The History of The First Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest military commanders in French history and also one of the most controversial leaders in history. Napoleon's rise to power culminated in his coronation as the Emperor of France in 1804 and he led many successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars ruling from 1804 until 1814. The rest of his reign consisted of years of wars across Europe against coalitions, and the defeat of Waterloo led to his abdication in 1815. He lived the rest of his life in exile on the remote island of Saint Helena.
Napoleon Bonaparte Had Formal Military Training
Napoleon attended school in France, and as a teen, he went to the prestigious Ecole Militaire in Paris. However, he graduated early, which caused his grades to suffer, to help his family financially after his father died.

He only graduated forty-second in a class of fifty-eight but was the first Corsican to graduate from Ecole Militaire. Finally, at sixteen years old, he became an officer in the French Army.
He Was Originally A Corsican Nationalist
Napoleon's parents opposed French rule before he was born and when he was young, Napoleon wrote a series of treatises on the history and government of Corsica that he called the French monsters. He returned to Corsica and on his visits, he was struck with how provincial the island was.

Napoleon's preoccupations and mannerisms became more French and because of a clash between the Buornaparts family and Paoli, Napoleon was inspired to leave Corsica for good.
His First Wife, Josephine De Beauharnais, Escaped Execution
Josephine became imprisoned in Les Carmes while the Revolution swept through Paris. She would have been executed, but the government was deposed, and all executions were halted. She barely escaped death and became a popular socialite, later meeting Napoleon at a party in 1795.

Josephine was thirty-two and established in French society when she married Napoleon, who was twenty-six. They altered the ages on their marriage certificate so they would be roughly the same age.
Napoleon Most Likely Never Said “Not Tonight, Josephine”
From all of the letters between Josphine and Napoleon that were found, it was obvious that Napoleon was very infatuated with his wife. Just after being married, Napoleon embarked on his Italian campaign and wrote to Josephine almost daily.

Sadly, while he was gone at war, Josephine struck up affairs with other men. Considering how much he loved her, it is very unlikely that Napoleon ever said, "Not tonight, Josephine."
He Wasn’t Short
It was rumored that Napoleon was extremely short, and he was even depicted as comically diminutive in critical cartoons during the Napoleonic Wars. However, he was about five foot six, which was pretty average for the era.

His height was recorded at his death with a physician's note. The note said he was five foot two from the top of the head to the heels in French measurements. In English terms, that equals five foot six.
He Wrote A Romance Novel
Napoleon Bonaparte wrote a romance novel not long before he met and married Josephine in 1795. The story told a fictionalized account of the young soldier's relationship with Bernardine, whose sister married his brother Joseph.

Unfortunately, the novel was never published while Napoleon was alive, but after his death, the story was divided into segments and sold. The segments were published here and there, but the complete story wasn't reconstructed until 2009. The photo shows part of the novel that was written by Napoleon.
Napoleon’s Army Discovered The Rosetta Stone
Napoleon considered himself a scientist and was even elected as a member of the National Institute in 1797. He seized Egypt, cutting off Britain's trade route and bringing one hundred and fifty scientists, scholars, and engineers along with his troops.

He brought them to survey Egypt's environment, culture, and history. Napoleon's army discovered the Rosetta Stone and shipped it to Cairo, which eventually cracked ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Beethoven Was Going To Dedicate His Third Symphony To Napoleon
Beethoven greatly admired Napoleon, and when he started working on Symphony 3, he was inspired by Napoleon's heroic exploits and ideals. He wrote in a letter that the title of the symphony was "Bonaparte" and that it was composed to celebrate the memory of a great man.

However, Beethoven was conflicted about his idol because he lost some respect for him when he crowned himself Emperor of France and even tore his pages in two. The photo shows pages from Beethoven's third symphony.
His Empire Attempted To Spread Religious Tolerance
When Napoleon was a child, he was baptized Catholic but later began to question Catholicism and the existence of any god. He lacked a strong personal faith but also admired the power of organized religion.

When he rose to power in France, he set out to re-establish the Catholic Church and brought the Church under the authority of the state. "I am nothing. In Egypt, I was a Mussulman; here I shall be a Catholic." ------ Napoleon Bonaparte.
He Attempted Suicide Before Exile In Elba
Napoleon had a horrible campaign in Russia, and because of pressures from the Sixth Coalition, he was forced to abdicate as part of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Although, first he was sentenced to live out a comfortable life as sovereign of the island of Elba.

His reaction to the sentence was a suicide attempt using the poisonous pill that he had had with him since the failure in Russia. However, the pill lost its potency and only made Napoleon violently ill instead of killing him.
British Sovereigns Worried That Even The English People Would Rally Around Napoleon
Napoleon escaped from Elba but was defeated at Waterloo and forced to surrender to the British. He then drafted a letter to the future king and requested Asylum and a small estate outside of London, but the letter was never delivered.

Parliament was worried that Napoleon would be so popular with the British people, they would refuse to even let him disembark. However, he remained on board the Bellerophon while groups went to catch a glimpse of him before he was banished to St. Helena.
The Attempt To Rescue Napoleon From St. Helena Included An Elaborate Submarine Plan
The British made sure to secure Napoleon's final exile location. St. Helena was isolated, guarded by twenty-eight hundred men with five hundred cannons, and was ringed with steep cliff faces. The island was also patrolled by the Royal Navy squadron.

During his last years on St. Helena, there were many escape plans that included balloons, boats, and even submarines. The British smuggler Tom Johnson claimed that he was hired to rescue Napoleon and was going to use submarines to do it.
Napoleon Had A House Built For Him In New Orleans
Nicholas Girod was the mayor of New Orleans, a Frenchmen, and an avid supporter of Napoleon. He helped members of Napoleon's Imperial Guard escape to the New World, and he hoped Napoleon would also move to New Orleans.

Girod renovated a house and claimed it would be Napoleon's residence. However, Napoleon died later that year, and Girod moved his own family into the home that is still called the Napoleon House today.
It Is Thought That Napoleon Died From Stomach Cancer
Napoleon was only fifty-one years old when he died in 1821. It was thought that he died from arsenic poisoning because his body was so well preserved. However, he complained of abdominal pain and nausea in the last weeks of his life, and his personal physician reported that he died from stomach cancer.

It is also possible he suffered from arsenic poisoning, but that was most likely from the chronic exposure found in paints, medicine, and other chemicals during that era.
He Would Often Disguise Himself And Walk The Streets
When Napoleon was at his most powerful, he developed a habit of dressing up as a lower-class citizen, disguising himself, and then wandering the streets of Paris.

It was thought that he did that so he could find out what the average man on the street really thought of him. He would quiz random passers-by about their Emperor's merits. He wanted to know what the people thought of him, so what better way than disguise yourself and go find out.
He Was Tone Deaf
When Napoleon was agitated, he would sing or hum. However, his singing voice was horrible, but he had the bad habits of tone-deafness and compulsive singing. "He began to hum the air, became abstracted, and, leaving his seat, marched around the room, keeping time to the song he was singing."

"In fact, Napoleon's voice was most unmusical, nor do I think he had an ear for music, for neither on this occasion nor in any of his subsequent attempts at singing could I ever discover what tune it was he was executing." ----- Betsy Balcombe.
It Was Thought That He Was Afraid Of Cats
Many thought that Napoleon was scared of cats, but there is no record to support that claim. Several leaders during that era were scared of cats, which might have led people to think Napoleon was as well.

There were stories that Napoleon was attacked by a bobcat as a child, but that story was most likely fiction. In fact, his wife Josephine often kept cats in their home. It was most likely made up to make Napoleon look weaker.
He Wore Poison Around His Neck
Napoleon carried a vial of poison attached to a cord around his neck. He wore it so that he could quickly take it if he were ever captured. He wanted to be prepared in case he needed to kill himself.

It is the poison that he eventually took when he was exiled to Elba. Over time, the potency of the poison diminished and was no longer able to cause death. It just made the consumer violently ill. It was also said that he had poisoned soldiers.
Napoleon Won Many Battles
Napoleon became the first ambassador in 1799 and worked to establish a European empire under his military autocracy. He won several wars and the majority of his battles after building a large empire.

He ruled over most of Europe until 1815 and was known to have won more battles than Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. In addition, Napoleon unified the government, established education reforms, restored Roman Catholicism as the state religion, and oversaw the creation of the Bank of France.
He Did Not Like To Lose A Game
Napoleon was a sore loser and did not like losing at games. He wasn't very fond of playing cards, but he loved to play the game called Vingt-et-un because it was a fast game, and he could cheat while playing it.

Even if his cards were bad, he would lay them down on the table and wait for the dealer to draw his. Then, he would throw his hand without showing him and give up his stake. Everyone knew he cheated when playing games.
He Had A Corsican Accent
Napoleon was born in Corsica, where they spoke Corsican, an Italian dialect closely related to Tuscan. It was easy to tell that he was a foreigner when he tried to speak French, and he was often teased about his accent when he was at a military school in France.

He still considered French to be his first language, even though he had a Corsican accent. Napoleon made France his home and established himself as the new rising star.
Napoleon Did Not Get The Burial He Asked For
Before Napoleon died, he stated that he wished to be buried on the banks of river Seine. However, his wishes were not honored; he was laid to rest next to other French military leaders in Les Invalides in Paris. The formal funeral procession carried Napoleon to St. Jerome's Chapel on a carriage drawn by sixteen horses.

The carriage was extravagant, and his actual casket was placed in the base of the carriage, where the spectators couldn't see it. The photo shows Napoleon's funeral procession.
He Always Concealed His Hand In His Shirt
Napoleon was almost always seen with one of his hands concealed inside his shirt or vest. Many wondered why he did that, but it was long considered a display of gentlemanly restraint and was associated with nobility. In Ancient Greece, it was claimed that restricting the movement of one's hand was the proper way to speak in public.

The 'hand-in-coat' pose often appeared in sculptures of ancient Romans who were portrayed as orators. The stance gave them an air of refinement, boldness, and breeding, which are qualities that Napoleon would've wanted to exhibit.
He Sold The Louisiana Territory To The United States Of America
The Louisiana Purchase included Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Southern Minnesota, all of South Dakota, most of North Dakota, Montana, part of Wyoming, North Eastern New Mexico, Northern Texas, part of Louisiana, and half of Colorado.

Napoleon sold the land to the United States because he needed money for the Great French War. Thomas Jefferson took the offer, which allowed the United States to go from 'sea to shining sea.' The photo above shows the Louisiana Purchase.
He Left Elba, Reclaimed His Soul, And Was Then Exiled Again In Saint Helena
Napoleon left Elba just ten months after he was exiled there because the Treaty of Fontainebleau allowed him the freedom to go anywhere. In 1815, he made his way to Paris, where he began his second term as emperor, but soon he was forced to abdicate again.

This time he was exiled to St. Helena, where he couldn't escape. There were many attempts to free Napoleon, but ultimately, he died on the island in 1821 from Stomach Cancer.
Napoleon Loved Licorice
Napoleon's valet, Louis Constant Wairy, stated that every morning after he was ready for the day, his handkerchief, snuffbox, and a little box of licorice were handed to him. He even had discolored teeth due to his habit of eating licorice, which he always kept in his waistcoat pocket. He also carried a mixture of licorice powder and brown sugar as a remedy for indigestion.

"When Napoleon was dying, he wanted to drink only licorice flavored water. He asked me for a small bottle and some licorice, poured a small quantity, and told me to fill it with water, adding that in the future, he wished to have no other beverage but that." -----Hortense Bertrand.
He Had Beautiful Hands
Napoleon was very proud of his hands, and he took very good care of his fingernails. The people of that era said that his hands were the prettiest and fattest, his knuckles were dimpled like those of a baby, and had beautifully tapered fingers.

His valet driver stated that Napoleon's hands were the most beautiful and resembled that of a woman. Because of how much he loved his hands, he never wore gloves unless he was riding a horse, but even then, the gloves would end up in his pocket.
He Was Superstitious
Napoleon was extremely superstitious, and he hated when people said that superstition was a weakness. He believed in demons, omens, the concept of luck, disliked Fridays and hated the number thirteen.

Napoleon considered December second a lucky day because it was the day of his coronation. He also considered the day in 1805 when he had a victory at the Battle of Austerlitz one of his lucky days.
Napoleon Nearly Died Looking For Australia
Napoleon signed up for an official venture by the French Crown in 1785. Before the French Revolution broke out, two ships were sent on an around-the-world voyage to Australia, Alaska, the Solomon Islands, and California.

Two hundred and twenty men went on the voyage, but Napoleon missed the final cut. Later, he found out that the ships had vanished without a trace and none of the crew made it back home. Missing the cut saved Napoleon's life.
He Liked To Pinch People
Napoleon was known to like to pinch people. He thought it was funny to pinch his intimates by the tip of the ear. Other people wrote that Napoleon would pinch womens' noses as a prank and pinch friends' cheeks until they were on the verge of tears.

He would also even pinch babies' chins until their mothers eased them away from him. He thought it was funny and would do it as a joke, but not everyone thought it was funny and certainly didn't think it was a joke.
Napoleon Survived Two Suicide Attempts
Napoleon was known to have rage issues, and he was never more than a few seconds away from suicide. He actually survived two suicide attempts, one was when he took the poison from around his neck, but it just made him ill.

Then he would have tried to shoot himself, but his servant had already emptied the powder from his pistol. He must've gotten tired of trying to commit suicide and failing because he stopped trying after that.
Napoleon Built The Original Alcatraz
Napoleon built the original Alcatraz between 1801 and 1857. He built the fort on the Atlantic Ocean, and it was called Fort Boyard. The fort stood twenty meters tall, and its original purpose was for defense, but later it housed a prison.

The building still stands today, and in 1990, it was the shooting location for the French game show, Fort Boyard, where the contestants performed acts of strength and endurance in order to win cash prizes.
Napoleon Offered A Reward To Someone Who Made Food Last Longer
While Napoleon's army went to Russia and Egypt, He offered a cash reward to someone who could make food last longer. It was Nicolas Appert who, in 1809, discovered that food cooked inside a sealed glass jar didn't spoil unless the jar leaked.

Appert invented canning and was paid twelve thousand francs as a reward by the French government. Fifty years later, Louis Pasteur explained the role of microbes in food preservation.
Napoleon Accomplished A Lot When He Captured The Island Nation Of Malta
Napoleon captured the island nation of Malta in 1798 for France. He was on his way to Egypt and spent six days in Malta, where he reformed the national administration and abolished feudal privileges.

In addition, he created a public finance administration, framed a family code of law, established a system of both primary and secondary public education, nominated twelve judges, and abolished slavery.
Napoleon Is The Reason We Drive On The Right Side Of The Road
Napoleon is the reason why we drive on the right side of the road in the United States and the British drive on the left side of the road. It was thought that right-hand traffic deterred fighting while on horseback because most people are right-handed.

Mandatory right-hand traffic was enforced throughout Europe after the Napoleonic Wars. However, Napoleon never conquered Britain, so left-handed driving remained there.
Napoleon’s Rule Emancipated The Jews
Napoleon emancipated Jews from laws that restricted them to ghettos, and he expanded their rights to worship, property, and careers under his rule.

At an Assembly with Jewish notables in 1806, Napoleon said, "I will never accept any proposals that will obligate the Jewish people to leave France because to me, the Jews are the same as any other citizen in our country." He wanted to establish the Jews as citizens equal to other Frenchmen.
Napoleon Is Responsible For Braille Writing
Several of Napoleon's inventions and policies are still influential today. For example, when Napoleon was in power, he demanded a method of communication that would require light or sound to be developed.

Charles Barbier developed 'Night Writing" as a tactile military code, but it was too difficult for Napoleon's troops to learn. So, instead, in 1821, he met Louis Braille, and together they created braille writing, which is the same braille used today.
Napoleon Thought Torture Should Be Abolished
Napoleon Bonaparte was a firm believer that torture should be abolished because the information obtained from it is worthless. In 1816, he wrote to Louis Alexandre Berthier, "The Barbarous custom of having men beaten who are suspected of having important secrets to reveal must be abolished."

"It has always been recognized that this way of interrogating men, by putting them to torture, produces nothing worthwhile. The poor wretches say anything that comes into their mind and what they think the interrogator wishes to know."
He Convinced Enemy Soldiers To Fight For Him
While Napoleon was in total exile, he escaped the island and met enemy soldiers. The regiment had been sent to prevent him from reaching Paris. However, after just six words, "Here I am. Kill your Emperor, if you wish," he had them convinced to fight for him.

They were impressed with his audacity and decided to join him on his march to Paris and to reclaim the throne of France. He never gave up his goal of gaining control of France and Europe.
He Is Credited With The Expression “A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words”
"A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words" is one of the most popular expressions in the English language and is often credited to Napoleon. However, those were not the exact words of Napoleon; he actually said, "Un bon croquis vaut mieux qu'un long discours."

It translates to "A good sketch is better than a long speech." The meaning is almost the same but yet different enough. Some say it is a Chinese proverb and others attribute it to Fred R. Barnard.
Napoleon And Josephine Had A Tumultuous Relationship
Napoleon's relationship with his wife Josephine started off very passionate, but her wandering eye plagued their marriage. Napoleon's letters from the battlefield started off passionate and loving and later went to rage and anger.

He took a mistress named Pauline Bellisle Foures in revenge for his wife's unfaithfulness. The two had a relationship full of anger, revenge, and torment after that. Napoleon actually started to have a more sour outlook on life.
His Second Wife Was France’s Shot At Unity With Austria
Napoleon eventually had his marriage to Josephine annulled and married Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha Lucia in 1810. She was the daughter of Austria Emperor Francis I.

Napoleon saw her as the great hope to produce a male heir and as a unifier between France and Austria. They eventually had a son, Napoleon II, who later became the king of Rome. When Napoleon was sent to exile, Maria was escorted back to Austria by Adam Adalbert, Count von Neipperg.
Napoleon Had A Death Mask
It was the tradition during Napoleon's time to cast a death mask of a great leader who died. A death mask was made with a mixture of wax or plaster and then placed over the deceased's face and removed once hardened.

There were four authentic copies of Napoleon's death mask by Dr. Antommarchi, who was in attendance when Napoleon died. A bronze copy was presented to the city of New Orleans, and another was donated to the university.
He Liked To Eat Fast And In Silence
It was written about Napoleon that he always ate his meals fast and then would immediately rise from the table. He wanted his favorite food to be ready at any hour of day or night, and his favorite foods were roast chicken and potatoes fried with onions.

"He drank little wine and always unmixed; his favorite tipple is a glass of Chambertin. Napoleon would demolish his food in silence and at express speed, sometimes eating the courses in reverse order and even eating with his fingers if he had pressing matters on his mind. He was also known to eat sitting in the saddle when traveling or on the battlefield." ---- Frank McLynn.
Napoleon Was Defeated For Good At The Famous Battle Of Waterloo
Napoleon's French Army was defeated by two of the Seventh Coalition armies in the Battle of Waterloo. The defeat brought an end to the Napoleonic era of European history, and Napoleon returned to Paris and abdicated in favor of his son.

He surrendered to the British and was sent to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he remained for the rest of his life. After six years of being on the island, Napoleon died from stomach cancer. The photo above shows the Battle of Waterloo.
His Family Shaped Him
Napoleon was born in Ajaccio and was the fourth child of Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer, and Letizia Ramolino. He was the second surviving child of the couple as they had two children die before Napoleon was born.

Corsica was being occupied by France, and many of the people were against the idea of becoming and forming part of the mainland. However, his father supported the nationalist movement and its leader, Pasquale Paoli. The photo above shows a portrait of Napoleon's father and mother.
He Didn’t Sleep Much
Napoleon typically only slept about three to four hours every night, and he had the ability to sleep and wake up at his own will. He could even skip a nights' worth of sleep without any problems. He was also known to nap right before major battles as soundly as ever.

Before battle is when he slept the most soundly and deeply. He appeared able to function normally on very little sleep and could take a brief nap and then wake up and get right back to work without skipping a beat.
Napoleon Loved Snuff
Napoleon was also known to love snuff, and he would sometimes place it under his nose just to smell it. He liked it rasped largely, and his snuff habit earned him friends among the local wild gazelles. He became fond of it after he fed it to them and had a collection of snuff boxes.

His favorite snuff boxes were oval-shaped, hinged, plain, and lined with gold. He liked being able to open the box with only one hand, and he often had several of his favorite snuff boxes duplicated.
His Vests And Breeches Were Always Made From White Kerseymere
Napoleon's vests and breeches were made from white kerseymere, which was a fine twilled woolen fabric. He changed into them every morning, but they were white, and he had a problem with wiping his inky pen on his breeches.

Because of always being covered in ink, his vests and breeches were usually only washed three to four times before they were just replaced. Napoleon ruined a lot of his clothing with ink and even ruined some of his wife's clothing after throwing ink at them.