Hoffman, William Henry, 1867-1916

Napoleon Bonparte was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on August 15,1769, the second of Carlo (Charles) and Letizia Bonaparte's eight children. In 1778, Napoleon began his education at Autun and later attended school in Brienne, excelling in mathematics and science. Following a year's study at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, he was commissioned in the artillery in 1785. The year 1789 saw the outbreak of the French revolution, which created an atmosphere of opportunity that would not have existed under the Bourbons, and Napoleon was to make the most of it.

The first opportunity came in 1793, when Napoleon was promoted to brigadier general for the decisive part he played in the siege of Toulon, which ousted the British from mainland France. After Maximilien de Robespierre's fall from power in 1794, Napoleon fell out of favor and was imprisoned. After his release he ended up saving the new government from an insurgent mob with artillery fire. A grateful government later appointed Napoleon to command of the Army of Italy. Before his departure, Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais on March 9, 1796.

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