Napoleon Bonaparte - biography. Imperial March of Bonaparte

2) Marie Louise of Austria Children: from 2nd marriage
son: Napoleon II
illegitimate
sons: Charles Leon Denuel, Alexander Valevsky
daughter: Josephine Napoleon de Montolon

Childhood

Letizia Ramolino

Beginning of a military career

After the Thermidorian coup, Bonaparte was first arrested due to his connections with Augustin Robespierre (August 10, for two weeks). After his release due to a conflict with the command, he retired, and a year later, in August, he received a position in the topographic department of the Committee of Public Safety. At a critical moment for the Thermidorians, he was appointed by Barras as his assistant and distinguished himself during the dispersal of the royalist rebellion in Paris (13 Vendémières), was promoted to the rank of division general and appointed commander of the rear forces. Less than a year later, on March 9, Bonaparte married the widow of the general, Count of Beauharnais, executed during the Jacobin terror, Josephine, the former mistress of one of the then rulers of France, P. Barras. Some consider Barras's wedding gift to the young general to be the position of commander of the Italian Army (the appointment took place on February 23), but Bonaparte was proposed for this position by Carnot.

Thus, “a new military and political star rose” on the European political horizon, and a new era began in the history of the continent, the name of which for many 20 years will be “Napoleonic Wars”.

Rise to power

Allegorical image of Napoleon

The crisis of power in Paris reached its climax by 1799, when Bonaparte was with his army in Egypt. The corrupt Directory was unable to ensure the gains of the revolution. In Italy, Russian-Austrian troops, commanded by Alexander Suvorov, liquidated all of Napoleon's acquisitions, and there was even a threat of invasion of France. Under these conditions, a popular general who returned from Egypt, relying on an army loyal to him, dispersed the representative bodies and the Directory and proclaimed a consulate regime (November 9).

According to the new constitution, legislative power was divided between the State Council, the Tribunate, the Legislative Corps and the Senate, which made it helpless and clumsy. The executive power, on the contrary, was gathered into one fist by the first consul, that is, Bonaparte. The second and third consuls had only advisory votes. The constitution was approved by the people in a plebiscite (about 3 million votes against 1.5 thousand) (1800). Later, Napoleon passed a decree through the Senate on the lifetime of his powers (1802), and then proclaimed himself Emperor of the French (1804).

When Napoleon came to power, France was at war with Austria and England. Bonaparte's new Italian campaign resembled the first. Having crossed the Alps, the French army unexpectedly appeared in Northern Italy, enthusiastically greeted by the local population. The victory in the Battle of Marengo () was decisive. The threat to the French borders was eliminated.

Napoleon's domestic policy

Having become a full-fledged dictator, Napoleon radically changed the country's government structure. Napoleon's domestic policy consisted of strengthening his personal power as a guarantee of preserving the results of the revolution: civil rights, land ownership rights of peasants, as well as those who bought national property during the revolution, that is, confiscated lands of emigrants and churches. The Civil Code (), which went down in history as the Napoleonic Code, was supposed to ensure all these conquests. Napoleon carried out an administrative reform, establishing the institution of department prefects and district sub-prefects accountable to the government (). Mayors were appointed to cities and villages.

A state French bank was established to store gold reserves and issue paper money (). Until 1936, no major changes were made to the management system of the French Bank, created by Napoleon: the manager and his deputies were appointed by the government, and decisions were made jointly with 15 board members from the shareholders - this ensured a balance between public and private interests. On March 28, 1803, paper money was eliminated: the monetary unit became the franc, equal to a five-gram silver coin and divided into 100 centimes. To centralize the tax collection system, the Directorate of Direct Taxation and the Directorate of Consolidated Taxation (indirect taxes) were created. Having accepted a state with a deplorable financial condition, Napoleon introduced austerity in all areas. The normal functioning of the financial system was ensured by the creation of two opposing and at the same time cooperating ministries: finance and treasury. They were led by outstanding financiers of that time, Gaudin and Mollien. The Minister of Finance was responsible for budget revenues, the Minister of the Treasury gave a detailed report on the expenditure of funds, and his activities were audited by the Accounts Chamber of 100 civil servants. She controlled state expenditures, but did not make judgments about their appropriateness.

Napoleon's administrative and legal innovations laid the foundation for the modern state, many of which are still in effect today. It was then that a system of secondary schools was created - lyceums and higher educational institutions - the Normal and Polytechnic schools, which still remain the most prestigious in France. Well aware of the importance of influencing public opinion, Napoleon closed 60 of the 73 Parisian newspapers and placed the rest under government control. A powerful police force and an extensive secret service were created. Napoleon concluded a concordat with the Pope (1801). Rome recognized the new French government, and Catholicism was declared the religion of the majority of the French. At the same time, freedom of religion was preserved. The appointment of bishops and the activities of the church were made dependent on the government.

These and other measures forced Napoleon's opponents to declare him a traitor to the Revolution, although he considered himself a faithful successor of its ideas. The truth is that he managed to consolidate some revolutionary gains (the right to property, equality before the law, equality of opportunity), but decisively dissociated himself from the principle of freedom.

"Great Army"

Napoleon's military campaigns and the battles that characterize them

General characteristics of the problem

Napoleon's Marshals

In 1807, on the occasion of the ratification of the Peace of Tilsit, Napoleon was awarded the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

Having won, Napoleon signed a decree on the continental blockade (). From now on, France and all its allies stopped trade relations with England. Europe was the main market for British goods, as well as colonial ones, imported mainly by England, the largest maritime power. The continental blockade caused damage to the English economy: a little over a year later, England was experiencing a crisis in the wool production and textile industry; the pound sterling fell. However, the blockade also hit the continent. French industry was not able to replace English industry on the European market. The disruption of trade relations with the English colonies also led to the decline of French port cities: La Rochelle, Marseille, etc. The population suffered from a lack of familiar colonial goods: coffee, sugar, tea...

Crisis and fall of the Empire (1812-1815)

Napoleon's policies in the first years of his reign enjoyed the support of the population - not only owners, but also the poor (workers, farm laborers). The fact is that the revival in the economy caused an increase in wages, which was also facilitated by constant recruitment into the army. Napoleon looked like the savior of the fatherland, wars caused national uplift, and victories caused a sense of pride. After all, Napoleon Bonaparte was a man of the revolution, and the marshals around him, brilliant military leaders, sometimes came from the very bottom. But gradually the people began to get tired of the war, which had lasted for about 20 years. Military recruitment began to cause dissatisfaction. In addition, in 1810 the economic crisis broke out again. The bourgeoisie realized that it was not within its power to economically subjugate all of Europe. Wars in the vastness of Europe were losing their meaning for her; the costs of them began to irritate her. The security of France had not been threatened for a long time, and in foreign policy the emperor’s desire to extend his power and ensure the interests of the dynasty played an increasingly important role. In the name of these interests, Napoleon divorced his first wife Josephine, with whom he had no children, and married the daughter of the Austrian Emperor, Marie-Louise (1810). An heir was born (1811), but the Emperor's Austrian marriage was extremely unpopular in France.

Napoleon's allies, who accepted the continental blockade against their interests, did not strive to strictly observe it. Tensions grew between them and France. The contradictions between France and Russia became increasingly obvious. Patriotic movements expanded in Germany, and guerrilla violence continued unabated in Spain. Having broken off relations with Alexander I, Napoleon decided to go to war with Russia. The Russian campaign of 1812 marked the beginning of the end of the Empire. Napoleon's huge, multi-tribal army did not carry within itself the previous revolutionary spirit; far from its homeland in the fields of Russia, it quickly melted away and finally ceased to exist. As the Russian army moved west, the anti-Napoleonic coalition grew. Russian, Austrian, Prussian and Swedish troops opposed the hastily assembled new French army in the “Battle of the Nations” near Leipzig (October 16-19, 1813). Napoleon was defeated and, after the Allies entered Paris, abdicated the throne. On the night of April 12–13, 1814, at Fontainebleau, suffering defeat, abandoned by his court (only a few servants, a doctor and General Caulaincourt were with him), Napoleon decided to commit suicide. He took poison, which he always carried with him after the battle of Maloyaroslavets, when he miraculously escaped being captured. But the poison decomposed from long storage, Napoleon survived. By decision of the allied monarchs, he received possession of the small island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea. On April 20, 1814, Napoleon left Fontainebleau and went into exile.

A truce was declared. The Bourbons and emigrants returned to France, seeking the return of their property and privileges. This caused discontent and fear in French society and in the army. Taking advantage of the favorable situation, Napoleon fled Elba in February 1815 and, greeted by the enthusiastic cries of the crowd, returned to Paris without hindrance. The war resumed, but France was no longer able to bear its burden. The "Hundred Days" ended with Napoleon's final defeat near the Belgian village of Waterloo (June 18). He was forced to leave France, and, relying on the nobility of the British government, voluntarily arrived on the English warship Bellerophon in the port of Plymouth, hoping to receive political asylum from his longtime enemies - the British. But the English cabinet decided differently: Napoleon became a prisoner of the British and, under the leadership of British Admiral George Elphinstone Keith, was sent to the distant island of St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean. There, in the village of Longwood, Napoleon spent the last six years of his life. Having learned about this decision, he said: “This is worse than Tamerlane’s iron cage! I would prefer to be handed over to the Bourbons... I surrendered myself to the protection of your laws. The government is trampling on the sacred customs of hospitality... This is tantamount to signing a death warrant! The British chose St. Helena because of its distance from Europe, fearing that the emperor would escape from exile again. Napoleon had no hope of a reunion with Marie-Louise and his son: even during his exile on Elba, his wife, under the influence of her father, refused to come to him.

Saint Helena

Napoleon was allowed to choose officers to accompany him; they were Henri-Gracien Bertrand, Charles Montolon, Emmanuel de Las Cases and Gaspard Gourgo, who were with him on the English ship. In total, there were 27 people in Napoleon's retinue. On August 7, 1815, the former emperor left Europe aboard the ship Northumberland. Nine escort ships carrying the 3,000 soldiers that would guard Napoleon at Saint Helena accompanied his ship. On October 17, 1815, Napoleon arrived in Jamestown, the island's only port. The habitat of Napoleon and his retinue was the vast Longwood House (the former summer residence of the Governor General), located on a mountain plateau 8 kilometers from Jamestown. The house and the area adjacent to it were surrounded by a six-kilometer-long stone wall. Sentinels were placed around the wall so that they could see each other. Sentinels were stationed on the tops of the surrounding hills, reporting all of Napoleon's actions with signal flags. The British did everything to make Bonaparte's escape from the island impossible. The deposed emperor initially had high hopes for a change in European (and especially British) policy. Napoleon knew that the Crown Princess of the English throne, Charlotte (daughter of George IV), was a passionate admirer of his. The new governor of the island, Goodson Law, further restricts the freedom of the deposed emperor: he narrows the boundaries of his walks, requires Napoleon to show himself to the guard officer at least twice a day, and tries to reduce his contacts with the outside world. Napoleon is doomed to inactivity. His health was deteriorating, Napoleon and his retinue blamed this on the unhealthy climate of the island.

Death of Napoleon

Napoleon's tomb at Les Invalides

Napoleon's health condition steadily deteriorated. From 1819 he became ill more and more often. Napoleon often complained of pain in his right side and his legs were swollen. His attending physician diagnosed him with hepatitis. Napoleon suspected that it was cancer - the disease from which his father died. In March 1821, his condition deteriorated so much that he had no doubt that death was imminent. On April 13, 1821, Napoleon dictated his will. He could no longer move without outside help, the pain became sharp and painful. On May 5, 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte died. He was buried near Longwood in an area called " Geranium Valley" There is a version that Napoleon was poisoned. However, the authors of the book “Chemistry in Forensics” L. Leistner and P. Bujtash write that “the increased content of arsenic in hair still does not give grounds to unconditionally assert the fact of deliberate poisoning, because the same data could have been obtained if Napoleon had systematically used drugs , which contain arsenic.

Literature

Napoleon Bonaparte. About the art of war. Selected works. ISBN 5-699-03899-X
Las Cas Maxims and Thoughts of the Prisoner of Saint Helena
Mukhlaeva I. “Napoleon. A few sacramental questions"
Stendhal "The Life of Napoleon"
Horace Vernet "History of Napoleon"
Rustam Raza “My life next to Napoleon”
Pimenova E.K. "Napoleon"
Filatova Y. “Main aspects of Napoleon’s domestic policy”
Chandler D. Napoleon's military campaigns. M.: Tsentropoligraf, 1999.
Saunders E. 100 days of Napoleon. M.: AST, 2002.
Tarle E. V. Napoleon
David Markham Napoleon Bonaparte for dummies isbn = 978-5-8459-1418-7
Manfred A. Z. Napoleon Bonaparte. M.: Mysl, 1989
Volgin I. L., Narinsky M. M.. Dialogue about Dostoevsky, Napoleon and the Napoleonic myth // Metamorphoses of Europe. M., 1993, p. 127-164
Ben Weider, David Hapgood. Who killed Napoleon? M.: International relations, 1992.
Ben Vader. Brilliant Bonaparte. M.: International relations, 1992.
M. Brandys Maria Valevskaya // Historical stories. M.: Progress, 1974.

Cronin Vincent Napoleon. - M.: “Zakharov”, 2008. - 576 p. - ISBN 978-5-8159-0728-7
Gallo Max Napoleon. - M.: “Zakharov”, 2009. - 704+784 p. - ISBN 978-5-8159-0845-1

Notes

Predecessor: (First Republic) Himself, as First Consul of the French Republic	1st Emperor of France (First Empire) March 20 - April 6 March 1 - June 22	Successor: (Bourbon Restoration) 34th King of France Louis XVIII
Predecessor: (First Republic) Directory of the French Republic	First Consul of the French Republic (First Republic) November 9 - March 20	Successor: (First Empire) Himself as the 1st Emperor of France

2) Marie Louise of Austria Children: from 2nd marriage
son: Napoleon II
illegitimate
sons: Charles Leon Denuel, Alexander Valevsky
daughter: Josephine Napoleon de Montolon

Childhood

Letizia Ramolino

Beginning of a military career

Rise to power

Allegorical image of Napoleon

Napoleon's domestic policy

"Great Army"

Napoleon's military campaigns and the battles that characterize them

General characteristics of the problem

Napoleon's Marshals

In 1807, on the occasion of the ratification of the Peace of Tilsit, Napoleon was awarded the highest award of the Russian Empire - the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.

Crisis and fall of the Empire (1812-1815)

Saint Helena

Death of Napoleon

Napoleon's tomb at Les Invalides

Literature

Napoleon Bonaparte. About the art of war. Selected works. ISBN 5-699-03899-X
Las Cas Maxims and Thoughts of the Prisoner of Saint Helena
Mukhlaeva I. “Napoleon. A few sacramental questions"
Stendhal "The Life of Napoleon"
Horace Vernet "History of Napoleon"
Rustam Raza “My life next to Napoleon”
Pimenova E.K. "Napoleon"
Filatova Y. “Main aspects of Napoleon’s domestic policy”
Chandler D. Napoleon's military campaigns. M.: Tsentropoligraf, 1999.
Saunders E. 100 days of Napoleon. M.: AST, 2002.
Tarle E. V. Napoleon
David Markham Napoleon Bonaparte for dummies isbn = 978-5-8459-1418-7
Manfred A. Z. Napoleon Bonaparte. M.: Mysl, 1989
Volgin I. L., Narinsky M. M.. Dialogue about Dostoevsky, Napoleon and the Napoleonic myth // Metamorphoses of Europe. M., 1993, p. 127-164
Ben Weider, David Hapgood. Who killed Napoleon? M.: International relations, 1992.
Ben Vader. Brilliant Bonaparte. M.: International relations, 1992.
M. Brandys Maria Valevskaya // Historical stories. M.: Progress, 1974.

Cronin Vincent Napoleon. - M.: “Zakharov”, 2008. - 576 p. - ISBN 978-5-8159-0728-7
Gallo Max Napoleon. - M.: “Zakharov”, 2009. - 704+784 p. - ISBN 978-5-8159-0845-1

Notes

Predecessor: (First Republic) Himself, as First Consul of the French Republic	1st Emperor of France (First Empire) March 20 - April 6 March 1 - June 22	Successor: (Bourbon Restoration) 34th King of France Louis XVIII
Predecessor: (First Republic) Directory of the French Republic	First Consul of the French Republic (First Republic) November 9 - March 20	Successor: (First Empire) Himself as the 1st Emperor of France

Emperor of the French, one of the greatest commanders in world history, Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769 on the island of Corsica, in the city of Ajaccio. He was the second son of the poor nobleman lawyer Carlo di Buonaparte and his wife Letizia, née Ramolino. After home schooling in sacred history and literacy, in the sixth year Napoleon Bonaparte entered a private school, and in 1779, at the royal expense, to a military school in Brienne. From there in 1784 he was sent to Paris, a military school that bore the name of the academy, and in the fall of 1785 he was promoted to second lieutenant in an artillery regiment stationed in Valence.

Extremely strapped for money, young Bonaparte led a very modest, secluded life here, interested only in literature and the study of works on military affairs. While in Corsica in 1788, Napoleon developed fortification projects for the defense of St. Florent, Lamortila and the Gulf of Ajaccio, compiled a report on the organization of the Corsican militia and a note on the strategic importance of the Madeleine Islands; but he considered only literary pursuits to be his serious work, hoping to gain fame and money through them. Napoleon Bonaparte voraciously read books on history, about the East, about England and Germany, was interested in the size of state revenues, the organization of institutions, the philosophy of legislation, and thoroughly absorbed the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the then fashionable Abbot Raynal. Napoleon himself wrote the history of Corsica, the stories “The Earl of Essex”, “The Prophet in Disguise”, “A Discourse on Love”, “Reflections on the Natural State of Man” and kept a diary. Almost all of these works of the young Bonaparte (except for the pamphlet “Letter to Buttafuaco,” the representative of Corsica at Versailles) remained in manuscripts. All these works are full of hatred for France, as the enslaver of Corsica, and fiery love for the homeland and its heroes. Napoleon's papers of that time contain many notes of political content, imbued with a revolutionary spirit.

Napoleon during the French Revolution

In 1786, Napoleon Bonaparte was promoted to lieutenant, and in 1791 to staff captain, with a transfer to the 4th artillery regiment. In France, meanwhile, the Great Revolution began (1789). While in Corsica in 1792, during the formation of the revolutionary national guard there, Napoleon enlisted in it as an adjutant with the rank of captain, and was then selected for the post of junior staff officer in the battalion with the rank of lieutenant colonel. Having given himself up to the struggle of parties in Corsica, he finally broke up with the Corsican patriot Paoli, who did not sympathize with the new republican power in France. Suspecting Paoli of wanting to seek support from the British, Bonaparte made an attempt to take possession of the citadel in Ajaccio, but the enterprise failed, and Napoleon left for Paris, where he witnessed the rampages mob that broke into the royal palace (June 1792). Returning again to Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte again took up the post of lieutenant colonel of the national guard and in 1793 took part in an unsuccessful expedition to Sardinia. Together with Salicetti, deputy from Corsica in the National Assembly. Napoleon again tried to capture the citadel of Ajaccio, but was unsuccessful, and then the popular assembly in Ajaccio declared the Bonaparte family traitors to the fatherland. His family fled to Toulon, and Napoleon himself reported for service in Nice, where he was assigned to coastal batteries, without being punished for misconduct (failure to show up for service on time, participation in Corsican events, etc.), because they needed officers .

This ended Napoleon's period of Corsican patriotism. Looking for an outlet for his ambition, he planned to go to the service of England, Turkey or Russia, but all his plans in this regard failed. Appointed commander of a light battery, Bonaparte took part in suppressing the uprising in Provence, and in the ensuing battle with the rebels his battery rendered great services. This first combat experience made a deep impression on Napoleon. Taking advantage of his leisure time, he wrote a political pamphlet, “Dinner at Beaucaire,” which contained an apology for the revolutionary policies of the convention and the Jacobins, who had just won a victory over the Girondins. He talentedly expressed political views and revealed a remarkable understanding of military affairs. The commissioners of the Convention who were attached to the army approved the “Dinner at Beaucaire” and printed it at public expense. This cemented Napoleon Bonaparte's connection with the Jacobin revolutionaries.

Seeing the goodwill of the convention towards Napoleon, his friends persuaded him to remain in the detachment under siege of Toulon, which was transferred after the defeat of the Girondins by the Convention into the hands of the British, and when the head of the siege artillery, General Dammartin, was wounded, Napoleon, appointed in his place, turned out to be extremely useful. At the military council, he eloquently outlined his plan for the capture of Toulon, proposing to position the artillery in such a way as to cut off the communication of the city with the roadstead where the English fleet was stationed. Toulon was taken, and Bonaparte was promoted to the rank of brigadier general.

Napoleon Bonaparte during the siege of Toulon

In December 1793, Napoleon secured the position of inspector of coastal fortifications and masterfully drew up a project for the defense of the coast from Toulon to Menton, and on February 6, 1794 he was appointed chief of artillery of the Italian army. Napoleon did not limit himself to this role. Having subordinated the commissioners of the convention under the army to his influence, he, developing plans of action, was, in essence, the leader of the entire campaign. The campaign of 1794 ended quite successfully. It was necessary to expand military operations in Italy, for which Bonaparte outlined a plan approved by Robespierre. The plan already outlined the essence of all future Napoleonic military tactics: “In war, as in the siege of a fortress, you must direct all your forces to one point. Once a breach is made, the enemy's balance is upset, all his defensive preparations at other points turn out to be useless - and the fortress is taken. Do not scatter your forces with the intention of hiding the point of attack, but try in every possible way to ensure yourself numerical superiority at it.”

Since in executing this plan it was necessary to take into account the neutrality of the Genoese Republic, Napoleon was sent there as ambassador. In a week he achieved everything he considered desirable, and at the same time carried out extensive military reconnaissance. Napoleon was already dreaming of being the executor of his plan, perhaps the commander-in-chief, when suddenly the events of 9 Thermidor occurred. Robespierre fell to the guillotine, and Napoleon Bonaparte also faced the guillotine on charges of secret and illegal relations with Robespierre. He was imprisoned in Fort Carré (near Antibes), and this saved him: thanks to the efforts of his friends, Bonaparte was released after 13 days and after some time was appointed to the Western Army, which was pacifying Vendeans, with transfer to infantry. Not wanting to go to the Vendée, Napoleon came to Paris to wait for an opportunity amid revolutionary changes, and on September 15, 1795, he was struck off the list of active service generals for his unwillingness to go to his destination.

Napoleon and the uprising of the 13th Vendémière 1795

At this time, an uprising of the bourgeoisie and royalists was being prepared in Paris, which was to serve as the beginning of a similar uprising throughout France. The convention was preparing for a fight and needed a general they could rely on. Convention member Barras, who was near Toulon and in the Italian army, pointed to Napoleon, and the latter was appointed assistant to Barras, as commander-in-chief of the internal army. Bonaparte masterfully organized the defense on both banks of the Seine, occupied the most important places, and especially skillfully positioned artillery in the narrow streets. When is October 5 ( 13 Vendemier 1795) the battle began, Napoleon appeared on horseback at the most important places and at the right moment: his artillery perfectly fulfilled its role, showering the national guard and crowds of people armed only with guns with grapeshot. The government's victory was complete. Napoleon Bonaparte was promoted to division general, and since Barras resigned the next day, Bonaparte remained commander-in-chief of the internal army. He gave it a solid organization, appointed a special detachment to protect legislative assemblies, established order in Paris and acted as the patron of all who were in disgrace.

Italian campaign of Napoleon 1796-1797

Napoleon's popularity was then extraordinary: he was considered the savior of Paris and the fatherland and they foresaw a new major political force in him. Barras, wanting to remove Napoleon from Paris as a dangerous ambitious man, offered him the post of commander-in-chief of the Italian army, especially since the plan for the war in Italy was drawn up by Bonaparte himself. On March 2, 1796, this appointment of Napoleon took place, on the 9th - his marriage with Josephine Beauharnais, and on the 12th he left for Italian campaign.

The old generals in the army were dissatisfied with Napoleon's appointment, but soon had to recognize the superiority of his genius. The Austrians deeply despised “the boy and his flock of sheep”; however, Bonaparte quickly gave them a high example of the new military art, which began a new era of it. After Battle of Lodi, where Napoleon showed amazing personal courage, his fame reached extraordinary heights. The soldiers who adored Napoleon gave him the nickname “little corporal,” which remained with him in the ranks of the army. Bonaparte showed incorruptibility and selflessness, led the simplest life, wore a very worn uniform and remained poor.

Napoleon on the Arcole Bridge. Painting by A.-J. Grossa, approx. 1801

Napoleon Bonaparte is the first French emperor and one of the most talented commanders of all time. He had high intelligence, a fantastic memory and was distinguished by an amazing capacity for work.

Napoleon personally developed combat strategies that allowed him to emerge victorious in most battles, both on land and at sea.

As a result, after 2 years of hostilities, the Russian army entered Paris in triumph, and Napoleon abdicated the throne and was exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea.

Moscow fire

However, less than a year later he escapes and returns back to Paris.

By this time, the French were concerned that the monarchical Bourbon dynasty might once again take power. That is why they enthusiastically greeted the return of Emperor Napoleon.

Ultimately, Napoleon was overthrown and captured by the British. This time he was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena, in which he remained for about 6 years.

Personal life

From his youth, Napoleon had an increased interest in girls. It is generally accepted that he was short (168 cm), but at that time such height was considered quite normal.

In addition, he had good posture and strong-willed facial features. Thanks to this, he was very popular among women.

Napoleon's first love was 16-year-old Desiree Eugenia Clara. However, their relationship did not turn out to be strong. Once in the capital, the future emperor began many affairs with Parisian women, who were often older than him.

Napoleon and Josephine

7 years after the French Revolution, Napoleon first met Josephine Beauharnais. A whirlwind romance began between them, and from 1796 they began to live in a civil marriage.

It is interesting that at that time Josephine already had two children from a previous marriage. In addition, she even spent some time in prison.

The couple had a lot in common. They both grew up in the provinces, faced difficulties in life, and also had prison experience.

Napoleon and Josephine

When Napoleon participated in various military campaigns, his beloved remained in Paris. Josephine enjoyed life, and he languished with melancholy and jealousy towards her.

It was difficult to call the famous commander a monogamist, and even more likely the opposite. His biographers suggest that he had about 40 favorites. From some of them he had children.

After living with Josephine for about 14 years, Napoleon decides to divorce her. One of the main reasons for the divorce was that the girl could not have children.

An interesting fact is that Bonaparte initially proposed marriage to Anna Pavlovna Romanova. He proposed to her through her brother.

However, the Russian emperor made it clear to the Frenchman that he did not want to become related to him. Some historians believe that this episode from Napoleon’s biography influenced further relations between Russia and France.

Soon the commander married the daughter of the Austrian emperor, Maria Louise. In 1811 she gave birth to his long-awaited heir.

It is worth paying attention to one more interesting fact. Fate turned out in such a way that it was Josephine’s grandson, and not Bonaparte, who in the future became emperor. His descendants still successfully reign in several European countries.

But Napoleon's pedigree soon ceased to exist. Bonaparte's son died at a young age, leaving no offspring.

After the abdication at the Palace of Fontainebleau

However, the wife, who lived with her father at that time, did not even remember her husband. Not only did she not express a desire to see him, but she did not even write him a single letter in response.

Death

After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon lived out his last years on the island of St. Elena. He was in a state of deep depression and suffered from pain in his right side.

He himself thought that he had cancer, from which his father died.

There is still debate about the true cause of his death. Some believe that he died from cancer, while others are convinced that there was arsenic poisoning.

The latest version is explained by the fact that after the death of the emperor, arsenic was found in his hair.

In his will, Bonaparte asked to bury his remains in France, which was done in 1840. His grave is located in the Parisian Invalides on the territory of the cathedral.

Photo of Napoleon

At the end we offer you to look at the most famous photos of Napoleon. Of course, all portraits of Bonaparte were made by artists, since cameras simply did not exist at that time.

Bonaparte - First Consul

Emperor Napoleon in his office in the Tuileries

Capitulation of Madrid on December 4, 1808

Napoleon crowned King of Italy on May 26, 1805 in Milan

Napoleon Bonaparte on the Arcole Bridge

Napoleon and Josephine

Napoleon at the Saint Bernard Pass

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The genius of Napoleon Bonaparte as a commander and politician who made a lot of efforts to achieve success is undeniable.

Napoleon Bonaparte became famous not only due to his intelligence and leadership talent, but also due to incredible ambitions, as well as a fast and dizzying career. Having begun military service at the age of 16, after a series of brilliant victories he became a general at the age of 24, and an emperor at 34.

Briefly from the biography of Napoleon:

Napoleon was born in Corsica on August 15, 1769, a year after the conquest of this island by Royal France. The parents of the future French emperor were not very wealthy peasants, but they had a noble coat of arms. In the family of Bonaparte's parents, according to various sources, there were 8 or 12 children, but Napoleon was not the eldest.

In the large Bonaparte family, only Napoleon's brother Lucien can be considered gifted with talents. Napoleon's father was one of the active fighters against the French invaders of Corsica, and then an employee of the French governor. Napoleon cared for the members of his family and clan all his life, despite constant betrayals on their part. Stomach cancer was a family disease of the Bonapartes - their grandfather, father, one of the brothers and three sisters died from it.

From the age of 9, Napoleon studied hard in continental France. First he graduated from a religious school, then a military school. Napoleon was the first Corsican to graduate externally (in one year instead of two) from the military academy in Paris. Napoleon studied in all French educational institutions on a royal scholarship - the poor Corsican family could not provide for their son.

Bonaparte could have become a writer; he had the makings of that. At an early age he already aspired to write his own works. And at the age of 17, he even took one of them to the publishing house. True, when the publishing house became interested in his talent, Napoleon was no longer interested in the career of a literary creator - he became an officer. Also, the ruler once sent his work to the Lyon Academy competition. At first no one was interested in his work, but when Napoleon became a famous officer, the academy returned his copy of his work. Bonaparte, without thinking for a long time, threw it into the trash, believing that writing was just a mistake of the past.

In 1788, being an unclaimed lieutenant with great ambitions, Napoleon tries to enlist in the Russian army for the war with Turkey. But, according to the terms of the employment, he had to be demoted in military rank, and the young lieutenant did not want to do this.

Napoleon, a French officer on leave from 1789 to 1793, supported the Corsican revolutionaries in their fight against the adherents of royal power. At that time, the young Napoleon did not want to return to French service and the miserable existence of a junior officer. For refusing to fight the French Revolution in Corsica, he was imprisoned, and Corsican patriots burned the Bonaparte family home.

At the age of 26, thanks to his personal services to the Revolution, Napoleon became a brigadier general and commander of the Paris garrison.

At the age of 27, Napoleon, having received command of the impoverished and ragged Italian army of the French Republic, wins several victories over the Austrian Empire, captures cities, founds new states, and at the same time constantly sends millions of francs to France.

All the wars that Napoleon waged were ruinous for the local population, since the commander believed that “the army must feed itself.”

Usually, for coronation, contenders for the imperial crown went to the Pope to be crowned. The Pope came to Paris for Napoleon's coronation. However, in the presence of the pope, Napoleon himself placed the crown on his head. At this moment, the first emperor of the French was 34 years old.

Having proclaimed himself emperor, Napoleon decided to conquer the whole world. Having won several major victories, he extended his power to Belgium, Holland, Spain, most of Germany and Poland. But Russia turned out to be too tough for Napoleon; as we know, he suffered a fiasco. Bonaparte's invincible army in Russia came to an end.

In 1815, Napoleon was sent to St. Helena. And according to history, he did not leave this island until his death. There are two main versions of the reasons for the death of Napoleon Bonaparte. According to the first, he died from arsenic poisoning, which was used to control rats on the island of St. Elena. According to the second, confirmed by autopsy, death was due to stomach cancer.

Another theory suggests that Napoleon was afraid of being poisoned and, according to a popular theory of the time, voluntarily took small doses of arsenic to develop immunity to the poison. Naturally, such a procedure would inevitably end tragically.

The burial site of the Emperor of France in 1821 was guarded by English sentries until 1840. 19 years after the death of the emperor, his sealed three-layer lead coffin was opened. The deceased's clothes were practically decayed, and the body was almost completely rotten. Maybe because arsenic is a good preservative.

During his military career, Bonaparte won about 60 battles, but he never neglected his popularity with his soldiers. There are many such examples - the officers and generals surrounding the emperor could bow to the cannonballs, Napoleon could not afford this. But the emperor could easily replace a fallen sentry at his post or go to bed in the midst of the Battle of Austerlitz and Wagram.

There is a known case when Napoleon caught a sleeping soldier at his post, and instead of bringing him to justice, he himself took the sleeping man’s weapon and replaced him at post. Such an act testifies not so much to kindness as to outstanding intelligence and sober calculation - actions of this kind help to quickly and for a long time gain popularity among soldiers.

Just before the Battle of Austerlitz, his magnificent triumph, he fell into such a deep sleep that he was barely awakened. In the midst of the battle of Wagram, at the most decisive moment, he ordered a bearskin to be spread on the ground, lay down on it and, amid a barrage of fire, fell into sleep. Having woken up about 20 minutes later, he continued to give orders as if nothing had happened. + In one of the battles, a shell fell near the soldiers, and they scattered to both sides. Napoleon decided to teach them a lesson in fearlessness and rode up on his horse to the shell, standing directly above it. As a result, the shell exploded, but Napoleon remained unharmed and only demanded a new horse.

Myths and legends about Napoleon:

The lives of most famous people are associated with many legends, gossip and speculation. Especially many myths and legends have been invented about Napoleon Bonaparte, and among them it is already difficult to distinguish truth from lies.

1. The fear of cats attributed to Napoleon I was actually suffered by his nephew, Emperor Napoleon III.

2.Napoleon believed that China was beyond the Urals. Which country did he consider China, since the emperor was one of the most educated people of his time?

3. It is believed that this man’s performance and endurance were fantastic - he could sleep no more than 2 - 3 hours for many days. However, according to the recollections of one of his personal secretaries, the emperor's sleep lasted 6 - 7 hours a day.

4. Artists often depict Emperor Napoleon on a white horse, but Bonaparte did not like white - the color of the Bourbons and royalists. In fact, he preferred gray Arabian horses.

5. There was a legend that when the emperor’s army was in Egypt and was practicing cannon fire, due to inattention, the shot hit the sphinx statue, as a result of which its nose was destroyed. Naturally, this legend is a pathetic fiction. In 1755, a certain Frederic Louis Norden had already provided a drawing indicating that the statue had no nose. And such a journey of the emperor with his army took place at the end of the 17th century. Moreover, this legend “spread” relatively recently - in the twentieth century, but historians and researchers quickly refuted it.

6. In fact, Bonaparte's height was 169 - 172 cm, which at that time exceeded the average height of Europeans. The legend about Napoleon's dwarf stature was invented by the British for slanderous purposes. The troops who loved him called their commander “little” because of the young age at which Napoleon began his military career.

Josephine and Napoleon

8. There were rumors that the ruler wrote his own novel. This is not entirely true. Napoleon only wrote a story consisting of 9 pages. This work is called “Clissant and Eugénie”. Moreover, the emperor did not intend to advertise his work. He only shared the story with his close people, who subsequently spread his work to the masses. Historians claim that he dedicated this story to Lady Eugenie Desiree Clarn, with whom he was in love. True, the emperor did not have a long relationship with this lady, as a result of which everything resulted in such a literary work.

9. It is believed that the science of Egyptology began during the capture of Egypt (1798 - 1799) by General Bonaparte. The popular expression of the future emperor dates back to the same period: “The army is in punishment. Donkeys and scientists in the middle." In this way, the most valuable things the expedition had were preserved.

10.During the battles of Jaffa in Egypt, Napoleon’s army suffered defeats, so the emperor decided to retreat. And what’s most interesting is that he sent all the wounded forward. Some of the wounded were infected with the plague, so there was no chance of their salvation; moreover, they could infect other soldiers. Bonaparte understood that if he left the suffering soldiers now, they would soon be captured by the Turks. To prevent this from happening, the emperor turned to the doctor Janet to relieve them of their torment. But the doctor refused to “finish off” the soldiers. The ruler also did not want to leave the wounded soldiers, so he stayed with the rest of his army near Jaffa. Who would have thought that because of what happened, Bonaparte would seriously damage his reputation. There were a lot of rumors about how cruelly the emperor treated his soldiers. Moreover, even many French residents believed in this myth. No matter how hard the emperor tried, he was never able to convince anyone that he had not poisoned any of his soldiers, even those suffering from the plague.

11. There is also a legend about the looting by Bonaparte’s army in Egypt. In reality, the emperor did not rob anything. He just sent a team of scientists to Egypt to study various artifacts and monuments. The French ruler, of course, failed to conquer this state, but after what happened, many other countries began to become interested in Egypt. Consequently, the robberies began around this period. True, France didn’t even have anything to do with them, but for some reason all the blame was placed on Bonaparte.

12.The essence of one legend is that one day the emperor’s subject prepared him poisoned coffee. However, Napoleon's cook noticed that the woman had mixed something in his drink, so he suggested that he give up coffee. The emperor himself decided to make sure of this in a cruel way. He invited his subject and ordered her to drink coffee. She drank, and before her death she admitted that she really tried to poison the emperor because when she was still young, Napoleon “took advantage” of her. There are a lot of stories about the women rejected by Napoleon and how they tried to take revenge on him. But few of them are true. And this story, of course, is fiction.

13.Napoleon was sent to St. Helena in 1815. And it is known from history that he did not leave this island until his death. But almost a century later, a man named M. Omersa began to claim that, with a high probability, it was not a French ruler who lived on this island, but a man who looked like Napoleon. According to him, Bonaparte grew a beard and left for Verona, where he lived a quiet life. And one day, in an attempt to see his son, the guards shot the emperor, and, naturally, none of the guards could even imagine that they had killed the French ruler himself. It is impossible to refute this legend with certainty, because there are no facts that would definitely confirm the presence of the emperor on the island of St. Helena. But the doubt lies in the fact that history says that Napoleon stayed on the island for six whole years. Is it really possible, even for a talented “actor,” to play the role of Napoleon for such a period of time?

14. It is believed that Napoleon remembered thousands of soldiers by name.

15. The emperor's wife, Josephine Beauharnais, had a daughter, Hortensia. For Napoleon, she became beloved and dear, but the Bonaparte family did not treat such an unexpected daughter of Napoleon very well. And Josephine decided that Hortense should marry Louis, the native son of the French ruler. Beauharnais hoped that if Bonaparte's son and her daughter had a child, he could become Napoleon's heir. True, it was already too late, the love feelings of Louis and Hortense had faded, and no one was going to force them to marry. As a result of such confusion around the emperor's family, many rumors began to arise related to the fact that Hortensia's child was from Napoleon. And that Bonaparte’s wife herself advocated such a relationship. Moreover, even some people from the emperor’s family sought to bring these rumors to the masses.

20 interesting facts from the life of Napoleon:

1.Napoleon’s native language was considered to be the Corsican dialect of Italian.

2. Napoleon Bonaparte had a lot in common with Adolf Hitler, namely: They both came to power at the age of 44, they both attacked Russia at the age of 52, and also lost their wars at the age of 56.

3.Napoleon Bonaparte was a talented mathematician. He came up with a theorem that bears his name and a ruler for constructing a square. For these and other scientific achievements, the emperor was awarded the title of academician of the French Academy of Sciences.

4. One of Napoleon's many drinking cups was made from the skull of the famous Italian adventurer Cagliostro.

5. The appearance of buttons on jacket sleeves is attributed to Napoleon. He did this in order to wean his soldiers from wiping their noses with the edge of their outer clothing - this irritated the emperor extremely.

6.The famous cake and cognac were named after Napoleon.

7. The first French emperor loved cats, but out of superstition he avoided meeting black cats.

8. Napoleon’s opponents contemptuously called him “the little Corsican.”

9. Napoleon was very fond of various hats. Over the course of his time, he wore about 200 hats.

10. In the most crucial and fatal moments, Napoleon suddenly fell asleep, as if he had gone somewhere for some reason. Very often he repeated: “For tomorrow. Night brings advice."

11.After six years of imprisonment, Napoleon died from a protracted illness.

12. It was known that Napoleon liked Italian operas, especially Romeo and Juliet.

13.Napoleon almost never got sick.

14. Napoleon’s wife, Josephine, was 6 years older than her lover.

15.Contemporaries were amazed at Napoleon Bonaparte’s efficiency.

16.Napoleon was considered a fearless person.

17.Napoleon Bonaparte is the author of the modern Italian flag, which he invented for the Kingdom of Italy. In 1805, he proclaimed the Kingdom of Italy instead of the Cisalpine Republic, declared himself the Italian king and officially adopted the green, white and red Italian flag.

18.The foundations for the development of modern industry and the economy of France were laid by Napoleon, especially during the Continental blockade of Great Britain

19. Even the Bourbons who came to power did not dare to abolish the Civil Code (Napoleonic Code). With various changes, this set of documents is valid in France today.

20.The Legion of Honor, which was invented and introduced by Napoleon, still exists today, and the awarding of the Order of the Legion of Honor is considered prestigious throughout the world.