Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on 15 August 1769, the second of the eight children of Charles and Letizia Bonaparte. In 1778, Napoleon began his education in Autun and later attended school in Brienne, excelling in mathematics and science. After a year of study at the Ecole Militaire in Paris, he was appointed an artillery officer 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 had to take advantage of it. The first opportunity came in 1793, when Bonaparte was promoted to brigadier general for the decisive role he played in the siege of Toulon, which drove the English from mainland France. After the Thermidor coup of 1794, Napoleon fell from grace and was imprisoned. After his release he ended up preserving the new government from the Parisian mafia with artillery fire, an event that became known as the "Grape Puff". A grateful government later appointed Napoleon to command the Army of Italy. Before his departure, Napoleon married Josephine of Beauharnais on 9 March 1796. Campaigning in Italy in 1796 and 1797, he inspired the depleted army with the promise of "honour, glory and wealth" and enjoyed a series of victories, which led to Austria signs the Peace of Campo Formio. His display of courage, intelligence and leadership proved to be an inspiration to the common soldier and formed a lasting bond. Returning to France, he was given charge of an expedition to Egypt, the control of which would have threatened the English possessions in India. Victory at the Battle of the Pyramids gave French control of Cairo, but naval defeat at Aboukir Bay isolated the expedition from France. After some unsuccessful campaigns in Syria, he set out by ship with a small group of friends and sailed to France, abandoning his army. By 1799, public sentiment had turned against the government, and following the Brumaire coup, Napoleon became the de facto ruler of France. However, the country was still at war and, after a dramatic crossing of the Alps, Napoleon defeated the Austrians in the Battle of Marengo on 14 June 1800. This victory consolidated his reputation for invincibility and, together with other successes, led to a general peace. .After a decade of war, a grateful France appointed Napoleon Consul for life and......middle of paper......soon forced to retreat. The "scorched earth" policy adopted by the Russians, combined with extreme weather conditions, caused the disintegration of the Grand Army and the campaign ended in disaster. The defeat in Russia pushed Prussia, Sweden and Austria to declare war on France. Napoleon raised another army but was finally defeated in the great battle of the nations. Napoleon fought one last brilliant campaign in France to defend Paris, but in April 1814 he abdicated and went into exile on the island of Elba. The Bourbon king was restored to the throne of France. While the Allies discussed a realignment of the map of Europe in Vienna, Napoleon planned his return and, in March 1815, landed in France and regained the throne in a bloodless coup. Rather than wait for another invasion, Napoleon surprised the Allied forces in Belgium. After initial success, Napoleon fought the Duke of Wellington leading an Anglo-Allied army at Waterloo, and was finally defeated on 18 June 1815. Napoleon was exiled to the island of St. Helena located in the South Atlantic Ocean, where he resided until his death. died 5 May 1821. His remains were removed from St Helena in 1840 and his body now rests at Les Invalides in Paris.