Part conquering megalomaniac, part revolutionary who brought greater freedoms to Europe as he expanded his empire, he left bloodshed and death in his wake but was dedicated to the advancement of France.

Helena in the South Atlantic where he died in 1821. Again forced to abdicate, he was exiled to the island of St. He attempted to resume his winning ways with a rapid strike to divide Anglo-Dutch and Prussian armies in Belgium in order to defeat them in detail, but he lost his final battle, south of Waterloo, on June 15, 1815. Forced to abdicate, Napoleon was sentenced to exile on the island of Elba but escaped and returned to France in 1815. Before the year was over, the French Army that staggered back out of the tsar’s lands was barely a shadow of the conquering horde that had entered in June. Added to all this was Napoleon’s charisma and personal courage, which earned him the devout allegiance of his soldiers.Īfter years of successfully outmaneuvering and outfighting armies of several nations, he made the mistake of invading the vast stretches of Russia in 1812.

His chief of staff, Louis Alexandre Berthier, who was as much a master at handling logistics as Napoleon was a master of battlefield tactics, ably aided him. He chose skillful subordinates and then closely coordinated their efforts.

He organized his forces so that armies, corps and even divisions could go into battle and fight independently as needed. Speed and shock were his primary weapons, and he coordinated the separate arms of infantry, cavalry and artillery effectively. In the military realm, he masterfully adapted existing tactics and made maximum use of the technology of his time and Europe’s improved network of roads. The Napoleonic Code of laws did a great deal to standardize law across Europe and brought greater freedom to the peoples of the lands he conquered than they had previously known. For nearly a quarter of a century his influence in politics, law, and military organization and tactics spread across most of Europe and parts of Africa and the MidEast. The tactics he refined in the Napoleonic Wars heavily influenced European and American armies into the 21st century, but his legacy went beyond strictly military concerns. Napoleon Bonaparte summary: Napoleon Bonaparte-Napoleon I, Emperor of France-was the greatest soldier of his age and ranks among the most renowned military leaders of all time. Self-proclaimed emperor, in command of all French armies Battles Engaged Second lieutenant, artillery Highest Rank Achieved

Who was napoleon bonaparte