Napoleon Bonaparte (Buonaparte) was born August 15, 1769 in the town of Ajaccio on the island of Corsica, the son of a poor Corsican nobleman. It was the second son in the family (all in the family had five sons and three daughters). In 1784, Napoleon Briennskoe graduated from military school and joined the Paris Military School (1784-1785).

Began service in October 1785 with the rank of second lieutenant of artillery. During the service, Napoleon studied books on military affairs and the work of outstanding educators.

In 1792 he joined the Jacobin Club. During the next ten years he made a career in Corsica. As a result of the conflict with Corsican separatists, led by Pasquale Paoli in 1793, Bonaparte was forced to flee from Corsica.

In 1793, he distinguished himself in battle against the British at Toulon and was promoted to brigadier general. In 1795 the Paris garrison commander in the suppression of royalist rebellion 13 Vendemiaire (October 5).

C 1796 to 1797 he served as commander of French forces in Italy. The Italian campaign was one of the vertices of a military career of Napoleon. The campaign turned into a series of brilliant victories, including victories at Lodi, Castiglione, Arcole, Rivoli. Napoleon forced a truce kingdom of Sardinia and Piedmont, the Papal States, Parma, Modena, and Naples. May 15, 1797, Napoleon entered Milan as the winner of the Austrians and the Italians as a liberator.

Napoleon showed a talent not only the commander, but also politics. In February 1797 he signed with Pope Pius VI is very profitable for the French peace treaty.

In the years 1798-1799, Napoleon led an expedition to Egypt and Syria. He took Alexandria, came to Cairo and broke the shell Mamelukes. Egypt was turned into a French protectorate.

November 9-10, 1799 (18-19 Brumaire Year VIII) Napoleon made the coup, which resulted in the power of the directory has been replaced by the power of the consuls. He was elected the first consul for 10-year period (was established in 1799-1804, respectively), in fact concentrated in the hands of time with full power.

In 1802 Napoleon became consul for life with the right to appoint his successor.

In 1801 have been restored the right of the Catholic Church lost it during the revolution: the concordat concluded with the pope, Napoleon secured the support of the Catholic Church.

In February 1804 was discovered by the Anglo-royalist conspiracy against Napoleon. Napoleon had benefited from the conspiracy and consolidated power. He was proclaimed Emperor of France, and Pope Pius VII arrived in Paris for his lavish coronation, held on 1-2 December 1804.

Under Emperor Napoleon had been developed civil, commercial and penal codes. Civil Code - the Code Napoleon - provided his personal power. Was introduced strict centralization of the administrative apparatus. To keep the gold reserve and paper money in 1800 was established by State Bank of France. It was also centralized system of tax collection, a system of secondary schools - high schools, universities - Normal and Ecole Polytechnique. An extensive system of policing, including the secret service. Of the 173 Parisian 160 newspapers were closed and others placed under government control.

In 1805, Napoleon I was recognized as king of Italy. In 1805, won a victory at Ulm and Austerlitz (Battle of Three Emperors) over the armies of the coalition, consisting of Austria, Russia, England, etc. In 1806, he founded the Confederation of the Rhine. In 1807, defeated the Russian army at Friedland and forced Russia to the peace of Tilsit, Napoleon made the ruler of Germany.

With the victorious wars of Napoleon greatly expanded the territory of the empire, set in dependence on France, most of Western and Central Europe. Napoleon was not only the emperor of France, stretching to the left bank of the Rhine, and the King of Italy, but also a mediator of the Swiss Confederation and Protector of the Rhine Confederation. Kings were his brothers: Joseph Naples, Louis in Holland, Jerome in Westphalia. This empire on its territory was comparable with the empire of Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire of Charles V.

In 1812, Napoleon marched on Russia, it ended in complete defeat and became the beginning of the collapse of the empire. In March 1814 the Allied troops entered Paris, forcing Napoleon to abdicate (April 6, 1814). Allies winning retained the title of Emperor Napoleon, and gave him possession of the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea.

In 1815, Napoleon returned to France, where he reigned "hundred days" (March 20 - June 22, 1815). After the defeat at Waterloo, June 22, 1815, Napoleon again abdicated and was exiled to St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, where he died May 5, 1821. In 1840, the remains of Napoleon were transported to Paris, to house people with disabilities.

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