Napoleon was one of the Greatest
Military genius, enlightened reformer, and proponent of revolutionary ideals
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) is arguably the most iconic historical figure besides Jesus Christ. His name is frequently mentioned in not just historical publications, but can also be found in many works of (fictional) entertainment and publications on politics and legislation.
In relation to the above, I have elected to publish this article in ILLUMINATION, rather than a dedicated history publication, precisely because Napoleon is still so relevant across multiple domains.
The mention of his name immediately conjures up a strong image of the successful general with the bicorne hat. This is in no small part thanks to the Napoleonic myth he consciously established in his lifetime, through commissioning art, controlling news publications, and dictating memoirs.
Like many people, I have been fascinated by Napoleon since an early age; he was the subject of my first major assignment in elementary school. Growing up, my grandparents would even save me newspaper clippings whenever there was some new Napoleonic finding.
I have since had the pleasure of reading many well-researched books on Napoleon’s life and visiting his tomb, as well as the adjacent army museum, in Paris. On this note, I would recommend the biography Andrew Roberts published in 2014.
Napoleon is often viewed through the prism of the events that transpired in the more than 200 years since his death. This subject is seeing renewed interest in the wake of the recently released movie Napoleon, by director Ridley Scott.
The director has no qualms about specifically comparing Napoleon with later despots like Hitler and Stalin. The position that Napoleon is a sort of proto-Hitler is nothing new, but it deserves to keep being challenged.
While you could argue that Napoleon’s actions directly or indirectly led to a loss of human life and the balance of power that provided the setting for The Franco-Prussian War in 1870 and World War I in 1914, what he strived for is a far cry from the devastating impact those later European dictators would have.
In this article, while by no means exhaustive, I like to highlight what made Napoleon great through his military prowess, lasting reforms, and propagated ideals. Though it is obvious where I stand on the matter, I will address some (un)fair criticisms in the process.
Military Genius
Napoleon was an avid reader, went to a military academy, and studied battle strategy from a young age. He distinguished himself early in his career as an artillery commander and was appointed general of a successful military campaign in Italy while still in his twenties.
His string of victories solidified his popularity and position in France, ultimately leading to him being able to seize power. As consul and emperor Napoleon would continue to fight and win battles.
He ultimately boasted an impressive military record of 60 battles, of which 46 were considered a victory and 7 a loss. At its peak, the French Empire had more than 44 million subjects from West to Eastern Europe. Napoleon himself was keenly aware that his success relied on his ability to keep winning.
It should be noted however that Napoleon was not necessarily a warmonger or specifically out for territory; of the 7 Napoleonic wars, only 2 were started by Napoleon himself, with various coalitions declaring war on him in the other 5 conflicts.
There were a few key tactics Napoleon employed to secure his victories. During his campaigns, he had his soldiers cover more ground than his opponents and showed up where he needed to be faster than expected.
During battles, he would look for places to concentrate his troops to force a breakthrough, which enabled him to critically outnumber the opponent in key positions, even if on the whole he would not be expected to do so. His troops were flexible and motivated, and his marshals had impressive military records of their own.
While later European leaders have had military successes of their own, no individual can be credited with a similar record or advancement of military tactics. Though you could, for example, claim that Hitler’s Wehrmacht was highly impressive for a time, he was not their general and would make terrible decisions as World War II went on.
Critics will of course be quick to point out Napoleon’s disastrous campaign in Russia (1812), which resulted in the defeat of his massive army and marked the end of his glory days. It is often suggested that he was attempting a naive conquest of Moscow and was surprised by the Russian winter.
It is however completely untrue that he was unprepared for the extreme conditions; the intention was to only fight for some weeks on the borders. Instead, his troops got drawn into the country and had to deal with both typhus and scorched earth tactics employed by the Russians.
If Napoleon was unprepared for anything, it was for widespread disease and the fact that the Russians were willing to burn down three-quarters of Moscow to stop his advance.
It speaks volumes that Napoleon’s final opponent, the British Duke of Wellington, estimated his presence on the battlefield as the equivalent of 40,000 men.
Bringer of Order and Reforms
Napoleon came of age in the years surrounding the French Revolution, which had completely spiraled out of control by 1793.
The so-called Reign of Terror was marked by massacres and political executions; even many original leaders of the revolution were not spared the guillotine. The chaos was an opportunity for ambitious young men like Napoleon, who quickly rose in rank and popularity through military distinguishments.
People were tired of the bloodshed and in November 1799, Napoleon became the First Consul of France following a coup d’etat that required little actual violence.
The state of the country helped Napoleon in the saddle as the person people wanted to place their trust in, but he did have his work cut out for him. Besides the political unrest, there was massive inflation, and the various regions of France all had their own legal systems.
By 1804 Napoleon established the French civil code that is still in use today, though often amended since. Mainly dealing with family and property, the Napoleonic Code modernized law throughout all of Europe through its clarity and structure.
The fact that many European countries were brought under Napoleonic rule during his reign helped to cement the Code, but it speaks volumes that it is fundamentally still in use today.
Other reforms under Napoleon included the abolishment of the feudal systems, the establishment of a national bank, and centralized tax collection. Contrary to popular belief, Napoleon did not invent surnames, but he did make them mandatory for governmental record-keeping.
He also made Paris the beautiful capital it still is today, by investing in infrastructure, bridges, reservoirs, sewers, and various monuments, such as the iconic Arc de Triomphe.
When it came to government, Napoleon admittedly broke away from the democratic aspects the French Revolution had tried to establish. After all, he came to power through a military coup and crowned himself emperor in 1804.
No one can deny however that he brought stability and was able to cut through the red tape that would otherwise hinder his drastic reforms. It also bears mention that, while he had his electoral victories exaggerated, he was highly popular and supported among the population.
Advancing the Ideals of the French Revolution
Napoleon brought an end to the excesses and bad ideas that came from the Revolution, such as the political Terror, the persecution of Christians, and the revolutionary calendar system.
He did ascribe to its fundamental values, such as equality for the law and your position in life being a consequence of your merits, rather than your blood. Under Napoleon public offices were open to all and ten of his marshals were promoted from the lower classes.
The Enlightenment had brought major advances in science, which Napoleon was very sympathetic towards. An early example is that Napoleon brought scientists on his campaign to Egypt, during which the Rosetta Stone was discovered, resulting in an understanding of the Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Education was high on the priority list in general, including the founding of lycées as an opportunity to study beyond secondary school.
On the flip side, Napoleon’s attempt at creating a dynasty was not quite what the revolutionaries had intended.
A somewhat positive explanation was that having an emperor ensured continuity in the case of an assassination, in the form of an heir. This was not an unlikely scenario as many attempts were made on Napoleon’s life and he was still fighting wars.
It can however not be excused that he put his generally incompetent family members on the thrones of Europe, one of the problematic aspects of the monarchies preceding him.
While effectively operating as a monarch, Napoleon’s reign contributed to the fact that a continuation of the actual monarchy in France was ultimately short-lived.
Following Napoleon’s first defeat and exile to Elba in 1814, the Bourbons were restored to the throne. The next year, Napoleon escaped Elba and was able to relatively easily win back Paris, winning over troops and chasing off the royal family.
After Napoleon was definitively defeated at Waterloo in 1815, the Bourbons were restored a second time, while Napoleon spent his remaining years withering away on the remote island of St. Helena.
When Napoleon’s ashes were returned to Paris in 1840, a million people came out and yearned for the glory days of the First French Empire. Though more factors were at play, this showed that the populace was not necessarily happy with the return of the monarchy.
A second revolutionary wave in 1848 would end the French monarchy for good. In an interesting turn of events, Napoleon’s nephew Louis Napoleon Bonaparte would soon after take the throne as emperor Napoleon III. Following his fall in 1870, France became known as a republic, which it still is today.
In Conclusion
The above was an attempt to provide a brief overview of Napoleon’s military success, rationalization of European countries, and advancement of some of the French Revolution’s core values.
While not without fault, like any man, he has made positive changes that last until today. As an individual he was driven, productive, and a man of many interests and talents.
His intent was never conquest for the sake of it, mindless destruction or genocide, even if he ended up overreaching with particularly his campaign to Russia. Most of his battles were in defense of his own, probably too dominant, position or attempts to bring other countries back into the fold he had established.
Especially if you choose to view history’s key players in the light of their accomplishments, rather than their negatives, it is apparent why Napoleon was extraordinary.
