
Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769, on the island of Corsica. He trained as an army officer and, during the French Revolution, rapidly rose to the rank of a successful general. In 1804, he crowned himself Emperor of the French. Under his rule, France waged numerous wars and conquered large parts of Europe. His Russian campaign in 1812, however, ended in a devastating defeat and marked the beginning of his decline. After his first abdication, he was exiled to the island of Elba, but in 1815 he briefly returned to power for the so‑called “Hundred Days.” Following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, he was banished to the island of St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean. Napoleon died there on May 5, 1821, at the age of 51. To this day, he is regarded as one of the most important and influential rulers in European history.