Napoleon I (born August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, Corsica—died May 5, 1821, in St. Helena Island) was a French general, first consul (1799–1804), and emperor of the French (1804–1814/15). His full name is Napoléon Bonaparte; he was born Napoleone Buonaparte in Italy. He was also known as the Corsican or the Little Corporal in French.
He reformed military structure and instruction, funded the Napoleonic Code, the forerunner of later civil law systems, restructured the educational system, and forged the enduring Concordat with the Pope.
Napoleon enacted a number of reforms that have endured in France and most of western Europe. Although he left France little larger than it had been at the start of the Revolution in 1789, his driving passion was the military expansion of French dominion, and despite this, he was almost universally regarded during his lifetime and until the end of the Second Empire under his nephew Napoleon III as one of history's greatest heroes.
The Napoleonic era of European history comes to an end when the Duke of Wellington defeats Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium. Napoleon, one of history's greatest military strategists and a Corsican native, moved quickly through the ranks of the French Revolutionary Army in the latter 1790s.
Napoleon's demise was caused by three expensive blunders. The Continental system was the first error. The Peninsular War was the second error. The invasion of Russia was the third error.
I was inspired, challenged, and enlightened by the wisdom of a man who once said,
imagination governs the world, and I want you to be inspired too. In this episode,
we delve into Napoleon's own words on what it means to be a leader, to gain power,
and to shape the course of history. Once you have made up your mind, stick to it.
There no longer any if for. With audacity, one can undertake anything but not do everything.
I have only one counsel for you. Be master. A true man hates no one. Riches do not consist
in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them. Until you spread your wings,
you'll have no idea how far you can fly. Skepticism is a virtue in history as well as
in philosophy. Friends must always be treated as if one day they might be enemy. Men take only
their needs into consideration, never their abilities. Impossible is a word to be found
only in the dictionary of fools. Men are moved by two levers only, fear and self-interest.
Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform
very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.
If you want a thing done well, do it yourself. Courage is like love. It must have hope for
nourishment. The best cure for the body is a quiet mind. You become strong by defying defeat
and by turning loss and failure into success. Respect the burden. The great proof of madness
is a disproportion of one's designs to one's means. Let the path be open to talent. History
is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon. In politics, stupidity
is not a handicap. A leader is a dealer in hope. I can no longer obey. I have tasted command
and I cannot give it up. The people to fear are not those who disagree with you,
but those who disagree with you and are too cowardly to let you know.
Ability is nothing without opportunity. Nothing is more difficult, therefore more precious,
than to be able to decide. Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action
has arrived, stop thinking and go in. Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest
to allow anyone to take her away from me. The best way to keep one's word is not to give it.
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Death is nothing but to live defeated
and inglorious. Ease to die daily. Victory belongs to the most persevering. You must not
fight too often with one enemy or you will teach him all your art of war. There are only two forces
in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run, the sword will always be conquered
by the spirit. As we conclude this journey through the world of Napoleon's best quotes,
we're grateful for your company. For your daily dose of inspiration,
make sure to subscribe as we consistently bring you the top quotes on our channel.
