Napoleon Buonaparte Essay, Research Paper

Napoleon Buonaparte was a military genius who, at the age of sixteen, gained

the rank of lieutenant in the French Army. He overcame all of the criticism he

received in the army became a great leader. Napoleon, perhaps, was one of the

most prominent, and powerful leaders of all time.

Napoleon?s childhood was a very troublesome one. He was always getting into

trouble. When he was a little boy, ?He was always hitting people and biting them?

(Komroff 15). Since Napoleon was always causing problems, he was sent to a girl

school by his mother hoping that this experience would change his attitude

(Komroff 15). This however, did not work, so he was sent to a Jesuit school with

his eldest brother, Joseph (Komroff 15). While Napoleon was in the Jesuit school,

he was an excellent student. Several years later when he was sent to military school

at the age of fifteen, he was still an outstanding student and ?Remembered

everything he was told? (Komroff 17). At the age of fifteen, Napoleon was already

?Showing great prominence as a military leader? and when he turned sixteen ?He

graduated with honors and was appointed the rank of lieutenant? at his military

school (Komroff 20).

Napoleon had a big family. There were ten people in his family and seven of

them were brothers and sisters (Ludwig 7). Life was very hard for Napoleon and

his family, simply because there were so many mouths to feed and not enough

money (Ludwig 7). Therefore, life was very harsh for young Napoleon. He was

always being ?Mocked and teased because of his poverty? (Ludwig 7). Just after

Napoleon graduated second lieutenant in the regiment of La Fe?re, his father got

really sick with cancer and was taken to the medical center Montpellier where his

father was treated for ?Any last hope in life? (Guerard 9). But the efforts were

not enough. Carlo Buonaparte died on February 24, 1785 (Guerard 9). During this

crucial time, Napoleon?s family was going through various changes. His eldest

brother Joseph was leaving the church for the army, and his other brother Lucien,

was leaving the military to join the seminary at Aix (Guerard 9). The only person

who seemed to be making any wise decisions, was his sister Eliza. Eliza had been

accepted at Saint Cyr, a school which had been created for the daughters of the

impoverished aristocracy (Guerard 9). At this school, Eliza would not only receive a

great education, but she would also receive three thousand francs, and a trosseau

(Guerard 9). The rest of Napoleon?s family were the youngest, Louise, Pauline,

Caroline, and Jerome. They were left under the care of his widowed mother

(Guerard 9). But Napoleon would not leave his family in their present condition. He

ignored the fact that his eldest brother had the right to take over the family, and

he ?Appointed himself head of the family? shortly after the demise of his father

(Guerard 9).

Napoleon?s military career basically started when he was only sixteen. When

he was sixteen, he ?Graduated military school with the rank of lieutenant?

(Komroff 20). Napoleon achieved this feat after only being in the military school for

one year (Komroff 20). Napoleon gained his chance in the spotlight when the

French Revolution began. On July 14, 1789 when the Bastille was stormed,

Napoleon was sent to various parts of France to help calm down the riots

(Komroff 20). This happened only three years after Napoleon?s graduation, he was

nineteen. By the time Napoleon was 26, he was ?Already Commander in Chief of

the Army of the Interior and was known world wide? (Komroff 25). Throughout

his career and life, Napoleon encountered many women, but none compared to his

first love, Josephine. Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie was ?A lazy, cold-hearted,

empty-headed person?, but she was also very kind (Guerard 23). Her kindness was

what attracted Napoleon. They were both married on March 9, 1796, only by the

civil court, the did not have a religious ceremony (Guerard 23). When they got

married, ?Napoleon was 27 and Josephine was 33 years old?, even though she lied

and said she was 29 (Guerard 23). On May 18, 1804, Napoleon ?Was proclaimed

the emperor of the French? (Guerard 71). But when Napoleon learned that the

Pope could not crown him Emperor, he was very angry because he was sure that

?He ruled by the direct grace of God and the will of the people? (Guerard 76).

Napoleon was very disappointed because even though ?The church could consecrate,

anoint, and confirm him, they could not assert any authority over him?

(Guerard 76). Since Napoleon could not be crowned, he was going to crown himself.

On December 2, 1804, ?Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French?

(Guerard 77). A while after the coronation, ?Napoleon was very angry and despised

Josephine? because she had not given him a child (?Napoleon? 6). Since Josephine

did not give him a child, he had an affair with Marie Louise, daughter of the

Austrian Emperor (?Napoleon? 6). Marie Louise bore Napoleon a son in March of

1911. His son ?Almost assured the destiny of his empire? (?Napoleon? 6).

During his lifetime, Napoleon achieved many great feats and most of them

came at a very early age. When Napoleon was only sixteen years old, he graduated

from military school with the rank of second lieutenant after only being in school

for one year (Komroff 20). That is something that the average person does not

accomplish every day. Napoleon also took care of his family and became the head

of the household in their time of need. A great opportunity that Napoleon was able

to participate in was the French Revolution. On the very day the Bastille was

stormed, he was sent to France to calm down the riots (Komroff 20). This is when

Napoleon let himself be known and became famous. But probably the greatest

accomplishment that Napoleon achieved, was crowning himself Emperor of the

French on May 18, 1804 (Guerard 77). But just before appointing himself Emperor

of the French, Napoleon married the love of his life, Josephine for the first time

under the will of God since they had previously only been married by the civil

court (Guerard 77). They were married on the eve of his coronation on December

2, 1804 (Guerard 77). Altogether, Napoleon achieved many great feats.

In conclusion, Napoleon Buonaparte was a great military leader who achieved

great feats at a young age. He overcame all of the criticism he received about his

poverty and size, and became one of the most powerful leaders of all time. Hence

the fact that size does not always matter.

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