Who was Napoléon Bonaparte and what did he do?

Answer 1

Napoleon Bonaparte (1729-1821) was a French military leader, and later Emperor of the French, whose armies conquered continental Europe from Madrid to Moscow during the early 19th century. He came to power during the French Revolution, riding the nationalist tide to supremacy in the First Republic (1792). After two decades of mostly successful wars, he sacrificed a huge army invading Russia in 1812. He was finally defeated in 1814 (and again in 1815) by the combined armies of Europe, and he eventually died while imprisoned in exile.

Under his rule, many changes came to France. He established the Civil Code, (now the Napoleonic Code), source of the universal system of laws, and adopted the Metric system. He spread the ideas of the French Revolution (Equality and Human Rights) in all Europe, and his wars changed the borders of many countries, establishing the nations of modern Europe.

He is often depicted as being rather short and always wearing a bicorne hat. He's seen as evil by the anglophone world, but as a great man in continental Europe, particularly in France. He was a military genius, and some of his battles are still studied in military schools.

Ruler of France

Napoleon became first Consul, or dictator, after the French Revolution. In 1804 he became Emperor, ruler of France, and in 1805 was recognized as King of Italy as well. In 1803, he had surrendered his potential New World empire by selling Louisiana to the United States.