Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscure Corsican origins to become Emperor of France and conquer most of Europe. A military genius who modernized European law through the Napoleonic Code, he ultimately fell through overreach in Russia and the united opposition of Europe's great powers.
Key Facts
Emperor of France (1804–1814, 1815)
Won decisive battles at Austerlitz, Jena, and Wagram
The Napoleonic Code became the basis for civil law in many countries
Exiled to Elba (1814), escaped, defeated finally at Waterloo (1815)