What I Learned from Napoleon

…and three seminal moments in his life.

In essence, anything is possible, both good and bad. You can become an Emperor, and you can have a Waterloo.

“Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

Did you ever wonder what the big deal was about Napoleon? In search of an answer I read Andrew Robert's biography “Napoleon: A Life.”

In reading this book I learned much about Napoleon. What struck me most was the epic form of his journey — from simple obscurity to immense power, and then to lonely exile. I also did further research on Napoleon's life, focusing on the timeline of his rise to power and fall.

Above all, Napoleon was an opportunist. He made his own destiny.

First a (disputed) fact. Most historians believe Napoleon was 5'7", an inch or so above what was considered average at the time.

Paul Combs recently wrote on this as a historical myth.

Today we speak of those short in stature and long in overcompensating bravado as having a “Napoleon Complex.” However, was Napoleon truly a Napoleon?

Was Napoleon a Napoleon?

Napoleon’s reputation as a short man with over-the-top domineering social behavior is largely a result of propaganda by the British press.

The pejorative cliche of the “Napoleon Complex” began with caricatures of him by the British during Napoleon’s reign. As the British and French were in constant battle with each other, it was an attempt to publicly belittle him as a political adversary.

Napoleon was more Italian than French. He was born on the island of Corsica off the eastern coast of Italy. His parents were Carlo Maria di Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino and of Italian descent. Napoleon was born just 15 months after France purchased the island from the Italian city-state of Genoa.

His birth name was Napoleone di Buonaparte, certainly not French. Over time he changed it to just Napoleon Bonaparte, the French version of his name.

Three Defining Moments

Napoleon fought over 80 battles during his lifetime, losing only eleven.

Though he is most remembered for his last, and losing, battle at Waterloo. There were three less famous events that led first to his rise and then to his ultimate fall.

1. The siege of Toulon

In 1793 the coast city of Toulon, France had been taken over by counter-revolutionary Federalists during the French Revolutionary Wars, who were heavily supported by the British Navy.

Napoleon was appointed an artillery commander in the siege to retake the city. Before this Napoleon was just another soldier.

During this battle, Napoleon first won fame when his plan to capture the fortifications above the harbor was credited with forcing the British (and Spanish) fleet to flee, leaving the city back in French hands.

The British engagement marked their first direct involvement with the French Revolution, setting the stage for Napoleon's lifelong nemesis.

2. Saving the French Revolution from crown royalists

Napoleon’s next seminal moment occurred in 1795 during the French Revolution when the French Jacobites (loyalists to the crown) revolted against the new government.

The crown had been deposed as part of the French Revolution. On the eve of the new government’s National Convention, whereby they were creating the constitution for the Republic, Crown royalists, in hopes of restoring the monarchy, instigated a revolt in Paris. Based on Napoleon's success in Toulon, he was called upon by the Republic’s dictatorial leader (Robespierre), who didn’t trust his own commander of the interior, to be second in command of the city and convention’s defense. Napoleon took decisive action, turning canons upon columns of rebels (though still French citizens) in the streets to save the National Convention and the republic.

3. The march on Moscow

By this time Napoleon was firmly entrenched as France’s leader and Emperor. He had a deep record of decisive battlefield victories in Italy, Egypt, and Syria.

Napoleon set his sights on Russia and captured their capital of Moscow to punish Czar Alexander for not complying with his embargo of British trade.

Napoleon assembled a massive army of 600,000 troops to march to Moscow.

As he marched with his troops to Moscow, many of his troops succumbed to disease and injury from the logistical challenges and ensuing battles during the march. He arrived in Moscow with estimates as low as only 100,000 troops.

Then in Moscow, with hopes of replenishing his troops with the spoils of war, he found a scorched city and a harsh Russian winter.

Though his occupation of Moscow was technically a victory, he found a city on fire with no housing or provisions available for his troops. This further decimated his troops. Upon leaving Moscow they had to march back to Paris, again diminishing his troop strength. He arrived back in France with an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 troops — and a loss of political and popular support as a result of the disastrous campaign and its impact on the French treasury.

France wanted him out. This led to his first exile.

“Space I can recover. Time, never.” — Napoleon

Napoleon’s 1st Exile

His first exile was to the Mediterranean island of Elba, off the nearby French coast.

Interestingly, with this exile, he retained the title of Emperor with sovereignty over the island. He was allotted troops to aid his presence on the island — and a ship.

“I want from now on to live like a justice of the peace,” said Napoleon.

Shortly after being on Elba, he used that ship to escape the island and sail back to the French coast. He and his loyalists then embarked on an overland journey back to Paris, picking up support along the way.

Upon entering Paris, he deposed the weak King and again sat on the throne as Emperor.

“Victory is not always winning the battle…but rising every time you fall.” — Napoleon

Now back in charge, Napoleon prepared to preemptively strike against the combined British, Austrian, Russian, and Prussian forces, only to suffer a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

Waterloo

To replenish France’s treasury and regain popular support, Napoleon turned again to defeating Britain and her allies, marching to Waterloo for a showdown.

For various reasons; including bad weather, poor communications, and questionable support by his field commanders, Waterloo was a colossal loss. As a result, he was removed from power in France and again exiled, this time to the faraway island of Saint Helena off the southwestern coast of Africa.

His second exile

Napoleon lived in British custody in exile for six years on the remote island of Saint Helena, until his death.

“My real glory is not the … battles I won, for Waterloo’s defeat will destroy the memory of as many victories… What nothing will destroy, what will live forever, is my Civil Code.” — Napoleon Bonaparte, while in exile

He was first buried in Saint Helena. Many years later he was exhumed and his remains were entombed in the Hotel des Invalides, which you can visit today on the outskirts of Paris.

An interesting story from his stay in Saint Helena was the heartwarming relationship he established with a young girl.

Betsy Balcombe lived on the island with her merchant parents. She was fluent in French and became an interpreter between Napoleon and her family.

Napoleon referred to Betsy as “La Petite” (the little one) and was fond of her company, treasuring the kindly companionship she, and her family, provided during his lonely exile. Betsy published a memoir, To Befriend an Emperor, of her interactions with Napoleon, a keen look into the man Napoleon.

Other Interesting Facts

• Napoleon effectively enacted Civil Law, also called the Napoleonic Code, in France. This legal and administrative code addressed the running of all of France, which even today is the basis for many countries’ legal and civil codes. In this manner, Napoleon is still with us today.
• Waterloo was neither in England nor France but in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in modern-day Belgium.
• While in Egypt one of his troops discovered the Rosetta Stone and brought it back to France.
• He was a prolific writer of letters, most to Josephine his first wife, penning numerous love letters and a book, “Memorial of Saint Helena.” During his second exile, he also wrote his memoirs, an autobiographical account of his life, military campaigns, and political power.
• He was at best an average student, graduating 42 out of 58 from military school, yet he was widely successful on the battlefield and is considered a brilliant military strategist and leader.
• He wasn’t French yet he became the emperor of France; being a common “outsider” never stopped him.

“The reason most people fail instead of succeed is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”

• He was born on an island and died on an island.

Napoleon Timeline

“History is a set of lies agreed upon.”

• 1769 (August 15th) — born Napoleone di Buonaparte, on the island of Corsica in the city of Ajaccio.
• 1778 — moved to France at the age of nine to study at a religious school, followed by military schooling.
• 1785 — graduated from the military academy, then joined the French army as a 2nd lieutenant.
• 1786 (September)— took military leave and went back to Corsica for a year. Eventually, he returned to France but again took leave the following year and returned to Corsica.
• 1788 — rejoined his regiment, still a 2nd Lieutenant in the French Army.
• 1789 (September) — he returned to Corsica for elections in which Paoli was selected as the first administration responsible for the island.
• 1791 (February)— returned to France, and appointed 1st lieutenant to the 4th regiment of artillery. Later in 1791 he got leave to go back to Corsica again for three months. On Corsica, he was elected lieutenant colonel in their National Guard.
• 1793 — Returned to Corsica, at age 24, still during the early stages of the French Revolution. At first, he was supportive of Corsican politics which were focused on gaining independence from France. His allegiances changed due to differences with the Corsica leader (Paoli) who was exercising dictatorial powers. Napoleon split from Paoli, joining the Corsican Jacobins, who opposed Paoli’s policy. He subsequently fled to France with his whole family, later in the same year.
• 1793 (Aug->Dec) — The siege of Toulon in 1793, the first notable military action of Napoleon Bonaparte.
• 1793 (December) — was promoted to brigadier general in recognition of his decisive part in the capture of Toulon.
• 1794 (February) — appointed commandant of the artillery in the French Army of Italy. Later in July the French leader (Robespierre), who led the Reign of Terror, fell from power, at first threatening to take down Napoleon too. He was briefly arrested on a charge of conspiracy and treason but freed in September and restored to his command.
• 1795 — appointed the French army’s commander of the Interior.
• 1795 (October) — puts down royalist uprising in Paris, promoted to Major General.
• 1796 — becomes commander and chief of the French Army and leads a successful campaign in Italy.
• 1798 — led an army of 35,000 men to conquer Egypt (and Syria).
• 1799 (October-November) — in Paris, he was a key member of the coup d’etat that marked the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of the Consulate that established a new constitution; upon his successes in Egypt, he was appointed First Consul, still reporting to the Consulate.
• 1802 — Napoleon appointed First Consul for life.
• 1803 (April)— Sold the Louisiana territory to Thomas Jefferson and the United States (The Louisiana Purchase Treaty).
• 1804 (December) — at age 35, consolidated his power and crowned himself Emperor. He ruled from 1804–1814.

The gap between 1804 and 1812 represents his time as Emporer and the many battles he fought. This period was the height of his popularity and military success, encompassing the Napoleonic Wars. During this time he centralized the government and established reforms in banking, education, and religious practices. Foremost, he created the civil code, referred to as the Napoleonic Code, that became the basis for France’s legal and administrative code.

• 1812 — Marched on Russia.
• 1814 (March) stepped down after the defeat of Paris by the coalition group of Britain, Prussia, Sweden, and Austria. King Louis was restored to power.
• 1814 (May) — exiled to the island of Elba by his enemies.
• 1815 (March) — escaped from Elba and sailed with loyalists to the French coast assembling approximately 1,000 men for a march to Paris to retake power.
• 1815 (June) — Waterloo; Napoleon was defeated by the combined forces of the British and Prussian armies. He abdicated once again and was exiled to Saint Helena, a remote British-held island in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
• May 5, 1821 — died from stomach cancer at age 51 in Saint Helena.

Many aspects struck me about Napoleon’s accomplishments and demise. Above all he appeared to me an opportunist, seizing critical moments decisively. He made the best of his circumstances, and so can you.

Napoleon’s life journey proves that anything is possible, yet it’s often a small number of distinct events, or decisions, that dictate destiny.

“The best way to make everyone poor is to insist on equality of wealth.”

Attribution: Facts and figures are from four primary sources:

1. Andrew Roberts' book, “Napoleon: A Life”
2. Wikipedia
3. Encyclopedia Britannica
4. ChatGPT

Disclaimer/Disclosure: My posts are simply personal observations, experiences, and perspectives meant to share information. I claim no professional advice, be it financial, health, spiritual, or otherwise. I have no affiliation with any product, service, or person contained in this article, nor have I received, or expect to receive, any compensation in any way from the same.

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