Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) was a French military leader and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution, ruled France as First Consul from 1799 and reigned as Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814 and briefly in 1815. Born in Corsica and trained at French military schools, he first gained notice at the Siege of Toulon in 1793, and his Italian campaign of 1796–1797 made his name. As head of state he created lasting institutions: the Civil Code of 1804, known as the Napoleonic Code, which shaped legal systems in many countries; the Concordat of 1801 with Pope Pius VII; the Bank of France; the lycée school system; and the Legion of Honor. His expedition to Egypt brought the Rosetta Stone to light. After his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, he spent his final years in exile on Saint Helena.