Napoleon Bonaparte was born at Ajaccio in the Island of Corsica on August 15th 1769. His parents were Count Charles Bonaparte and Countess Leticia Romalina. During his childhood he cultivated self confidence, an ability to work hard and immense ambition.
After his education, he joined the Military Academy at Paris and graduated. Because of his keen interest in Military Science and ability, he rose up in the ranks fast an cl proved his talent by suppressing two rebellions against the French Government.
In 1796, the Directory Government appointed Napoleon as the commander of the French Army in Italy. His Italian campaign was a great success. He defeated the Sardinians and then the Austrians. By the Treaty of ‘Campo-Formio’ in 1797, he gained immense success for France.
Napoleon started re-drawing the map of Europe though his conquests. Arbitrary Governments were imposed on Italy and Belgium. His Egyptian campaign was aimed at striking the British Imperialism. In the ‘Battle of the Pyramids’ Napoleon could score a victory over England.
But in the Naval Battle of the Nile or ‘Aboukir Bay’, he was defeated by Admiral Nelson. Napoleon overthrew the Directory Government and became the first Consul of the three member Consulate government and later took over absolute control and declared himself as the Emperor.
By 1802 Napoleon’* control over France was total. He aspired to become Consul for life. On December 2nd, 1804, he was coronated as the Emperor of France. Napoleon had invited the Pope to give his blessings and also to crown him. But at the last moment, he himself placed the crown on his head and later remarked “I found the Crown of France lying on the ground and I picked it up with my sword”. Wars of Napoleon:
The Napoleonic Empire lasted fourteen years from 1804 to 1814. It was a ** of uninterrupted warfare. He had become all powerful in France. Now he desired to become all-powerful in Europe. He had overthrown the three great military states of Europe: Austria, Russia and Prussia. Only Great Britain and Sweden remained to be defeated.
Continental system: Britain was the chief commercial and industrial nation of the world. But invading Britain was impossible as it was the strongest naval power. So its Commerce and industry must be attacked by preventing the import of British goods into the continent, which was its chief market. Such a move would ruin the British commerce and industry and compel Britain to sue for peace. Toward this end, Napoleon fought an economic war with Great Britain from 1806 to 1814, this economic warfare is known as the ‘Continental System’.
In 1806, Napoleon proclaimed a decree which provided for closure of all ports on the continent to the British manufactured goods. In retaliation the British Government issued ‘Orders in Council’ (1807). The result of this confrontation was that Napoleon would not allow import of British goods into the continent and Britain, in turn, would prevent the sea trade of France and its allies.
For Napoleon it proved physically impossible to enforce the “Continental system” thoroughly. It was difficult to prevent the bribery of customs officials and smuggling. In the course of enforcing the ‘Continental System’, Napoleon was involved in the series of disastrous wars in Europe.
Tsar Alexander violated the Continental System and Napoleon organised a huge army for the invasion of Moscow. It was a disaster and the French army suffered from the biting cold, hunger and thirst and lost more than 3,00,000 soldiers.
Napoleon’ enemies increased and the combined armies of Austria and Prussia with the help of England defeated him in the Battle of Leipzig. He was deported to the island of Elba. He escaped from there and ruled France for 100 days but was completely routed in the battle of Waterloo and exiled to St. Helena where he ***.
