Biography

Napoleon Bonaparte rose through military ranks to become emperor over France and much of Europe.He was a masterful soldier, an unequalled grand tactician and a superb administrator. He was born at Ajaccio on Corsica, which was recently sold to France.  He became the emperor of the French. His legendary figure has symbolized the military power and the new absolutism, but also the modernization of the Estate which was reflected later in a Civil Code adopted years later by almost every occidental nation.

He was the second of eight children of Carlo Bonaparte and Letizia Ramolino, both members of the Corsican-Italian petty bourgeoisie. He completed his studies in 1785, at 16 years and served in an artillery regiment.  His first real opportunity came as a captain of artillery at the siege of Toulon, where he did a great work.  Then he became a brigadier general and served in the army.

After some years, he participated in the Italian campaign, in which he conquered most of northern Italy for France. Later, he wanted to conquer England so he attacked Egypt because it was the center of commerce. There he was defeated by commander Nelson from England, so he abandoned his troops. Despite losing, when he returned to France he received a hero’s welcome. As people loved him too much it named him as consul for life and then he crowned himself as a king. He made many reforms in his government such as in economy (French national bank), in legacy (civil code, eliminated Feudal society), in religion (Concordat with the Pope, catholic religion official, people free to choose religion); and in education (public schools, universities and specialized schools, government and military schools). Also he married Josephine.

Years later he commanded the Waterloo battle in which he was defeated. Napoleon was imprisoned and exiled by the British to the island of St. Helena in the Atlantic, July 15, 1815. Napoleon Bonaparte died on May 5, 1821. His last words were: "France, l'armée, Joséphine '(' France, the army, Josephine") or depending on the version of the memoirs of St. Helena '... armée tête ... Mon Dieu! '. He was then fifty-one years.