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Napoleon Bonaparte [b] (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; [1] [c] 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military officer and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led a series of successful campaigns across Europe during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1796 to 1815.
The First French Empire [4] [a] or French Empire (French: Empire français; Latin: Imperium Francicum) and also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century.
The Peninsular war proved a major disaster for France. Napoleon did well when he was in direct charge, but severe losses followed his departure, as he severely underestimated how much manpower would be needed. The effort in Spain was a drain on money, manpower and prestige. Historian David Gates called it the "Spanish ulcer".
May 3: Napoleon sells the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. May 18: Britain declares war on France; May 26: France invades Hanover; 1804. March 21: Introduction of the Civil Code (also known as Napoleon Code) May 18: Napoleon proclaimed Emperor of the French by the Senate; December 2: Napoleon crowns himself emperor, in the company of the Pope; 1805
Napoleon surrendering to the English and boarding one of their ships. Bonaparte's arrival on Saint Helena Island, engraving by Louis-Yves Queverdo [].. Following his abdication on June 22, 1815, Napoleon proceeded to the Atlantic coast, where the French government, under the leadership of Fouché, had arranged for two frigates to facilitate his departure for America.
Napoleon ordered a retreat, but the bitter Russian winter and repeated Russian attacks whittled down his army, and only a battered remnant of 30,000 soldiers managed to limp back to French territory. The allies then continued a united effort against Napoleon until they had seized Paris forcing his abdication in 1814.
About 15 minutes later, Napoleon ordered the attack, adding, "One sharp blow and the war is over." [ 77 ] A dense fog helped to cloud the advance of St. Hilaire's French division, but as they ascended the slope, the legendary 'Sun of Austerlitz' ripped the mist apart and encouraged them forward. [ 76 ]
The Hundred Days (French: les Cent-Jours IPA: [le sɑ̃ ʒuʁ]), [4] also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition (French: Guerre de la Septième Coalition), marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of 110 days).