Napoleon Bonaparte can be described as a Hero or Tyrant and it may even be a fair assertion to suggest he was both. Napoleon ended the French Revolution after 10 years of political and economical instability, he implemented significant civil reform, he implemented the ideals of the Revolution by advancing people from all ranks of society and he sowed the seeds of a free democratic republic to neighboring countries mired in their own outdate regimes.
These achievements were particularly significant because of who was behind achieving these accomplishments. He was not of any Royal lineage nor did he have any significant Nobility. A commoner would rise and become an Emperor, something that was probably unfathomably inconceivable, even by the
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However it also addressed many shortcomings in the French constitution that impeded the young ambitious Napoleon from aspiring for high-ranking positions that invigorated his supporters. He promoted and advanced people from all ranks of society on merit of what they could achieve and not nobility, wealth or ancestry privilege. The Bank of France was established to restore financial stability. He implemented public schools and fostered an atmosphere conducive for science.
Under the Code there would be no freedom of press, which meant that Napoleon could control the propaganda, which would spread the Napoleon and reach across bordered to people who found the Code favorable. There would be a Centralized State authority, however this ushered in the Concordat 1801, which recognized the Catholic and brought about freedom of religion in France with the use of appointed Bishops and clergy to ensure State control.
The Napoleon Code was revolutionary and aided in many of Napoleons conquests across Europe as it appealed to commoners that felt oppressed by their monarch
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However with Napoleon’s conquest across Europe, there wasn’t an army large enough to finally quash the Haitian revolution. Despite the ideals Napoleon was spreading across Europe it was apparent that those ideals did not extend to the colonies and its slaves, perhaps because of the value of these colonies that produced goods cheaply with slave labor and produced revenue critical for Napoleons ambitions. Nonetheless Napoleon sent an army of forty thousand troops to suppress the revolution in
The French Revolution was full of bloodshed and hurt. Even though many think that the French Revolution did nothing, there are many important events that took place. Much of what we have today is in place, because of how the French Revolution ended. As a new empire was rising up, a leader was called forth to unify the rebellious parties of the dissipating French Revolution. Many will argue that the acts of this man were at first of great benefit to his country, but then were made to feed his yearn for power and total dominance of Europe. This man was named Napoleon Bonaparte; however, he will later be known as Napoleon I Emperor of France. Napoleon; however, was not the first to be leader of the revolution, he was one of
...y, and more indirectly, the world. Napoleon’s greed got the best of him in the end, tough. It was Napoleon’s boldness to advance and try to take the Russian empire that led to his downfall. No man had ever even considered to bother the sleeping bear that was the Russians. Upon provoking the Russians, his troops were massacred and he was sent into exile. France was set back to its normal borders and the leaders of the conquered states were reseated in power. Yet, Napoleon’s exile did not hold him back. He returned and tried to reclaim his power from the powers that had unseated him. He challenged the authority that had been merciful upon him and sent him into exile. Upon his return, he tried to throw a coup and seize his government once again. It was unsuccessful and he was sent to permanent exile in St. Helena. He later died there, leaving the world forever changed.
Napoleon was able to grant French citizens natural rights, which was the main purpose of the Revolution, and use this to better society as a whole. For example, he used a plebiscite, vote of the people, to approve a new constitution that gave him power to rule. By getting the consent of the people to rule and to create and pursue certain actions in government, Napoleon used the governed as a ruling mechanism; he didn't ignore them. He created a system of meritocracy (what the people wanted): granting positions to those that deserved them based on qualifications, not just handing out jobs to people of higher social status giving “careers open to talent (Coffin and Stacey, 494).” Finally through his supremacy as French ruler,...
With such driving momentum, yet unstable, the French in the late 1700’s needed something or someone who was willing to lead their country, unite them, and bring order to their society. In 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte emerged to become that very man. Controversy wells up now a days as people begin to argue whether this man was a hero or tyrant, however I believe him to be a hero for doing exactly what the French needed at the time. He created a legendary domestic system that modified French society and is still used today, his warfare experience and keen sense of tactics revolutionized military then and for years to come and led France to become a dominant nation in the world, and lastly through his many contributions he created a sense of nationalism and identity nothing like the French had ever had before, all of these accomplishments not only bettering France but the world.
Napoleon Bonaparte was an interesting ruler in that he was compromised of attributes of both a tyrant and a hero. Napoleon had a strong following throughout his reign and even during his two exiles. He was the emperor of France between 1799 and 1815, following the fall of the Directory. Despite the efforts of the French Revolution to rid the country of an autocratic ruler, Bonaparte came to power as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I in 1804. He claimed that he preserved the goals of the Revolution, which can be easily argued as his rule became more dictatorial as it progressed. Despite his departure from some of the gains of the Revolution, he overall was a hero for the French people. Through his military ventures, political changes and social reform, Napoleon proved himself as a hero. This is not to say that there were aspects of his reign that were tyrannical, but he was overall beneficial for France.
...ig concepts, such as equality before the law, but he also did what would benefit his country. It is important to understand that since France had just exited a revolution, it was pretty fragile; one big mistake and France might have ended up in another one. Napoleon was not only a child of both the French Revolution and the Enlightenment, he was also a very intelligent person. His cunning and his wits led him to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest enlightened despot of all time.
The arguments about Napoleon Bonaparte have never stopped through hundreds of years after his death. Hero or Tyrant? The answer is just as complex as the question. Napoleon was still one of the most controversial historical figures today. The life of Napoleon was glorious, solemn and stirring. Some say that he is a shrewd politician; some say that he is a hero, who changed the history of Europe; some say that he is a sinner of war, a warmonger and a tyrant; some blame him for re-established the monarchy, which is the reverse of history. His role in the long river of history will always be swinging between a hero and a tyrant. But without any doubt, Napoleon was once the dominance of Europe, who
The world has seen the likes of many dictators, tyrants, and rulersꟷ the ‘leaders’ that would go to great lengths to get what they wanted. Among this list lay the names of Napoleon Bonaparte (b.1769, d.1821) and Adolf Hitler (b.1889, d.1945). Both Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler are well-known historic figures that have played a significant part in shaping World History. Many people believe that Napoleon and Hitler are akin: notorious warlords who wanted to conquer Europe and put their respective countries on top. However, this is not true. Although they were both autocrats who shared much in common, there are vast differences that set them apart. The former French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte and Führer of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler can
The efforts made evident by the French Revolution were denigrated by Napoleon Bonaparte’s wrongdoings as Emperor of France. Napoleon’s speedy rise to power, the lessening of freedoms he imposed, and the many military mistakes he committed completely demolished many of the hopes and dreams of the enlightenment philosophes whose influence began the Revolution in the first place. Nevertheless, Napoleon Bonaparte was a highly influential human being who taught the world many important lessons, such as the horrors that can follow the actions of greedy power.
Napoleon Bonaparte. A hero or a tyrant? There is no denying that he was incredibly gifted with intelligence but how did he use it? Even young, he was smart and thus he won a scholarship to study at a famous military school. When he finishes his studies he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the French army. Napoleon rose through the ranks in just 10 years, becoming the commander of the French army in 1796. Napoleon was known for his speed, decisive action, and initiative. Due to his extensive popularity, he easily overthrew the monarchy in 1799 and crowned himself Emperor of France. Though it may be extensively debated, Napoleon was clearly a tyrant because of his discriminatory policies, sweeping corruption, and attitude.
Napoleon had been influenced and guided by the revolution, but he was able to use it to his ends. One of Napoleons greatest strengths was being able to take advantage of a situation, and he certainly was able to utilize the chaos and fear of the revolution. He is forever intertwined with the French Revolution, and it with him.
...European continent, putting many nations on the path to a republic. Despite Napoleon’s military genius, his arrogance caught up with him, leading to his downfall at the battle of Waterloo. In the end, the French Revolution and the visions of Napoleon was left as little more than a dying spark: after Napoleon’s final exile to St. Helena, legitimate monarchs were restored to the thrones of Europe, including Louis XVIII on the throne of France. Almost 30 years of France’s history, from the start of the Revolution in 1789 to Napoleon’s fall in 1815, had been physically wiped out, leaving only ideas for the future.
With all the glory and the splendour that some countries may have experienced, never has history seen how only only one man, Napoleon, brought up his country, France, from its most tormented status, to the very pinnacle of its height in just a few years time. He was a military hero who won splendid land-based battles, which allowed him to dominate most of the European continent. He was a man with ambition, great self-control and calculation, a great strategist, a genius; whatever it was, he was simply the best. But, even though how great this person was, something about how he governed France still floats among people's minds. Did he abuse his power? Did Napoleon defeat the purpose of the ideals of the French Revolution? After all of his success in his military campaigns, did he gratify the people's needs regarding their ideals on the French Revolution? This is one of the many controversies that we have to deal with when studying Napoleon and the French Revolution. In this essay, I will discuss my opinion on whether or not was he a destroyer of the ideals of the French Revolution.
During the Napoleonic reign, the biggest reform appeared to be the loss of hereditary rights of the upper class citizens. Before Napoleon became a king, a lot of jobs were inherited. The purchase of the offices was rather common and skills were not required. Revolution believed in equality. Napoleon established that equality by granting everyone equal right to attempt the job. Now the positions were given out based on merit only. This change created fairness and limited the rights of the nobles at the same time. France was not the only country that felt the influence of the Napoleonic reform. Italian and German aristocrats were overthrown as well, and the weakening of the Spanish nobility even led to the revolt.
The France Directory, the previous rulers of France, were extremely corrupt, and deprived citizens of many rights. Before being disbanded in 1799, the Directory was the cause of political uproar throughout France. Napoleon, a lieutenant of the army at the time, formed the Consulate, and stormed and overtook the Directory, much to the approval of the French people. During his rise to power, Napoleon ensured every step he took strengthened the bond between the future government and its citizens. Furthermore, to ascertain a just future, he set up lycees, a government-run school, to train future officials and government representatives. Although it was inevitable that Napoleon was the next ruler, he still held a plebiscite, a vote, so the people had a chance to interject. Napoleon took to restoring order within France. His efforts in doing so proved effective from the people. One of his greatest works was the Napoleonic Code. The Code, created in 1804, was Napoleon’s all-inclusive, complete system of laws. It “gave the country a uniform set of laws and eliminated many injustices,” (Source A). Though it deprived women of some rights, and denied the people of France freedoms like speech/press, the Code’s laws achieved some of the goals of the Revolution and strengthened the central government. It provided all people of France with equal rights, a concept that was difficult to achieve throughout the Revolution. Another