Napoleon was born on 15 August 1769 in Ajaccio. A French military leader and statesman, Napoleon was born in Corsica and rose rapidly through the army during the French Revolution. He seized power in a coup in 1799, was crowned emperor in 1804 and built a European empire through victories such as Austerlitz. At home he introduced the Napoleonic Code, reorganised the administration and the education system. The disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812 weakened him, and he was forced to abdicate in 1814 and exiled to Elba. He returned for the Hundred Days but was defeated at Waterloo in 1815 and spent his last years on the island of Saint Helena.
Before and after
- 21 March 1768Birth of Joseph Fourier
- 1769Alcalá Gate
- 5 January 1769James Watt patents the separate condenser
- 1 May 1769Birth of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
- 15 August 1769Birth of Napoleon
- 14 September 1769Birth of Alexander von Humboldt
- 13 December 1769Founding of Dartmouth College
- 5 March 1770Boston Massacre
- 7 April 1770Birth of William Wordsworth
More in Wars, politics & history
- 1790Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
- from 18 March 1839 to 29 August 1842First Opium War
- from 1 August 1894 to 17 April 1895First Sino-Japanese War
- from August 1899 to September 1901Boxer Rebellion
- from 8 October 1912 to 18 July 1913Balkan Wars
- from 8 October 1912 to 30 May 1913First Balkan War
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.