Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise and fall still fascinate people around the world. An unknown Corsican, a native of a small island in the Mediterranean Sea, gained unlimited power over France, and then over the European continent. Such a prominent life’s journey proves that Napoleon, who initially was a typical outsider, was talented enough as a leader and commander to mastermind his career from the lieutenant to the First Consul. Despite being undoubtedly gifted, the French revolution of 1789-1799 became the primary catalyst for his brilliant political career. This revolutionary era, together with his talents, enabled Napoleon to rise in prominence and gain power.
The young Corsican decided to pursue a military career, so he finished studies at the Brienne military college and Paris military school. In 1789, Napoleon unconditionally supported the French Revolution and sided with the Revolutionaries (Frankforter and Spellman, p. 516). In December 1793, he commanded the artillery of the army besieging Toulon, which was occupied by the British forces. Captain Bonaparte proposed a plan that led to the rapid seizure of the city, for which he eventually received the rank of brigadier general.
In 1795 the future emperor helped the National Convention to suppress royalist insurgents in Paris being in charge of the Convention’s artillery. The government appreciated his contribution and promoted him to the division general and commander of the Army of Italy. In 1796 Napoleon invaded Italy and inflicted a series of defeats on the Austrian and Piedmontese troops, forcing Piedmont, the Papal State, and Austria to sign a peace treaty with France (Esdaile, p. 5). In general, he put an end to the first Anti-French coalition.
The last remained enemy was Britain, and the Directory, which was unable to land its forces on the British Isles due to the English fleet superiority, opted to capture Egypt. Despite the quite successful land war waged by Bonaparte, the French fleet was defeated at the Battle of the Nile in 1798 (Esdaile, p. 6). Ambitious Napoleon realized the futility of the situation and decided to abandon his army in Egypt to slip back into France. At that moment, Paris suffered from internal unrest, political disintegration, and economic crisis (Esdaile, p. 6). In 1799 Napoleon led the coup d’état organized by conservative factions and overthrew the Directory. People successfully approved the popular military commander as a “First Consul” under a newly created constitution. The subsequent victories helped him to consolidate public support, which he skillfully used to strengthen his own power. In 1802, based on the results of plebiscites, Napoleon was declared the First Consul for life (Frankforter and Spellman, p. 516). Then, in 1804 he proclaimed himself Emperor of the French.
Bonaparte dominated Europe approximately from 1800 till 1815, waging the so-called Napoleonic Wars. Despite being, in fact, a dictator, he forced European countries to change their political systems by spreading revolutions. The emperor also established freedoms and liberty for his people that were never seen before. Common people were granted some rights that they deserved, and the nobility was taken out of power. Napoleon is famous for bringing the metric system and the Civil Code to the rest of Europe (Frankforter and Spellman, p. 518). His reign also reshaped borders of Europe and consolidated European leaders to defeat the system of conflict, threatening to ignite multiple revolutions in the region.
To conclude, the French Revolution and its aspirations significantly promoted Napoleon’s rapid rise to power and his brilliant career. He was talented and fortunate enough to exploit the situation to his own advantage. The rapid rise of Napoleon was possible due to his successful wars, high ambitions, and a sound understanding of emerging political challenges and chances. His personality, reforms, and war outcomes had its repercussions across Europe until 1914.
Works Cited
- Frankforter, Daniel A., and William M. Spellman. The West: A Narrative History, Volume Two: 1400 to the Present. 3rd ed., Pearson, 2012.
- Esdaile, Charles J. The Wars of Napoleon. 2d ed., Routledge, 2019.