NAPOLEN BONAPARTE: HISTORYS ULTIMATE SELF-MADE MAN Jim Werbaneth La Roche College HIST October 2011 The Early Life of Napoleone di Buonaparte Born in Corsica 15 August Family origins were in the minor Italian nobility. Commissioned in the French royal army in Problematic early career, fighting sometimes for, and sometimes against, anti-French Corsican rebels. Lengthy leaves of absence from the French army. The Making of Napolen Bonaparte French Revolution Republican sympathies, and connections with the Robespierre family; recommended to Maximilien Robespierre by his brother in Planned French victory in Siege of Toulon, September-December A whiff of grapeshot in defense of the National Assembly against a Royalist mob, 3 October 1795. Napolens First Italian Campaign Napolen assigned to Army of Italy in 1795 in order to consign him to obscurity. Army in terrible condition when Napolen took command. Conducted brilliant campaign to drive Austria out of northern Italy and threaten Vienna. Napolens Egyptian Adventure Invaded Egypt in Defeated Mamelukes at the Battle of the Pyramids Fleet destroyed by Horatio Nelson in the Battle of the Nile. Abortive invasion of Syria. Abandoned his army on 24 August 1799 to return to France and seize power. Failures in Middle East spun to look like victory. The Generals Home Life Married to older woman, Josphine de Beauharnais. Incapable of bearing more children. Loved her, but unfaithful. She was unfaithful to him. The First Consul and Ruler of France Seized power in Paris on 9 November Major accomplishments: Invention of Egyptology Brought scientists, scholars and artists to Egypt. Legal reformation and the Napoleonic Code. Institution of metric system. Emancipation of Jews. Second Italian Campaign and Battle of Marengo in 1800. Empereur Napolen 1er Crowned himself Emperor of the French on 2 December 1804 in Notre Dame de Paris. Emperor of the French, NOT Emperor of France. Placed himself on an equal footing as the oldest dynasties of Europe, as a self-made monarch. Napolen the Warlord Years of Victory 1805: War with Austria and Russia, Victory at Austerlitz. 1806: War with Prussia, Victories at Jena and Auerstadt. 1807: Polish Campaign against Russia and Prussian refugee units Meeting with Brother Emperor Alexander I at Tilsit. Continually opposed, to the end of his career and even his life, by Britain. Napolen the Warlord Years of Decline 1808: War with Austria, Battle of Wagram Divorce of Empress Josphine Marriage to Marie Louise Now son-in-law of Emperor Joseph I of Austria Birth of King of Rome and establishment of dynasty Start of Peninsular War Napolen the Warlord Years of Decline 1812: The Russian Campaign 1813: The War of German Liberation: Conflict with Russia, Prussia, Austria 1814: Campaigns in northeastern France Fall of Paris 31 March 1814 Abdication and exile to Elba The Emperor Returns Return from exile 1 March Return to power 20 March Declared an international outlaw on 13 March. Battle of Waterloo 19 June 1815. The Emperor In Exile Again Sent to British island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic. Isolated from European affairs and family Marie Louise and young son taken to her family in Vienna. Died 5 May Natural causes? Murder?