-
 General
and emperor of France
- Napoleon Bonaparte rose from modest
origins in Corsica to become emperor of France, conquering much of
Europe and disseminating the ideals of the French Revolution.
In 1796, as a young general, he waged a successful campaign in Italy
and went on to conquer Egypt. He returned to Paris and took control
of France in 1799. From 1800 until 1812 he won many famous battles
- Marengo, Austerlitz, Friedland, and Wagram - expanding the French
Empire (Napoleon crowned himself emperor in 1804) from Portugal to
Poland and Norway to Italy. In all these countries he abolished serfdom,
guaranteed freedom of religion, and made all men equal before the
law.
He failed in his invasion of Russia in 1812, and in 1813 was defeated
at Leipzig. Exiled to Elba, he escaped the next year and returned
to Paris. One hundred days later he was defeated at Waterloo and exiled
to St. Helena where he died. Arrogant yet loyal, tyrannical yet enlightened,
he was complicated and
contradictory but mostly he was ambitious, and as a result Europe
both suffered and gained.
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