louisiana territory to the United States Allegiance: varied
Napoleon Bonaparte was born to a family of minor Italian nobility. His father, Carlo was a lawyer and his mother was Maria. Napoleon was raised as a Catholic. Corsica is a Mediterranean Island in between France and Italy. The countries have fought for control of the island often. Napoleon attended different religious and military schools. While he spoke French with an accent he was a very good student, particularly at math.
Napoleon considered being a sailor in the navy at one point but joined the army instead as a lieutenant in 1785. Early in the revolution he took a brief leave of absence and supported Corsican liberation. He rejoined the army later and otherwise was a reliable soldier. He commanded an artillery unit at Toulon in 1793, recapturing the harbor and city and was promoted. He was briefly imprisoned the next year for having been on good terms with the Robespierre brothers, early leaders of the revolution and new republic who had been arrested and executed. Napoleon was not trusted by the government but redeemed himself by stopping a royalist rebellion in Paris in October, 1794.
He was but in change of the French Army of Italy and had a successful military campaign in Italy against the Italians and Austrians. He then began a campaign to take over Egypt in the hope of strengthening France's prestige and power and sea. While he was able to occupy Egypt and fought many successful battles the French navy was mostly destroyed by the British, led by Horatio Nelson, in August of 1798. After his return from Egypt, Napoleon help lead a coup d' etat. Eventually, he made himself emperor and fought a slew of battles and wars. Because he believed the British and Russians would form an alliance, Napoleon made the mistake of invading Russia in 1812 and had trouble. Russia was very cold and it was difficult to move troops and supplies. The Russians used a scorched earth policy, they would destroy their own cities, supplies, and food to keep the French from getting them. He did occupy Moscow, the capital of Russia but was forced to withdraw due to lack of food, supplies,and the brutal cold.
Several countries banded together and fought against him. While he fought many successful battles he was finally forced to surrender on April 6th, 1814
He was exiled to the island of Elba until he escaped and put another army together, many of his old soldiers were still loyal to him. He was back in power for one hundred days. He was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by Wellington and Bluecher. After his defeat he was exiled to the island of Saint Helena until he died in 1821.
Battles of the Napoleonic Era: Aboukir, Abensberg, Siege of Acre, Alba de Tormes, la Albuera, Alcaсiz, Arcis-sur-Aube, Arcole, Aspern-Essling, Auerstadt, Austerlitz, Badajoz, Bailйn, la Barrosa, Bautzen, Berezina, Borodino, Burgos, Buзaco, Siege of Cбdiz, Caldiero, Castiglione, Castlebar, Champaubert, Chвteau-Thierry, Copenhagen, Corunna, Craonne, Dego, Dennewitz, Dresden, Eckmьhl, Elchingen, Espinosa de los Monteros, Eylau, Cape Finisterre, Friedland, Fuentes de Oсoro, Gevora River, Siege of Gerona, Siege of Hamburg, Haslach-Jungingen, Battle of Heilsberg, Hohenlinden, Jena, Landshut, Leipzig, Ligny, Lodi, Lьbeck, Lьtzen, Marengo, Marнa, Medellнn, Medina de Rioseco, Millesimo, Mincio River, Mondovi, Montebello, Montenotte, Montmirail, Mount Tabor, the Nile, Novi, Ocaсa, Cape Ortegal, Orthez, Pancorbo, Piave River, the Pyramids, Quatre Bras, Raab, Raszyn, Rivoli, Roliзa, La Rothiиre, Rovereto, Saalfeld, Salamanca, Smolensk, Somosierra, Talavera, Tamames, Trafalgar, Trebbia, Siege of Toulon, Tudela, Ulm, Valls, Valmaseda, Valutino, Vauchamps, Vimeiro, Vitoria, Wagram, Waterloo, Wavre, Wertingen, 1st Siege of Zaragoza, 2nd Siege of Zaragoza
