Napoléon is universally known as one of
the greatest military geniuses of all times.
Born in Corsica , an island in between France and
Italy, on August 15th 1769, from a modest family, he became French
emperor on December 2nd 1804 and had
conquered most of Europe by 1810.
This was made possible by the new opportunities
opened by the
1789 French revolution and by Napoléon's incredible military skills.
Napoleon was ultimately defeated in 1815 by
English
general Wellington at Waterloo in Belgium. |
Napoleon's grave in Les Invalides, Paris |
Dome of Les Invalides in Paris |
On May 5th 1821, he died in Saint Helens, a very small island in
south Atlantic Ocean, where victorious England had exiled him very far away from France.
Napoleon remained so popular that Louis-Philippe,
the king of France, returned his ashes to France in 1840.
They now rest in the Invalides and attract an incredible number of visitors. Not bad for a
defeated general!
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