Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in August of 1769. As a young boy he attended French Military academy in 1785. He became the second lieutenant in the artillery regiment of the French Army. He also became affiliated with Jacobins, a pro-democracy political group. He associated with Augustin Robespierre the brother of Maximilien. Napoleon was later promoted the rank of brigadier (above colonel, below major general) general in the French army.
After Maximilien's death, Bonaparte was put on house arrest for being associated with his brother, Augustin. In 1795, Napoleon helped to suppress loyalist against revolutionary government in Paris and was promoted to major general. That following year he commanded a French Army to defeat the armies of Austria in battles in Italy. In 1797, France and Austria signed the Treaty of CampoFormio, which gave France territory. The Directory offered Napoleon lead in the England invasion, but Napoleon proposed an attack on Egypt to wipe out British trade routes in India. Napoleon's troops scored a victory at the Battle of Pyramids in July of 1798, but the forces were stranded after their naval fleet was nearly destroyed by the British at the Battle of the Nile in August. Early 1799, Napoleon's army invaded Ottoman ruled by Syria which ended with the fail Seige of Acre in modern day Israel. He thought to leave his army in Egypt and flee back to France. The Coup of 18 Brumaire overthrew the French Directory in November and Napoleon became France's political leader. 1799, the French Revolution ends. June of 1800 at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon's forces defeat the Austrians and drove them out of Italy. The Treaty of Amiens happened in 1802 and was a peace agreement between the British and French which only lasted one year. Napoleon worked to restore stability in France by centralizing the government, supporting science and art, and improving the regime, and making a concordat agreement with the Catholic Church, giving many rights back. Shortly after, the constitutional amendment made Napoleon the first consul for life. But it was in 1804 when Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France. |
He established the Napoleonic Code. It gave the French citizens some of their rights back, but took away the ones they won during the revolution. It limited freedom of speech and restored slavery in French colonies.
In October of 1805, the British wiped out Napoleon troops at the Battle of Trafalgar. In December at the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon's army defeated the Austrians and Russians. In 1806, the Continental System was composed in which Napoleon put a blockade on the British trade. Which did not work out well because the French economy was too weak and Europeans were secretly importing British goods. In 1808 Napoleon tried to make his brother King of Spain. The Spanish people were loyal to their original King and Britain helped fight the French in the Peninsular War. Napoleon lost 300,000 French troops. In 1809 the French defeated the Austrians at Battle of Wagram. In 1812 Napoleon tried to conquer Russia, but the Russians burned their fields and killed livestock before fleeing the premises. The Moscow winter was cold and harsh, and the French troops were on their way back to France when the Russians ambushed them. Only 10,000 soldiers were able to fight. At the Battle of Leipzig, Napoleon was defeated, giving up his throne in 1814. He was exiled to Elba, off the Italian coast. King Louis XVIII took the throne, but was highly unpopular. In March of 1815, Napoleon returned to take the French empire back. He raised an army to defeat the European powers. At the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon was defeated for the last time. His last attempt at power is called the Hundred Days. Napoleon Bonaparte was sent to St. Helena and died there in 1821. |