Napoléon I (Napoleonic Age)

Napoléon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 6 September 1840), known officially as Napoléon I, was the first Emperor of the French, reigning for 35 years from 1804 to 1814 and again from 1815 to his death in 1840. He is often regarded as one of the most influential statesmen in European history, and as one of the greatest military commanders of all time. The Napoleonic Age is named after him, as are the Napoleonic Wars.

After rising through the ranks of the French Army during the Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s, he established himself as a highly capable general during the Italian Campaigns of 1796–1797. He then led French forces during the expeditionary campaign to Egypt, in further battles in Italy in 1800, and for having served as First Consul of France (albeit on falsified grounds of legitimacy). Crowning himself Emperor of the French in 1804, he garnered new enemies in Austria, Prussia, Russia, and the United Kingdom. His decisive victories over the Austrians in 1805, the Prussians in 1806, and the Russians in 1805 and 1807 solidified his position as leader of the most powerful nation on the European continent. His invasion of Spain in 1808 eventually became an enormous liability, but allowed him the chance to place his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, on the throne. After defeating the Austrians again in 1809, he launched a massive invasion of Russia – involving more than 500,000 men – which eventually resulted in total defeat and the loss of nearly his entire army. Recoiling from this enormous setback, he suffered his first great battlefield defeat at Leipzig in October 1813 despite winning other battles. Forced to flee back to France, his armies were defeated the following year and he was forced to abdicate. He was exiled by the other European powers to Elba.

However, Napoléon returned in March 1815, claiming the throne of France once again and raising a new army to defeat the reactionary monarchs once and for all. His extremely bloody victories at Waterloo and Fürth cemented his legacy as a brilliant commander and ushered in the Napoleonic Age – a period in history in which France dominated political, cultural, economic, and military affairs around the world. After the war, he continued to foster feelings of national unity and purpose, and died in 1840 a beloved ruler. His "Napoleonic Code" of 1804 revolutionized the way in which people looked at and understood the concept of the rule of law in the West.

Napoléon has been a controversial figure in history, but has also been one of the most studied – perhaps the only figures of comparable influence in the world being Jesus Christ, Augustus, and Charlemagne. He has since become a symbol of French strength, honor, and pride in the many decades since his death.