Napoleon Bonaparte is a great military leader. Napoleon Bonaparte: biography and interesting facts from life

  • 19.10.2019

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

Napoleon personally developed battle 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 and was exiled to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean.


Moscow fire

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

By then, the French were worried that the Bourbon monarchy might take over again. That is why they enthusiastically welcomed the return of Emperor Napoleon.

Ultimately, Napoleon was overthrown and taken prisoner by the British. This time he was sent into exile on the island of St. Helena, where he stayed for about 6 years.

Personal life

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

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

Napoleon's first love was 16-year-old Desiree-Eugenia-Clara. However, their relationship was not strong. Once in the capital, the future emperor had many affairs with Parisians, who were often older than him.

Napoleon and Josephine

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

Interestingly, 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 companies, his beloved remained in Paris. Josephine enjoyed life, and he languished with longing and jealousy for her.

It was difficult to call the famous commander a monogamous, and even rather 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 initially Bonaparte offered his hand and heart 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 be related to him. Some historians believe that this episode from Napoleon's biography influenced further relations between Russia and France.

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

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

But the genealogy of Napoleon 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 at that time lived with her father, did not even think about her husband. Not only did she not express a desire to see him, but she did not even write him a single letter in return.

Death

After the defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon spent his last years on the island of St. Helena. 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.

The true cause of his death is still debated. Some believe that he died of cancer, while others are convinced that arsenic poisoning took place.

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 requested that his remains be buried in France, which was done in 1840. His grave is located in the Paris Invalides on the territory of the cathedral.

Photo of Napoleon

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


Bonaparte - First Consul
Emperor Napoleon in his study at the Tuileries
Surrender of Madrid on December 4, 1808
Napoleon is 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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Main actions Napoleon I in the first years of his reign ("brilliant consulate") became: putting things in order in the country (starting with the elimination of robbery on the roads, calming the Vendée, stopping corruption), establishing administrative management, writing a new constitution, streamlining finances (and, first of all, budget), the establishment of the French Bank, the achievement of a social compromise (the return of emigrants, the creation of the Order of the Legion of Honor, acting on the principle of admission to power structures by talent, and not by belonging to parties); conclusion peace treaties with all countries participating in anti-French coalitions (which these states soon violated); the creation of the famous Civil Code; signing of a concordat with the Pope, etc.

E.N. Ponasenkov Moscow State University them. M.V. Lomonosov

Napoleon is a legendary figure. He took a firm place in history, giving his name to an entire era. Napoleon's battles have entered the military textbooks, and "Napoleonic Law" underlies the civil norms of Western democracies. Napoleon I Bonaparte born August 15, 1769 in Ajaccio on the island of Corsica, which for a long time was under the control of the Republic of Genoa, he was the second among thirteen children in the family of a petty aristocrat. Thanks to cooperation with the French, his father managed to secure royal scholarships for his two eldest sons, Joseph and Napoleon. While Joseph was preparing to become a priest, Napoleon was destined for a military career. Napoleon began serving in the army in 1785 with the rank of junior lieutenant of artillery, having advanced during the French Revolution. Possessing a phenomenal memory, incredible capacity for work, a sharp mind, a military and state genius, the gift of a diplomat, charm, he easily won over people. In November 1799, he carried out a coup d'etat, as a result of which he became the first consul, who, over time, concentrated in his hands virtually all power. In 1804 he was proclaimed emperor. He carried out a number of reforms (in 1800 he founded the French Bank, in 1804 the civil code was adopted). His offensive victorious wars greatly expanded the territory of the empire. Thanks to the conquests of Napoleon, many states of Western and Central Europe became dependent on France. The beginning of the collapse of the empire of Napoleon I was the defeat of the Napoleonic troops in the war of 1812 against Russia. After the troops of the anti-French coalition entered Paris in 1814, Napoleon I abdicated and was exiled to the island of Elba. In March 1815, he again took the French throne, but after the defeat at Waterloo, in June of the same year he abdicated again. Last years spent his life as a prisoner of the British on the island of St. Helena. His health steadily worsened, and on May 5, 1821, Napoleon died. There is a version that he was poisoned. Despite the fact that Napoleon's empire turned out to be fragile, the tragic fate of the emperor gave abundant food to romanticism, which flourished in European culture in the following decades.

The content of the article

NAPOLEON I, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821), French military leader and statesman. Napoleone Buonaparte was born on August 15, 1769 in Ajaccio (Corsica). He was the second son of the lawyer Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino. In 1768 the Genoese sold their rights to Corsica to France. Carlo Buonaparte participated in the movement for the independence of the island, led by Pasquale Paoli, but after the sale of Corsica, he began to support the French regime. In 1771, as a reward, he received from Louis XV a formal confirmation of his belonging to the nobility.

Wars and victories.

Great Britain more than others was not satisfied with the unification of Europe under the auspices of one power. The pretexts for a break between England and France were of an insignificant nature, as evidenced by the fact that the peace concluded in Amiens lasted a little more than a year (March 1802 - May 1803). When war was declared in May, the dual situation arose again. France could not subdue Great Britain, which dominated the seas, but the British could not defeat Napoleon with the fleet alone. And although the wealth of England allowed her to subsidize the creation of a coalition of European powers, the "Cavalry of St. George", as payments were figuratively called with a hint of the figure depicted on English coins, could not bring the war to a victorious end.

Napoleon was preparing an invasion of England and set up an extensive military camp, gathering a powerful fleet to Boulogne to transport troops across the strait. He declared that if he took control of the English Channel, then within a few days England would have to surrender to the mercy of the winner. Naval maneuvers ended in complete defeat at the Battle of Trafalgar (October 21, 1805).

Then Napoleon was forced to look in the other direction - to the third coalition formed in 1805. With the support of England and Russia, Austria declared war on France. With amazing speed, Napoleon led the army from Boulogne to Bavaria. On October 20, the Austrian general Mack surrendered to him at Ulm. On November 13, Napoleon arrived in Vienna, and on December 2 he defeated the Austrian and Russian troops at the Battle of Austerlitz. On December 26, in Pressburg (Bratislava), he dictated peace terms to Austria.

Prussia refrained from military action, but in 1806 she united against France with Russia and England. Prussia was crushed in one day - October 14 - in the battles of Jena and Auerstedt. Berlin was taken, and the heirs of Frederick the Great were to continue to serve as puppets. The Russians fought well at the Battle of Eylau (February 8, 1807), but after the Battle of Friedland (June 14) they asked for a truce. On July 8, Tsar Alexander I and Napoleon met on a raft on the Neman River near Tilsit, where they swore eternal friendship between France and Russia and enmity towards England. They formed a sort of Big Two that was to dominate Europe.

This was the pinnacle of Napoleon's career, although later he won more than once and increased the possessions of the empire. Napoleon was not only Emperor of France, which stretched to the left bank of the Rhine, but also King of Italy, mediator of the Swiss Confederation and protector of the Confederation of the Rhine. His brothers became kings: Joseph in Naples, Louis in Holland, Jerome in Westphalia. This empire was comparable in its territory to the empire of Charlemagne or the Holy Roman Empire of Charles V.

After the meeting at Tilsit, Napoleon returned to Paris in triumph. Now his hands were free, and he destroyed the last obstacle to absolute power - the Tribunal, one of the four collegiate bodies created under the constitution of the Consulate period. The complete liquidation of the Tribunal removed the last possibility of any parliamentary opposition.

First miscalculations.

When Napoleon met Alexander again in Erfurt (September 27 - October 14, 1808), the Emperor of France appeared in all his splendor as the ruler of the West. But decisive mistakes had already been made, and the astute Talleyrand warned the Russian Tsar behind his master's back that the position of the ruler of France was not as strong as it seemed. The first of the errors was the continental blockade of English goods proclaimed in Milan and Berlin (November 21, 1806; December 17, 1807). Imposed at the whim of the emperor and obviously ineffective, the measure caused great indignation among the satellite states. The second mistake is a confrontation with the pope. In 1809, when Napoleon annexed the lands of the Papal States, the conflict reached its peak. The third and most obvious mistake of his is the invasion of Spain.

Since 1795 Spain has been a subject country and a devoted ally of France. The weak king Charles IV was fully bossed around by the queen and her favorite, the all-powerful minister Godoy, as well as crown prince Ferdinand. In 1808 they asked "their best friend in Paris" to arbitrate their disputes. Napoleon forced both father and son to abdicate by suggesting that his brother Joseph change the throne in Naples to the throne in Madrid (May 1808). A small group of Afrancesados ​​(French-influenced liberals) supported the new regime, but the people rebelled. The uprising was a manifestation of both the new spirit of nationalism and the hostile attitude of the Spanish clergy towards the opponent of the pope. For the first time in 15 years of war, the French army capitulated almost without a fight at Bailen (July 20). Napoleon was stuck in the Spanish problem for five whole years. During this time, the British managed to land in Portugal and drove the French out of Lisbon. In late autumn, Napoleon advanced into Spain at the head of an army and pushed the British troops under Sir John Moore into the province of Galicia in northwestern Spain. However, a new threat from Austria forced the emperor to leave Spain without achieving a final victory. Unable to admit his mistake, he was forced to send the best troops to this secondary front of the war. By October 1813, the British general Duke of Wellington had driven the Napoleonic troops out of Spain and was ready to invade France from the south.

Taking advantage of Napoleon's difficulties in Spain, Austria declared war on France in April 1809 for the fifth time since 1792. Within a month, Napoleon again occupied Vienna, but this was no longer such a stunning success as the Austerlitz campaign. The Austrian army under the command of Archduke Charles stopped Napoleon at Aspern and Essling, but for several days was surrounded on Lobau Island on the Danube near Vienna. In the end, the French defeated the Austrians at the Battle of Wagram (July 6, 1809), but they did not succeed in completely defeating their army. Despite this, the peace terms dictated by Napoleon were extremely harsh.

The Allies treated France and the overthrown conqueror with amazing generosity. Napoleon was given the island of Elba, not far from the coast of Italy, near Corsica. Napoleon retained his imperial title and had a court, army and navy. He seemed to be satisfied with life on the island. But Napoleon knew that Louis XVIII would not be able to win support in France, and on February 26, 1815 he sailed to French soil.

One hundred days.

March 1, 1815 Napoleon, taking with him 1100 people, landed in the Bay of Juan near Cape Antibes and a few days later got lost in the Alps. In Grenoble, the garrison went over to his side. In Lyon, the crowd hailed him as an enemy of kings, nobles and priests, which horrified him. Marshal Ney, who threatened to send Napoleon to Paris in an iron cage, surrendered to him with his army. On March 20, 1815, without firing a shot, Napoleon entered Paris. The night before, Louis XVIII prudently left the Tuileries Palace and hid in Ghent (Netherlands).

To gain support, Napoleon intended to create a new empire with an English-style constitution, which, however, no one believed. He went to the army that Marshal Davout had assembled for him in the southern Netherlands (modern Belgium) to march before the Allies could coordinate their forces. Napoleon drove back the Prussians at Ligny and attacked the Anglo-Dutch army under Wellington at Waterloo (June 18, 1815). It was a hard-fought, bloody battle without any attempt at maneuvering. The battle stalled, then the French seemed to be gaining the upper hand, until the Prussian troops arrived under the command of General Blucher. After this, Wellington went on the offensive along the entire front, and the remnants of the great army turned to flight.

Final exile.

Napoleon once again abandoned his army and returned to Paris. On June 22, the assembly drawn up according to the new constitution accepted his second abdication and proclaimed emperor of his infant son Napoleon II. After a week at Malmaison filled with sweet and bitter memories of Josephine, he submitted to Allied pressure and moved slowly towards Rochefort, a naval base off the coast of Biscay.

Napoleon matured the decision to sail to America on two frigates provided to him by the French government. His too long stay in Malmaison allowed him to avoid the traps of the Bourbons. Humiliated by Napoleon, they would have done to him the same way he did to the Duke of Enghien, and would have shot him, as they later shot Marshal Ney. So Napoleon boarded the British warship Bellerophon, not so much as a prisoner, but, in his words, "like Themistocles" and hoping for the mercy of his former enemies. The British ignored this hint - for them he was not a guest, but a prisoner of Europe, who once escaped and was again caught. October 15, 1815 they sent Napoleon to St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.

Napoleon's imprisonment was not severe. With him was a small retinue, which only had to argue over trifles. In the eyes of the British, he was neither a demigod, nor a fallen hero, nor even a former crowned lady (Great Britain never recognized the empire), but simply a noble captive, "General Bonaparte." This was the reason for his skirmishes with the governor, Sir Hudson Low, a mediocre, pretentious, but not at all cruel man.

Apotheosis.

Not accustomed to inactivity, Napoleon undertook another action - propaganda - bold and eminently successful, turning defeat into a final victory. Before the overthrow, he regarded himself as a man who kept the revolution within certain limits and served a cause close to all the monarchs of Europe. Now, being rejected by them, he turned to the peoples, presenting himself as the embodiment of the revolution, the defender common man, the Prometheus of democracy with the "Gospel of Saint Helena" expressed in his Memoirs.

When Napoleon died on May 5, 1821, there was no particular outburst of compassion in Europe. But his posthumous message reached France and Europe just in time. The Holy Alliance and the conservative policies he tried to impose on Europe, as well as the restoration of the Bourbons in France, lost their appeal. Europe again turned to his liberal ideas. As a result, Napoleon appeared as a martyr of the reactionary monarchs. The era of romanticism came, and Napoleon turned into one of the giant mythical heroes along with Faust, Don Juan and Prometheus. Monuments of the Napoleonic era - a column on the Place Vendôme, Triumphal Arch– became the shrines of the new idol.

Literature:

Tarle E. Napoleon. M., 1941
Manfred A.Z. Napoleon Bonaparte, 5th ed. M., 1989
Varlamov A.A. Napoleon Bonaparte and his military activities. Petrozavodsk, 1992
Troitsky N.A. Alexander I and Napoleon. M., 1994
Toroptsev A.P. Napoleon. Book of battles. M., 1995
Tular J. Napoleon. M., 1996



NAPOLEON I (Napoleon Bonaparte) - French statesman and military leader, Emperor of the French (1804-1814, 1815).

From many children of a noble family, in the 16th century emig-ri-ro-vav-shey from Tos-ka-na to the island of Kor-si-ka. His father, Kar-lo Ma-ria Buo-na-par-te (1746-1785), ad-vo-kat by profession, first-at-first-but was one of the -vizh-ni-kov P. Pao-li, li-de-ra fight for not-over-hanging-bridge Kor-si-ki. Na-po-le-he Bo-na-part studied in Brienne (1779-1784), then in Paris (1784-1785) in the lah, after that he served in the pro-vincial gar-ni-zo-nah in Va-lan-se, Lyon, Douai, Oc-so-ne. At that time, he paid great attention to the familiarity with artistic, political, philosophical literature, including labor mi Vol-te-ra, P. Cor-ne-la, J. Ra-si-na, J. Buff-fo-na, C. Monte-tes-kyo. Na-cha-lo of the French re-vo-lu-tion of the 18th century for-stands him in Ok-so-ne, where the regiment, in whom he served, yes- fork not-pain-shoe recovery. In 1792 he joined the Yako-Binsky club. In September 1792, he was appointed commander of an artillery battery in the city of Nice, then commander of a battal-o-on the republican-public-can-army, wasp-zh- having given the city of Tu-lon, for-hva-chen-ny swarm-li-hundred-mi and under-der-zhi-vav-shi-mi with their British howls-ska-mi. Pre-lo-lived his plan to take the city-ro-yes, someone called-to-lil-to-bo-dit Tu-lon in December 1793. 12/22/1793, pro-from-ve-den to brigade-gen-ne-ra-ly and appointed co-man-to-wat ar-til-le-ri-ey Al-piy- skoy army, action-st-vo-vav-shey against the av-st-ro-sar-din troops. After Ter-mi-do-ri-en-sko-go re-re-vo-ro-ta in 1794, he was removed from duty and on September 15, 1795, dismissed from the army on about-vi-not-nia in connection with yako-bin-tsa-mi. In October 1795, the re-stand-new-len in the army, according to the ini-tsia-ti-ve, a member of the Di-rek-to-rii P. Bar-ra-sa, in-ru-chiv-she-go to him -yes-wit the swarm-li-st-sky me-tezh 13 van-dem-e-ra (October 5, 1795) in Paris. For this operation, he received the rank of di-vi-zi-on-no-go gene-ne-ra-la (10/16/1795) and the position of the commander of the howl-ska- mi on the territory of France (the so-called Internal Army). In October 1795, Bar-ras-know-to-sweet Na-po-leo-na Bo-na-part-ta with Jo-ze-fi-noy de Bo-gar-ne and arranged their marriage . Since 1796, the chief commander of the French army in Northern Italy. Italian campaign of 1796-1797 -la strategic talent Na-po-leo-na Bo-na-par-ta and brought him European fame. After from-ka-for Di-river-to-rii from the plan to invade the British Isles, he achieved org-ha-ni-za-tion of the military ex-pe-di-tion in Egypt with the aim of creating an important angle for the security of the British Empire on the way to India. The march of 1798-1801 (see Egypt ex-pe-di-tion Na-po-le-o-na Bo-na-par-ta) was not as successful as the stone pa-tion of 1796-1797. For-a-heavy-character-ter, someone-ry pri-nya-la ex-pe-di-tion, in the same way as the French army in Northern Italy from av-st- Russian troops under the command of Field Marshal A.V. Su-vo-ro-va, as well as the non-stability of the ob-sta-nov-ki in France in-bu-di-whether Na-po-leo-na Bo-na-par- that os-ta-vit co-man-do-va-nie on General J.B. Cle-be-ra and secretly return to Paris (October 1799). You-stepped into the role of “spa-si-te-la ote-che-st-va”, he made the state re-re-in-mouth on November 9, 1799 (see In-se-na- dtsa bru-me-ra). In France, there would be from-me-not-to-de-st-in-vav-shay con-sti-tu-tion and us-ta-nov-len regime of temporary Cons-sul-st-va. New con-sti-tu-tion ut-ver-zhde-on 12/25/1799, Cons-sul-st-in ofi-tsi-al-but pro-voz-gla-she-but on 1/1/1800. Na-po-le-he Bo-na-part took the post of the first con-su-la with a 10-year term half-but-mo-chi. Wishing to up-ro-chit and mo-but-po-li-zi-ro-vat power, he achieved the pro-proclaiming of himself on August 2, 1802 in life nym con-su-scrap with the right to the meaning of pre-em-no-ka, ra-ti-fi-ka-tion of the international do-go-vo-ditch and mi -lo-va-niya pre-step-no-kov. Us-ta-nov-le-nie but-in-go re-zhi-ma co-pro-in-well-yes-moose-le-ni-em freedom of the press (for-cover- you 60 newspapers), pre-follow-to-va-ni-em in-ly-tic pro-tiv-ni-kov, pre-g-de of all swarm-lists and yako-bin-tsev .

In the internal in-li-ti-ke, he combined the line for the preservation and for-co-dative uk-re-p-le-nie dos-ti-same-niy re-in-lu-tion with the strengthening of the mo-nar-chic features of power and re-review from-no-she-ny with the Roman-ca-to-personal church -to-view. In 1801, for-klyu-chen Kon-kor-dat with papa of Rome Pi-em VII, pro-voz-leader-shav-shi free use-of-ve-da- that-personal re-li-gy, someone-paradise declared re-li-gi-her “pain-shin-st-va French-call”. On May 18, 1804, the Senate of the French Republic-pub-li-ki adopted an act (se-na-tus-con-sult), pro-voting France im-pe-ri-she (see First im-pe-riya) led by im-pe-ra-to-rum French-call Napoleon I. On November 6, 1804, se-na-tus-con-sult was approved by 3.5 million votes against 2.5 million. The im-pe-ra-tor-ti-tul of Napoleon I with the right-va-mi on-the-follow-before-va-niya pre-sto-la was os-vya-shyon pa-poi Pi-em VII, with- former-shim on co-ro-na-tion, co-hundred-yav-shu-shu-sya on December 2, 1804 in co-bo-re of the Parisian Bo-go-ma-te-ri. At the church, Napoleon I personally put co-ro-well on himself and his sup-ru-gu J. de Beau-gar-ne.

In the sphere of public administration, Napoleon I drew a line on the center-tra-li-for-tion and strengthening of the police control in co-che-ta-nii with me-ra-mi on the mod-der-no-for-tion of the administrative system-te-we. The most important co-be-ti-em was the adoption in 1804 of the sa-mo-go-re-to-in-go at that time of the Civil Code (with 1807 Codex Na-po-le-o-na). In the years 1806-1810, would we have introduced the corner-loving, tor-go-vy and other co-dec-sy, su-sche-st-ven-but improved-shiv -shie and up-ro-stiv-shie sys-te-mu su-do-pro-from-water-st-va in France. Like-ti-ka of Napoleon I in the fi-nan-so-in-eco-no-mic sphere -la (in 1800, the os-no-van Bank of France) and tor-go-vy pa-lat. In 1803, in 1803, the new gold-so-so-french co-deployment (the so-called. franc jer-mi-nal), someone has become from this time one of the most stable de-tender units in Europe. In general, the internal situation of Napoleon I led to the fact that in France the monarchic regime was restored with all the -su-shchi-mi to him external-ni-mi at-ri-bu-ta-mi (yard, ti-tu-ly, etc.), one-but-time-men-but-stored-niv-shiy the most important re-revolutionary so-qi-al-no-eco-no-micic for-wow-wa-ning, pre-zh-de all-go-recognition of land rights for her but-you-mi own-st-ven-ni-ka-mi - kre-st-I-on-mi.

The external po-ti-ka of Napoleon I was on the right-le-on to provide the French he-ge-mo-nii in Europe. The main means of achieving this goal was the war with the European states-su-dar-st-va-mi, ob-e-di-nyav-shi -Mi-Xia in an-ti-French-tsuz-sky coal-li-tion. With the pro-voz-she-ni-em im-pe-rii in-goiter-but-vi-los-lo-sa in-continuous wars (see Na-po-le-o-nov -sky wars), someone France has waged since 1792. Possessed by Napoleon I in-be-dy led to the creation of an og-rom-noy con-ti-nent-tal-noy im-pe-rii, oh-va-tiv-shey throughout Western and Central Europe. It consisted of ter-ri-to-riy, included in the composition of my own France, ras-shi-riv-shey-sya to 130 de-pair-ta-men -tov (except for own-st-ven-but France, including modern Belgium, the Netherlands, the left bank of the Rhine, as well as ter -ri-to-rii on the coast of the North Sea, Italian ko-ro-left-st-in, Papal region, Il-li-riy-sky pro- vin-tion), and because of the state-ra-zo-va-ny from her (Is-pa-niya, Ne-apo-li-tan-ko-ro-lion-st -in, the Rhine Union, the Warsaw prince-same-st-in), at the head of which Napoleon I often put his kind-st-ven- ni-kov (E. de Bo-gar-ne, I. Mu-rat, Joseph I Bo-na-part). Is it possible that Napoleon I in the foreign countries would have been right on the right to use them for the purpose of eco-no-mic and the political development of my own France. Kon-ti-nen-tal-naya blo-ka-yes, not-ga-tiv-but from-ra-zhav-shaya on the eco-no-mi-ke of these countries, obes-pe-chi-va- la at the same time (until 1810) sales markets for the growing French industry.

Napoleon I tried to get his military-en-but-po-lytic mustache with di-na-stic connections. Having no children from Jo-se-fi-ny, Napoleon I, obes-po-ko-en-ny fate-battle of os-no-van-noy them di-na-stii Bo-on-par-tov, he took care of her and took up a new soup-ru-gi in-is-ka-mi. After the un-successful po-current, in-marriage-to-s-st-frames Russian emperor Alek-san-dr I (to Eka-te-ri-ne Pav-lov-not in 1808 and An-ne Pav-lov-not in 1809) in April 1810 he-nil-sya on erts -duke-gi-not Ma-rii Louise, do-che-ri of the Austrian emperor Franz I (see Franz II). This marriage was about-dick-to-van also striving-le-ni-em of Napoleon I to uk-re-drink Franc-to-Austrian from-no-she-nia. In 1811, a son was born to him (see Na-po-le-on II).

Napoleon I once-ra-ba-you-shaft external-not-po-ly-tic projects-you, ka-sav-shi-sya also North America and the West Indies. Pe-re-da-cha Is-pa-ni-ey Louis-zia-ny of France and ure-gu-li-ro-va-nie of French-American from-but-she-nii (see Mor- fon-ton-sky before-go-thief of 1800) created, in the opinion of Napoleon I, good pre-sells for strengthening French influence in the Western in a lu-sha-rii. One-to-no-luck-cha of the French ex-pe-di-tion on Gai-ti and Gua-de-lu-pu in 1802 re-cherk-well-la these plans. As a result, Louis-sia-na would-la pro-da-na the USA in 1803.

By 1812, Napoleon I had practically beaten the French ge-ge-mo-nia in Europe. There were only two states-su-dar-st-va, not recognizing in one form or another the power of France, - Ve-li-ko-bri- ta-niya and Russian im-pe-riya. Na-chi-naya in the summer of 1812 on a trip to Russia, Napoleon I on-de-yal-sya to win-to-reap-ruyu in-be-du and bend the thread of Alek-san-d- ra I to co-together-st-no-mu you-stu-p-le-niyu against We-li-ko-bri-ta-nii. In-the-same-nation in Russia (see Father-che-st-ven-naya war-on 1812) became the forerunner of the wreck of not only ge-ge- mo-ni-st-sky plans of Napoleon I, but also the creation of his old-ra-niya-mi im-pe-rii, in a swarm once-ver-well-was-in -bo-ditelnaya fight-ba. Grew-lo not-to-free-st-in and inside France, obes-blood-len-noy not-interrupted-we-we-war-on-mi and eco-no-micic crisis -catfish, started in 1810. Teach the growth of pro-the-st-nyh moods, Napoleon I in 1810 already had a hundred-chil cen-zu-ru, took measures to cut-to-mu-kra -shche-niyu number of newspapers, strengthened the pre-sle-before-va-niya pro-tiv-ni-kov re-zhi-ma, including li-be-ral-but on- strict pi-sa-te-lei, such as J. de Stael and B. Kon-stan. The most brightest witness of the s-de-tel-st-vom of the ras-tu-sche-go-not-to-will-st-va-li-ti-coy of Napoleon I became-la-torture-ka brigade-no-go general K.F. de Ma-le on 10/23/1812, to compose in Paris a re-re-in-mouth and restore the re-public-ku, for Napoleon I with Be- any ar-mi-her on-ho-dil-sya in Russia. For-go-thief Ma-le in-was-dil Napoleon I was-ta-wit the army and hasten to sew to France. In Pa-ri-the same im-pe-ra-tor about-na-ru-lived not-to-freedom, yes, in tra-di-qi-he-but under-chi-nya-shem-sya him in-le Za-ko-no-dative cor-p-se and on January 1, 1814, he disbanded it. Despite the victories in the battles at Cham-po-be-re and Mont-mi-rai in 1814, Napoleon I could not stay the movement of army so-yuz-ni-kov to Pa-ri-zhu, into which they entered on 3/31/1814. The Senate declared Napoleon I low-lo-female and sfor-mi-ro-shaft pe-ra-to-ra Sh.M. Ta-lei-ra-nom, someone from 1808-1809, foreseeing the collapse of Napoleon I, under-deploy-val secret ties with Alexander-san-drome I and K. Met-ter-ni-hom. On April 4, 1814, in Font-tenb-lo, Napoleon I renounced the pre-hundred-la in favor of a little-not-his-son. Se-nat so-gla-strength-sya to recognize after-not-them-pe-ra-to-rum under the name Na-po-le-o-on II, but inter-sha-tel -st-in co-yuz-ni-kov, on-me-re-vav-shih-sya-stand-but-to-be in power Bur-bo-nov, re-cherk-well-lo these plans. On April 11, 1814, Napoleon I finally renounced the French Presto-la and 20. 4.1814, after saying goodbye to Stara guard-di-she, from-right-vill-sya into exile. Be-di-te-whether save the imperial title behind him, on-know-chi-whether dos-that-accurate-but big pension (over 2 million francs a year ) and from-yes-whether in the power of the not-big-shoy island of El-ba in the Middle-di-earth sea. Napoleon I tried to fight to come to him on the island of his wife and son, but he received a refusal, while the new French right -ve-tel-st-vo-from-ka-for-lo to him and in you-pay the promise of so-no-no-k-mi pensions. Napoleon I, attentively, but followed the development of events in France, where not-to-will-st-in-regime Res- tav-ra-tion, heading for the curtailment of those for-you-va-ni re-vo-lu-tion, some-rye-stored-have-been in the years his rights. Teach-you-not-to-will-st-vo Bur-bo-na-mi in France and knowing about the different-gla-si-yah me-zh-du der-zha-va-mi- in a be-di-tel-ni-tsa-mi, rise-nik-shi-mi at the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815, Napoleon I decided to take power in the country back into his hands -ki. He tai-but-ki-nulled El-bu and on 1.3.1815 you-sa-dil-sya with not-big-shim from-a-row-house (about 1 thousand people) to the southern coast France. Directed against Napoleon I, the government troops went over to his side, including the command of the blowing them on the le-o-nov-sko-go mar-sha-la M. Ney. On March 20, 1815, Napoleon I entered Paris with a three-um-fum, from-to-yes, in a hurry, but be-zh-li Lu-do-vic XVIII, his court and mi-ni-st-ry .

Pe-ri-od of the second reign of Napoleon I (20.3-22.6.1815) from weight-ten as “One Hundred Days”. In an effort to pro-de-mon-st-ri-ro-vat your loyalty for-ve-there of 1789 and show yourself for-shield-no-one of freedom and ra -ven-st-va, Napoleon I introduced B. Kon-sta-on to the State Council and instructed him to compose a project of a new-howl-be-ral-noy con-sti -tu-tion, called to ras-shi-rit half-but-mo-chiya or-ga-nov of the representative power. This project (the so-called Supplementary Act of 22.4.1815) was approved by Napoleon I and later approved at the plebis-ci-te. So-hundred-yav-shee-sya you-bo-ry brought-whether in-be-du li-be-ra-lam. On June 3, 1815, two pa-la-you par-la-men-ta - pre-hundred-vi-te-lei and peers.

Returning to power, Napoleon I without-us-pesh-but tried-tal-sya to-believe to keep-you-be-di-tel-ni-tsy in your world mouth-rem-le-ni-yah. Going to-did-throw-off the second troops of the 7th An-ti-French-coa-li-tion, he started to create new voo -armed forces. By June-Nu 1815, he managed to form a 250-thousand-thousand regular army and a 180-thousandth National Guard. These forces, spread-a-medium-to-that-chen-nym all over the ter-ri-to-rii of France, pro-ti-in-standing-la almost a million-li-on-naya ar- mia so-yuz-ni-kov. On June 12, 1815, Napoleon I went to the location of the 70-thousandth army, on-ho-div-she in Belgium, where at Va-ter- loo pro-isosh-lo battle with how-ska-mi an-ti-French-coa-li-tion. Having endured it in a different way, Napoleon I returned to Paris on June 20, 1815. 6/22/1815 Pa-la-ta pre-hundred-vi-te-lei in-tre-bo-va-la from im-pe-ra-to-ra from-re-che-niya in favor of ma- lo-years-not-th son-on. Napoleon I gave up from continuing the struggle and giving in to this requirement. Having signed the act of the final re-re-che-nii, he tried to go to North America, but near Rosh-for-ra fell into ru- ki ang-li-chan. According to the decision of the so-yuz-niks, Napoleon I was delivered to the island of Saint Helena, where he spent the last 6 years of his life under the over-zo-rum f-du-people's commission-miss-this. In chasing after him after-to-wa-whether the most faithful supporters - vizh-ni-ki - General A.G. Bertran, Sh.T. de Mont-to-lon, Count E. de Las-Kaz and others. According to the official version, Napoleon I died of cancer of the stomach, someone was the cause of death and his father. A version of a series of is-to-ri-kov (S. Force-hu-wood, P. Klints) about the emancipation of Napoleon I cous-si-on-noy. In 1840, the ashes of Napoleon I were re-re-ve-zen in Paris and the same-st-ven-but-placed in the House of in-va-li-dov.

Napoleon I went into history as a great half-of-a-dets and an outstanding statesman, influencing the following th development of not only France, but the whole of Europe. Leaving them a legacy in the field of civil ad-mi-ni-st-ra-tion in many ways retains its ac-tu-al-ness and at the beginning of the 21st century. At the same time, the results of his rights would be for France the whole pro-ti-in-re-chi-you-mi. In the wars led by Napoleon I, more than 800 thousand French people died, which became the cause of deep-boo-go-de-mo-gra- of the physical crisis, after-the-st-via-something-ro-go was felt in France until the beginning of the 20th century. The meaning of his activity for Europe is also not-one-but-meaningful. On the one hand, he-stepped like a gesture for-a-vo-va-tel, on the other - a co-action-st-in-shaft of races-pro-stra- non-niyu in all kon-ti-nen-tu of the ideas of the French re-in-lu-tion, breaking up the old cle-ri-cal-no-feudal and co-word-series -ki and us-ta-nav-li-vaya new state na-cha-la. Not-in-the-medium-st-ven-nym trace-st-we-em on-le-o-new-wars became-lo-all-me-st-noe pro-bu-zh-de- nie and development in Europe of national movements.

Napoleon I has a special place in the development of the military art of the 19th century. He managed to find a successful tactical and strategic application of the mass armed forces, creating a re-in-lu -qi-ey. Do-ti-the-same-nia of this goal can-sob-st-in-shaft a series of pre-ob-ra-zo-va-nies of Napoleon I in the organizational structure of French art missions, so-ti-ke and strategies for conducting military operations with it. Napoleon I up-rya-up-chil management of the military-ska-mi, from-me-nil staff organization of infantry and cavalry divisions, for the first time -dya cor-pu-sa like a hundred-yan-nye-in-for-mi-ro-va-nia, re-or-ga-ni-zo-shaft control-le-nie ar-til- le-ri-her, active-but-me-nyal and raz-vi-val so-ti-ku-co-lonn and dis-syp-no-go system. For the field-vodka art of Napoleon I, would there be a st-maneuver, a combination of front-tal-ditch with oh-va-tom or about-mo-house of the flank against-no-ka, the ability to out-of-the-way, but to create a pre-voice-move-st-in on the right-le-nii of the main attack -ra. Fighting against the numbers, but above-the-ho-ya-sche-go against-no, he tried to split-e-di-thread his strength and destroy something-live them in parts. The main goal of military actions for Napoleon I was the defeat of the enemy army, the main medium was the general battle. He was a party-on-no-one-on-offensive action, considering both-ro-well, not-about-ho-di-mine only at the second-degree-pen-ny st-kah front-ta and ras-smat-ri-vaya it as a means of holding back against-no-no and you-ig-ry-sha time-me-no for under -go-tov-ki on-stu-p-le-niya. The military art and military concepts of Napoleon I had an influence on the works of the main military theo-re-ti-kov of the 19th century - K. background Klau-se-wee-tz and A.A. Jo-mi-ni.

The results of your military victories, Napoleon I, sought to increase-to-ve-chit in the mo-well-mental-architectural constructions -yakh in France: ar-ki tri-um-fal-nye, Van-dom-sky co-lon-na, Au-ster-lic-cue (1802-1806) and Jensky (1808-1814 years) bridges in Paris, Ka-men-ny bridge (1810-1822) in Bor-do. He is also in the same way in a row of French art-hi-tech-to-ditch (Ch. Per-sier, P. Font-ten, J.F. Chalgue-ren ), French and Italian hu-doge-ni-kov and sculpt-to-ditch (J.L. Da-vid, A.Zh. Gro, L. Bar-to-li-ni, A. Ka-no-va etc.), half a nil of the Louv-ra collection of lectures about-of-ve-de-nia-mi art, you-ve-zen-us-mi from Italy, Ni-der-lan -dov, Germany and other countries (see the article by D. De-non). Empire style, pe-re-zh-vav-shiy ras-color in the pe-ri-od of the reign of Napoleon I, spread throughout Europe, in t hours in Russia.

It was this man who once said that, having occupied only Kiev, he would already grab Russia by the legs, taking Peter, he would hold it by the head, and having captured Moscow, he would hit it in the heart. He succeeded in victoriously entering the capital of our Motherland, but he failed to stay there, gain a foothold and introduce his own dictatorship, thanks to the courage, dedication and endurance of the Russian people. As many guessed, we are talking about the famous French commander and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

The identity of this amazing person, even through the prism of past years, remains mysterious and incomprehensible. If everyone who remembers the school history course has heard about the military successes of this almost brilliant strategist, then little is known about the fate and personal life. Let's see what he was like, what he became famous for and how he went his way, allotted to him by providence.

From Petty Corsican Nobleman to French Emperor: A Biography of Napoleon

It is common for a Russian person to perceive the history of this person through the prism of past events. If for the whole world this French commander is a great man and a talented leader, then, without detracting from all his merits, we can afford to call him an invader. Napoleon really took Moscow, but, having entered it, he did not understand, together with his officers and soldiers, that he could not see the final victory. Yes, the city really fell, but there was nothing left in it that would be worth defending, and the triumph of the French lasted no longer than a few hours. Bonaparte could not even imagine that the people were able to burn their own capital to the ground, just not to give it to their enemies.

Interesting

Almost everything about Napoleon that compatriots and not only knew was the result of long, hard and painstaking work. He himself carefully and unobtrusively created his image in the minds of people, carefully planning every detail and every little thing. They said about him that the guy knows how to present bad news as good, and good news as an unconditional victory. Today, such a phenomenon is considered skillful covert propaganda, and the ruler himself would be called a populist and manipulator.

Briefly about the statesman of France - Napoleon Bonaparte

Born into the family of an ordinary Corsican aristocrat, who was difficult to attribute even to " middle hand”, this amazingly hardworking and ambitious man, already at a young age, achieved the rank of general and a high army position. He was extremely active, and his versatile personality encouraged him to act impulsively, never allowing him to sit still. Efficiency and the ability to achieve the goals set for himself made him what he became. But Napoleon was not only a military man, but also a talented business executive, he carried out many useful and beneficial reforms for the country, ranging from banking (the creation of a centralized financial system) to the adoption of a civil code.

However, despite all his merits, dignity and ambitions, in the great war for the possession of Europe, he suffered a cruel fiasco. Perhaps that is why, when figuring out who Napoleon is, the image of an evil little man pops up among the townsfolk, whose disproportionately inflated pride pushed him to rash steps and actions. This is exactly the image that the journalists of the countries-opponents of France tried to draw. In fact, by the age of thirty-four he had already become emperor, and that means something. Moreover, in the first place, its state, and not military, achievements and victories should be evaluated, for objectivity. English researcher Alexander John Ellis believes that it was Bonaparte who laid the foundations for the united Europe that we see today.

Family of a warlike Corsican

The petty aristocrat Carlo Maria Buonaparte was born in Corsica, but his ancestors were noble but impoverished Florentines. He was a lawyer and a politician, but he never had any special merits before society or the government. It was humble person, whom his parents arranged to study at the University of Pisa, and at the age of seventeen he was already married to a young thirteen-year-old Genoese, the daughter of a bridge superintendent named Maria Letizia Ramolino. She bore her husband thirteen children, of whom eight survived. The parents of the future emperor lived in the largest port city of Corsica - Ajaccio.

A few decades earlier, Corsica had finally managed to get rid of the domination of Genoa, and the famous businessman and landowner Filippo Antonio Pasquale de' Paoli became the ruler of the island, whose main assistant and closest friend was Carlo, who served with him as a court assessor . In the sixty-eighth year of the eighteenth century, the Republic of Genoa sold its rights to Corsica to the French monarch Louis XV, nicknamed the Beloved, for a well-known sum - forty million livres (about two tons of silver in equivalent).

Three months after the above events - August 15, 1769 - Mary gave birth to a baby, whose name it was decided by Napoleon. In honor of whom they gave their son such a name, it is not known for sure, but that was the name of one of the baby's uncles, and it is also found in the books of the then popular Italian politician and thinker Machiavelli.

Early years of young Napoleon

After the coup, many migrated, but the Bounapartes remained. They lived in a fairly large family estate. Little is known about the early childhood of the future commander. He was unsociable and extremely fond of reading, found himself a room in the attic and could sit there for hours with a book.

Often the boy was tormented by bouts of dry cough, which modern historians consider a sign of tuberculosis. An image is created of an unsociable introvert who cannot stand society, but this is not so, since the childhood nickname Rabulione, which means a prankster or troublemaker, clearly indicates how he was in his early years. He graduated from elementary school in his hometown, while speaking Italian, and began to learn French only at nine.

Worth knowing

As soon as mother taught Napoleon how to put letters into words, he never let go of the book, he could read "bungly", especially what was interesting to him - historical and philosophical works. Subsequently, he himself claimed that he met the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau at the age of ten.

Thanks to his father's loyalty to the French ruler, he managed to get two scholarships from the king for his eldest sons. In the seventy-seventh, Carlo went to Paris, as he received a deputy from the Corsican aristocracy. Already in next year he took both sons and settled in Versailles. In the seventy-ninth, the brothers entered the cadet school in the village of Brienne-le-Chateau, where the history of Napoleon was just beginning. The boy studied well, but with the team common language I never found it, because there were hated French enslavers of his beloved Corsica around.

Army career

It was then that he decided to become an artilleryman, believing that this branch of the army, if properly led, could bring amazing results to the commander. Therefore, as soon as the final exams in Brienne were passed, he entered the military school of Paris. He earnestly studied tactics, strategy, read ancient authors, mathematics, military equipment and all the necessary sciences, but he did not make friends. But over the years of his stay in this city, he turned into a real Frenchman, refined, fluent in this difficult language. After studying, the young lieutenant was seconded to the de La Fère regiment, which was stationed in Valence.

  • In 1882, my father obtained permission, as well as a royal grant for a certain amount, which should have served as the basis for a new business - the cultivation of mulberries.
  • Three years later, the island's parliament withdrew the permit, and ordered the money to be returned, allegedly for failure to comply with the terms of the contract, but it was foolish to hope that the trees would grow in such a short time.
  • In the winter of eighty-fifth, my father died and this whole nightmare fell on our character, although he also had an older brother. He was simply unable to manage anything. He immediately begged for leave and went to settle things, but there was little use.
  • In the summer of eighty-eight, I had to return to the regiment, which was stationed in Auson, Burgundy, which belonged to the department of Côte d'Or ("Gold Coast"). He sent part of the salary he earned home, as his mother was not even enough for food. At the same time, the Russian army announced the recruitment of foreign specialists for the war with the Ottomans. What did Napoleon do then? He wanted to enroll, but after learning that they were ready to enroll him only if he was lowered in rank, he flatly refused this idea.
  • In the summer of 1989, a revolution broke out. Then I had to choose which side to take, but Bonaparte did not "bother", because the problems of the family and the estate were not resolved, and they interested the young man much more than any others. He went home, where he began to speak out actively in support of the revolution, along with his brothers.
  • In the ninety-first, taking his younger brother Louis, he returned to the service, where he sent the teenager to study, paying for which himself. Soon he was promoted to captain, and then to lieutenant colonel.
  • Two years later, for the liberation of Toulon from the British, he was promoted to brigadier general. However, the new title was approved by the Convention only a year later. In the ninety-fifth, they tried to make him an infantry general. Insulted, he refused, citing illness. The leadership offered to pass the commission, after which he was dismissed from the army, but soon reinstated.

Already in the ninety-fifth year, just ten years after completing his studies, he was awarded the rank of divisional general and appointed commander of the rear troops. It was just an amazing career. After the Italian campaign of 96-97, as well as the Egyptian campaign in the ninety-eighth, he gained tremendous popularity. By that time, he had already intentionally or accidentally omitted the letter "y" from his last name, thus turning the Italian version of Bonaparte (Buonaparte) into the French Bonaparte (Bonaparte).

The coming to power of the future emperor

The reign of Napoleon Bonaparte began much earlier than he was proclaimed emperor. While he was fighting in Egypt, trying to capture Syria along the way, the government of the country was mired in a terrible crisis. European rulers and monarchs created a coalition that was difficult for the young French Republic to fight. Just at this time, the Italian lands were “scrambled” by the Russian imperial army, led by the brilliant Suvorov. She thoroughly cleaned up everything that Napoleon conquered in Europe. Discontent was ripening, the government was looking for a way out, and the Council of Elders (the upper house of parliament) was preparing a new coup. All that was missing was the “saber”, that is, a talented military man who would strategically and tactically develop a plan. The choice was obvious.

In November 1999 Bonaparte was elected commander of the department of the Seine by an almost unanimous majority of the Council of Elders. Many then got scared and fled, but not our hero. The assembled Council of Five Hundred (the lower house of parliament) refused to resolve issues, and an angry crowd almost attacked Bonaparte himself. However, the future marshal Joachim Murat, a true friend and ally of Napoleon, flew into the hall, dispersing the dissatisfied. Then the consulate of Bonaparte, Ducos, and also Sieyes was approved.

First Consul and Ruler

Formally, the election of three consuls, of which Napoleon was the first, was postponed to December 12, and the next day the new Constitution was already promulgated. The future emperor simply paid off his conditional "rivals". Already on the nineteenth of February, he left the Luxembourg Palace, where he had "lodging" before, and settled in the Tuileries - the residence of the French kings in the heart of Paris.

Being at the post of chancellor and actually at that time having already completely usurped power, Napoleon carried out many useful reforms, leaving such concepts as equality before the letter of the law (meritocracy) and the right to personal property. He consolidated all revolutionary achievements, but he managed to completely suppress anarchy and unrest. For example, of the seventy-three newspapers that were published at the time of his ascension, only thirteen were left. In August 1802, he achieved the recognition of a consulate for life, and two years later, on May 18, 1804, a completely renewed Constitution was adopted. It already clearly indicated that Napoleon was the emperor of France, the only one and unchanged until the end of his days.

Domestic policy of the French emperor

The dignity of this talented leader cannot be underestimated. He really wanted only prosperity and prosperity for his country, because his reforms really benefited not only the nobility, the aristocracy, but also ordinary people.

  • In January 1800, it was decided to establish a state Bank of France to store gold. It exists to this day.
  • By May of the second year of the nineteenth century, the creation of a special education system (secondary schools, lyceums, universities) followed.
  • The new constitution clearly spelled out the unconditional subordination of the media to the state, as well as the absolute control of the church. All this caused some dissatisfaction among the Jacobins, but the life of Napoleon Bonaparte taught him to quickly and radically solve such problems. All dissatisfied were seized and thrown into prison.
  • In March of the same year, the Civil Code was adopted, which combined all the disparate laws into a single structure.

Almost every step of our hero was so well thought out that he outlived it for many years. In addition, he created a bureaucratic ladder, which works in a slightly modified form even today.

Napoleon's conquests

In politics, Bonaparte initially showed caution, but given that he had a colossally trained and ready army, it can even be called redundant. But this brave man was definitely not going to be afraid or sit back, realizing that competitors and allies in the foreign policy arena can act together, he tried to find contact with everyone. And among the opponents again were such "dinosaurs" as England, Sweden, Russia, Austria and Naples. The French side was supported by a much smaller number of states, for example, the kingdom of Italy, Liguria and Prussia, which was promised to take Hanover from the British. However, the latter easily passed into the camp of the enemy.

  • In early November 1805, the French army occupied Vienna without much resistance.
  • In December of the same year, after a devastating battle between the Russian and Roman armies and the Napoleonic troops, the Peace of Pressburg was concluded, which was beneficial to the French.
  • At the end of December, the Neapolitans betrayed, joining the enemies of the empire, contrary to this word. Then Bonaparte moved on the city and easily conquered it, placing his brother Joseph as king there. Around the same time, he appointed his younger brother Louis as king of Holland, marching victoriously with his highly organized army through Europe, as through his own personal land.
  • In February of the seventh year, in the battle near the Prussian town of Preussisch-Eylau, Napoleon's troops did not win for the first time, and the battle itself ended in nothing. However, already in May, he dealt a crushing blow to the Russian army near Friedland.

In 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte signed a document proclaiming the Continental blockade of England, which completely stopped trade between her and the French bloc. This had a tremendous impact on the fall of the British economy. However, the consequences were deplorable for the continental states themselves. The industry of France could not compete with the English, but all that remained was to hold on. When, in the eleventh year, the entrepreneur, philanthropist and banker Jules Paul Benjamin Delesseur proposed making sugar from beets, Bonaparte himself came to present the medal.

The personal life of a little corporal

Contrary to popular myths, Napoleon was not at all too short. He reached one meter sixty-eight centimeters, so he certainly did not look like a short man. And he didn’t want to look taller either, because he never wore heels, crazy wigs or hats of incredible height. Women always liked him, and he himself was an incorrigible womanizer.

Wives and children

While still a youth of seventeen, Bonaparte repeatedly got involved in light affairs with the wives of his colleagues, but all this was not serious. His first lover was the sister of his brother Joseph's wife, Eugene Desiree Clary, but she never had to become empress. In one of the Parisian salons, a young man meets the brilliant Josephine de Beauharnais, whom he falls in love with from the first minute of their acquaintance. She was a widow with two children of her own and six years older than her lover, but he didn't care. The young people got married in the ninety-fifth, after which both of her children were officially adopted by Napoleon. The couple did not have children together.

Three years later, Bonaparte found out that while he was on military campaigns, his wife entered into extramarital affairs, became furious and decided to get a divorce, but she managed to persuade him not to do this. Rumors were confirmed repeatedly, and he began to treat his beloved with coolness, and then he began to have affairs on the side at the slightest opportunity, although he continued to pay the debts made by the woman. Sometimes they were big to the point of obscenity. In December 1809, they nevertheless divorced, since a woman was not capable of producing an heir.

In the tenth year he married again. This time, his choice fell on the pretty daughter of the Roman Emperor Franz II - Marie-Louise of Austria. The wedding was conducted by Cardinal Joseph Fesch, happily rubbing his hands, as he had long asked to remove the unlucky Josephine. She gave birth to her only son full name whom Napoleon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte, King of Rome. Two years later, the couple broke up, and at the age of twenty-one, the heir suddenly fell ill with tuberculosis, and then died, because at that time they did not know how to treat the disease. A lot of information about illegitimate children has been preserved, for example, the names Charles Leon Denuel and Alexander Valevsky are called, but historians strongly doubt the authenticity.

Sunset of the Popular Leader's Popularity

In the first years of government, internal and foreign policy suited the people well. Moreover, both aristocrats and the mob. With the growth of the country's economy, the poor began to receive assistance from the state, they had the opportunity to find a job, they were constantly recruited into the army, where they paid quite well. In the tenth year, an economic crisis broke out, which led to various patriotic movements against the dictatorship of Napoleon. He was no longer considered a savior, no longer called the messiah.

In the same year, Bonaparte asked for the hand of the daughter of the Russian Tsar Alexander I, this could strengthen friendly relations, but received no answer at all. The Patriotic War of 1812, in which Napoleon suffered a crushing defeat, put an end to all this. This completely destroyed the myth of the invincibility of the French army and undermined the remnants of confidence in him in Europe. Then an anti-Napoleonic coalition was created, which included many former allies (Prussia, Austria). Everything began to roll into the abyss, the old aristocrats and Louis XVIII himself returned from forced exile.

After abdicating the throne, Napoleon tried to commit suicide, but the poison that he constantly carried with him, by a strange accident, did not “work”. The man was sent to the island of Elba, where he was ordered to live out the rest of his days. However, to humble and endure was not inherent in this man, he fled, led his army and went to Paris. The final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo was the last straw, he was forced to recant again, and then sent to the tiny and very remote island of St. Helena in the restless Atlantic Ocean.

Last days in exile

Out of respect for his past merits, the aging emperor was asked to choose his retinue in exile. Around the Longwood residence, where he lived, guards were constantly on duty, but the man no longer had vain illusions and did not build escape plans. He became friends with the superintendent's daughter Betsy, who was barely fourteen years old. An adult, gray-haired man became a friend of her teenage games, ready for any adventures within the limits of decency. In the spring of 1916 he began to write his memoirs, which later became one of the most popular books of the nineteenth century.

In the autumn of that year, Napoleon's health began to deteriorate rapidly. Doctors shrugged, and then diagnosed - hepatitis. Many talked about arsenic poisoning, which was beneficial to European rulers, but later studies did not confirm this. In the eighteenth year, he almost did not get out of bed, complained of a sharp pain in his side and himself assumed that he, like his father, had developed stomach cancer. Subsequently, an autopsy showed that he had two ulcers, one of which was perforated, which is quite suitable for the version of oncology. On May 5, 1821, the former commander and French emperor Napoleon died. They buried him near the estate near the spring, but in 1840, the “citizen king” Louis-Philippe the First ordered the remains to be brought, solemnly carried through the streets of Paris and buried in the Palace of Invalides.

In memory of French politics

Despite the fact that Napoleon's wars and campaigns were mostly aggressive, there are many monuments dedicated to him. For example, there is a monument to him and his brothers in his native village, and in La Roche-sur-Yon there is an equestrian statue, as in Cherbourg, Rouen and Laffre. There are single steles in Waterloo, Auson, Paris and Vimil.

Many artists turned to the image of this famous commander, so there are many paintings and statues. Paul Delaroche, Vasily, Vereshchagin, Jean Georges Viber - they all paid tribute to the exploits of an outstanding politician. Ludwig van Beethoven is believed to have written his Symphony No. 3 in E flat major in honor of Bonaparte. The directors also did not stand aside, and several dozen films released at different times are dedicated to him.

Quotes and sayings of the commander

God takes the side of a larger army.

There are no roads in Russia, there are only directions.

The bullet that can strike me has not yet been cast.

Every person is right in their own way.

He who flatters beautifully is sure to slander beautifully.