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Early Life
Napoleon was born in 1769 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Napoleon’s family consisted of 8 siblings and he was the youngest. Because they were a lot of family members, they were really poor. His father supported the rebels who fought against the French. As well, Napoleon was born in the time were Corsica was under French control. -
Pre-fame (1785)
After finishing school at 16, Napoleon became a lieutenant in artillery. After the Revolution, Napoleon joined the governments army. Here, Napoleon started his rise to the French society. -
Hero of the French Republic (October 1795)
Napoleon had the opportunity to defend the delegates against the royalists. He saved the delegates within minutes, and became a hero and was hailed. He was the saviour of the French republic. -
Napoleon Leads the army (1796)
The Directory appointed Napoleon to lead the French army against Austria and the Kingdom of Sardinia. When he passed through Italy, he won plenty of battles. However, after Italy, Napoleon led an expedition to Egypt to protect French trade interests and to disrupt British trade with India. He failed, and his army was pinned in Egypt and the British defeated his naval forces. Citizens of France didn’t found out about this because Napoleon kept it out from the newspapers. -
Napoleon vs. Directory (1799)
The Directory lost control of politics and the confidence of the French citizens. In November 1799, Napoleon’s army surrounded the national legislature and drove the members out. Lawmakers were drove out too and they dissolved the directory. -
Napoleon becomes a consul (1800)
After the directory was dissolved, three consuls were established, one which was Napoleon. A plebiscite was held to approve a new constitution, and the people voted in favor of it. Therefore, Napoleon assumed the powers of a dictator. -
The Purchase of Louisiana (1803)
President Jefferson’s administration agreed to purchase the Louisiana territory for $15 million. Napoleon saw a twofold benefit to the sale. He would gain money to finance operations in Europe and would punish the British. -
Napoleon vs. Church (1804)
Napoleon decided to make himself emperor and the French voters supported him. On December 2, 1804, Napoleon walked down the long aisle of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The pope waited for him with a glittering crown, and Napoleon placed it on his own head. This gesture meant that Napoleon was more powerful than the Church -
Napoleonic Code (1804)
The Napoleonic Code was a comprehensive system of laws that granted the country a set of laws and an opportunity to eliminate injustices, including corruption. However, it limited the liberty of the citizens and promoted authority over individual rights. He believed this was his greatest work. -
The Battle of Trafalgar (1805)
This was the only major battle Napoleon lost. This was a naval defeat and it was more important than all of his victories on land. The battle took place on the southwest coast of Spain. The British commander, Horatio Nelson defeated Napoleon. -
Continental System (November 1806)
Napoleon set up a blockade to end any communication or trade between Great Britain and other nations. This blockade was named the Continental System and was made with the purpose of making continental Europe more independent and self-sufficient. Smugglers managed to break the blockade and Napoleon’s own people defied it. -
Peninsular War (1808)
When Napoleon arrived to Spain and put his own brother on the throne, Spanish people became worried (they were especially worried that Napoleon would attack the Catholic Church). Therefore, a group called guerillas constantly attacked the French troops in Spain. The British then sent aid for Spain and eventually caused the Peninsular War. The French lost 300,000 men and it weakened the French Empire. -
The Invasion of Russia (1812)
Napoleon's worst mistake. Alexander I had allied with Napoleon, yet the Russian czar did not end its selling of grain to Britain. French and Russian rulers believed they were competing against each other's designs on Poland, breaking the alliation. In June, Napoleon and 420,000 soldiers marched into Russia, while Alexander retrieved refusing to fight unequally, and meanwhile, he and his men burned grain fields and killed living stock to eliminate alimentation for France (scorched-earth policy). -
Battle of Borodino (1812)
In September, the Battle of Borodino took place and French and Russian armies fought. Russians took distance and the French entered Moscow, but when they entered, The city was burned and destroyed by Alexander. Napoleon and his man marched back to France, where on the way, Russian raiders attacked and only left 10,000 survivors. -
Napoleon vs. allied armies (January 1814)
Napoleon had raised an unprepared army which was defeated by European powers that allied. By January, these European allied powers were pressuring towards Paris as French resistance was unstructured. Frederick William III of Prussia and Czar Alexander I of Russia led their armies through France, and Napoleon’s generals were not agreeing into fighting back. -
Napoleon is exiled to Elba (April 1814)
Napoleon gave up his throne. He was given a small pension and was exiled from France and was sent to Elba. Louis XVIII took over the throne, which peasants were not pleased by because he was suspected to wanting to undo the revolution. -
Napoleon escapes Elba (March 1, 1815)
Napoleon escaped from Elba and landed in France to regain his power. he was welcomed greatly and became Emperor once again (French didn’t like Louis XVIII). The British and Prussian armies fought against Napoleon and the French. The French were exhausted and were chased away. This became the “Hundred Days”. -
Napoleon is exiled to St. Helena and to his death (1821)
After the war, Napoleon was exiled once again by the British to St. Helena. Here, he lived for six years in solitude while writing his experiences. Napoleon’s reign was over and his fight for power would no longer be successful in any way, as Napoleon was once and for all defeated. He died of stomach disease.
