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The downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte biography
The downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte
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Throughout centuries, history has presented to life a plethora of individuals who would then impact the world by means of various arduous missions and accomplishments. While certain people are extolled for their grandiloquent changes to society, others may become infamous for imperiling humankind. However, within history lies a character who is interposed between approbation and being loathed, whose name is Napoléon Bonaparte. This particular person was a French leader who ruled as an emperor in 1804 and had performed numerous tasks across his lifetime. As a commander, he performed remarkably when concerning lawmaking, nationalism, military bearing, and restoring order to France. Certain laws and decisions, such as the Napoleonic Code, have …show more content…
One major factor that Bonaparte corrected was religion, as it represented a vast population of his country. Previously controlled by the Committee of Public Safety, this organization desired education and reasoning, which was not supported by the Catholic Church. Catholicism typically encourages thoughts of superstition, and education was not strong throughout the revolution, thus leaving the Committee to create the Republic of Virtue. Said democratic republic had focused on enlightening citizens of France, but also pushed on de-christianization. Once overthrown, Napoleon extricated its action and made up for their errors by assembling a compromise with the Pope, reinstating peace with the Catholic church and empowering catholicism as France’s true religion by providing all citizens with religious rights, along with recognition. Moreover, he adjusted and increased widespread education to edify secondary students (high schoolers), teachers, girls, along with several middle-class citizens, according to J. David Markham’s article (The Revolution, Napoleon, and Education, 2010). Enlightenment, while very important to Bonaparte, was not his primary goal in perfecting France, as he mostly endeavored in reorganizing law and order for his …show more content…
No French figure could remotely match with his patriotism for France. Even as a tyro, he conducted similar to a professional military commander and won mickle battles in the revolution through various arduous tactics and bravery, gaining himself rank-ups much faster than any other French figures at the time, earning titles such as “military hero”, according to McGraw Hill’s textbook (pg. 229-235). His movement, along with everyone’s growing hatred for the Directory, allowed Bonaparte to easily overthrow them and strengthen France as a whole, giving civilians nationalism for their country. Alas, his actions from there only decrease all respect he originally had, as he would move on to attack various countries in Europe and Russia, along with removing women’s rights and silenced freedom of press. Since he shut down said rights (and was beginning to lose battles with Russia), citizens were enraged, thus giving them desires to remove him from power. This aspiration, combined with their recent espy of Europe’s anger at Napoleon, brought more patriotic pride than ever before. Ironically, it was his flaws that led to ultimate nationalism for France, as well as numerous small European
During his rule, Napoleon called himself an emperor, but he acted like the kings before him. The French Revolution stood against the idea of one leader with all authority over one country and promoted liberty, equality, and fraternity. The French citizens did not glorify Napoleon as a king because he gave his people sovereignty over political situations. He used plebiscites or voting to spread equality, however, the majority was always in favor of Napoleon. This happened due to fear because he was the strongest man in Europe at the time. He idolized himself as a hero, saving the French people from the
Being a supporter of equivalent rights, he picked up notoriety with the French individuals. After some time, Napoleon utilized these standards to increment and set his energy.
In short, the three key principles are liberty, equality and fraternity. It is generally thought that Napoleon was a supporter of these principles. Historian Georges Lefebvre wrote that Bonaparte was “.... ... middle of paper ... ... It was he who ended the revolution in France, consolidated its gains, corrected its extravagances and exported its ideals to Europe.
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.
While this saw Catholicism as the religion of the majority of French people, it tolerated Jews and Protestants. It also abolished the revolutionary calendar, indicating the return of Sunday. Napoleon preserved nationalism as well. He was seen as the perfect “Son of the Revolution” because his power was self-made by rising through the ranks of the military. He led major victories throughout Europe, and his troops were loyal to him and
Napoleon had betrayed the idea of liberty of the French Revolution through his conquests and new laws. His conquests led to multiple reforms and laws which failed because they were considered politically impossible. He established new codes that limited the freedoms that the conquered had previously. After crowning himself Emperor, Napoleon started regulating public opinion, censoring books and media, and monitoring his people to avoid rebellion. He had suppressed anyone who tried to write articles that attacked him, curtailed free speech and freedom of the press, and
Napoleon was a military general that participated in multiple war victories. His interests included history, law, and mathematics. His strengths as a leader benefitted in planning financial, legal, and military plans. His aspiring attitude made him believe he was destined to be the savior of France (Coffin & Stacey, 494). He favored a republic over a constitutional monarchy. When Napoleon came to power, he immediately consolidated personal power by overthrowing the five-man Directory and created a Republic. Napoleon used his status and power during the Revolution to bring out and surface Revolution ideals and help his people. Napoleon’s role in European history was the savior of the French Revolution due to the fact he accomplished most objectives that the people hoped for. Goals of the French Revolution included overthrowing the old regime of an absolute monarch, write a basic and worthy constitution, and give more rights to the third estate and limit the first and second estates power in the Estates-General.
...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 enlightenment was a time of great learning throughout Europe during the eighteenth century. Although the period is significant for scientific and other scholastic advancements, it is most important because it allowed for the opening of great minds—such as that of Napoleon Bonaparte. Shortly after this enlightenment made its way through Europe, revolution and civil war ripped through France between 1879 and 1899. The unrest of the time called for a strong ruler. A man/woman with an open mind and an enlightened soul. France needed a child of the enlightenment to sew its tattered flag. Napoleon Bonaparte was a child of the enlightenment. This was displayed in both his attitudes and policies as a result of enlightened religious ideas, political genius, and social reforms.
...ral in the french army and was given a lot of recognition for his actions by the Directory. This created a very positive public image of him within the french population and gave him the political capitol to stage a coup upon the Directory. Bonaparte named himself Emperor of France and was able to win a multitude of battles across Europe. Napoleon finally lost his power and was removed from his position by the people of France after a scathing defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.
Napoleon maintained the Revolutionary system of conscription and encouraged promotion based on ability.... ... middle of paper ... ... Broers, Michael.
Numerous leaders throughout the history of Europe have received the prestigious title of the “Great” due to their remarkable capabilities as ruler. After the French Revolution, France was left with an inefficient government, known as the Directory, that was in need of a “Great”. Napoleon Bonaparte, an intelligent military leader, took charge with his coup d'etat and established the consulate. As a result of his position as First Consul, Bonaparte was able to rise to power and become the emperor of France. While Emperor and First Consul, Napoleon executed many beneficial governmental reforms in order to restore France to its former glory as a world power. However, despite his impressive political and military actions, it is commonly debated whether or not Napoleon deserves the title the “Great”. As a product of the age of enlightenment and French
He started from a Corsican village to leading much of Europe. Following his first exile, Napoleon escaped and recruited an army by himself, as his mere presence inspired the French. He fought off foreign coalitions, forced the dissolution of the millennia old Holy Roman Empire and modernized Europe into increasingly secular nation states. I admire that he did not come from royalty; that he fought alongside the common people in the revolution and against foreign aggression. I think he really had a love for France and its people.
Certain individuals approved of Napoleon's reign as the saviour of France. He finished and completed the Revolution by fulfilling the ideals the people of France demanded. A person such as one belonging to the bourgeoisie, or even a peasant would be very satisfied with the way Napoleon ruled over the country. He gave them equality, freedom, justice, and many rights. Such things never existed during the reign of the monarchs before Napoleon stepped in. A banker too would be very affirmative on how Napoleon had truly helped France in its economic problems. He made the franc the most stable currency in Europe, and the banker had witnessed that, as probably one of the bankers of the Bank of France. Another type of individual that agrees that Napoleon isn't the destroyer of the ideals of the Revolution would be his soldiers and generals. He had fought alongside with his men in many battles. Through inspiration, he gained their loyalty, to "follow him to the stars" if he asked them to. Such inspiration would never be gained if he never respected them, if he never treated them fairly. And then, the "Legion of Honour", which awarded to some certain citizens for their civil and military achievements.
He was also a great general and with his amazing work people were convinced that he could make France a better place. The French people desperate to find a leader accepted Napoleon as their leader. Soon this leader would make France as big as ever has