Napoleon Bonaparte

Emperor

Birthday August 15, 1769

Birth Sign Leo

Birthplace Ajaccio, France

DEATH DATE May 5, 1821 (51)

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About

Emperor of France who rose to power in the aftermath of the French Revolution in 1799 and waged war with every major European power in a series of wars known as the Napoleonic Wars. After a series of military failures he was finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and spent the last 6 years of his life in exile on the island of St. Helena. 

Before Fame

He considered entering the British Royal Navy but went to the elite Ecole Militaire in Paris instead.

Trivia

Despite his military prowess and his powerful empire, the scorched-earth tactics that Russia employed and the brutal winters ultimately led to his downfall during France's invasion of Russia in 1812.

Family Life

His father Carlo Buonaparte was an attorney in Louis XVI's court.

Associated With

He sold Louisiana to Thomas Jefferson in 1803.