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Napoleon's Birth
He was born on this date in Ajaccio, Corsica, France. -
Napoleon Enters Military School
He began his military education at Brienne military academy. Later in 1784, he also attended the Ecole Militaire school in Paris, one of the best military schools in Europe. He worked hard and completed his studies in a year rather than the required three and was especially gifted in science and mathematics. He graduated as a Second lieutenant. -
Storming of the Bastille
On July 14, 1789, French revolutionaries stormed the medieval fortress and prison in Paris, France. While only a few prisoners resided there at that time, the Bastille represented royal authority in Paris, and also contained a large sum of weapons. The event was considered the first violent act by the common French people that began the French Revolution. -
Napoleon becomes Brigadier General
Napoleon serves exceptionally for the French Army at the Siege of Toulon. For this he is promoted to brigadier general, which is an officer above Colonel and below Major General. -
Napoleon becomes Commander in Chief
In 1796, Napoleon became the Commander of all French forces in Italy. HIs victories made him very popular with the French people, but the Directory, or current French government did not always find him favorable, that was why he was sent out of the country. -
Coup d’état
Members of the Directory conspired with Napoleon to take over the French government by the means of coup d'etat, which means a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government. This event was the 18th Brumaire. The attack was successful and Napoleon quickly asserted his superior intelligence and will over others. -
Concordat Signed
This was an agreement made between Napoleon, and papal and clerical representatives in both Rome and Paris. It defined the status of the Catholic Church in France and ended the breach caused by church reforms and confiscations enacted during the French Revolution. In the agreement, Napoleon was given the right to nominate bishops. -
Vote for Consulship for Life
The Tribunant voted unanimously in favor of Napoleon receiving Life Consulship, and the entire Corps legislative voted in favor of Life Consulship, all except for three members. Almost two months later, Napoleon proclaimed Consul for life. This vote, including the people's votes for him, came after his achievement of peace with Austria and then Britain. -
Sale of Louisiana To United States
Representatives of the United States and Naopleonic France negotiated the sale of the Louisiana Territory, which would about double the size of the young America. The formal treaty for the Louisiana purchase was signed on the third of April. Napoleon belived he would get a greater benefit from selling the land that was no longer useful to him to use the money to repay debts, and sold the land at $15 million. -
Proclaimed Emperor Napoleon I
He was crowned Emperor in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, making him the first Frenchman to hold the title of emperor in a thousand years. Pope Pius VII handed Napoleon the crown, which suprisingly, Napoleon put on his own head. Multiple well-known people of the time were present, such as the pope, but also people important to Napoleon such as his mother. -
Continental Blockade
On this date, Napoleon issued the Berlin decrees which became known as the Continental System. SInce a military solution to silence Great Britain would not work, he used trade. The system was a blockade aimed at denying the British any trading access to ports in Europe, especially to France's allies and neutral countries. -
Napoleon’s son born
Francois Joseph Charles Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon II, was born during the collapse of the French empire and was raised in exile in Austria. He was interested in the military at an early age, and trained hard but was denied the opportunity to serve due to his family and the forces of European politics. He died on July 22, 1832, in Vienna, Austria due to poor health and tuberculosis. He was the only legitamate son of Napoleon after he had married Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria. -
Napoleon is exiled to Elba
After his defeat in the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, Napoleon retreated to Paris, but due to a lack of support from his military, he was forced to renounce his authority in April 1814. European powers then exiled him to the island of Elba, located in the Mediterranean. -
Napoleon escapes from Elba
Napoleon managed to sneak past his guards and escape Elba. He returned to France, slipping past an interception by a British ship. Immediately the people and troops began to rally and celebrate the returned Emperor. French police were sent to arrest him, but once they arrived they fell and kneeled. Napoleon returned to Paris almost a month later and his Hundred Days of reign began. -
Defeated at Waterloo
On this date, a French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by the two armies of the Seventh Coalition. The Seventh Coalition was an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington, and a Prussian army. French casualities included 25,000 men killed and wounded and 9,000 captured. -
Napoleon arrives at St. Helena
After his escape from Elba, his enemies wanted to make sure he would not be able to escape from exile. St. Helena was one of the most remote places on Earth. During that time, the British Royal Navy controlled the Atlantic, but deciding that was not enough, Napoleon was put under armed guard, stripped of most of his companions and placed in a lonely house named Longwood. He would remain there until his death. -
Napoleon's Death
After six years of exile in Saint Helena, he died, most likely because of stomach cancer. In 1840 his body was returned to Paris and is buried in the Hotel des Invalides. Conspiraces have surrounded his death for years.
