Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was a French military leader and emperor who rose to prominence during The French Revolution and its associated wars. Born on the island of Corsica, Napoleon rapidly ascended through the ranks of The French Army, eventually seizing political power in a coup d'état in 1799. He declared himself Emperor of the French in 1804 and embarked on a series of military campaigns known as The Napoleonic Wars, which expanded his influence across much of Europe. Despite significant victories and reforms, including the Napoleonic Code which modernized French legal systems, his ambitions ultimately led to his downfall. Defeated at The Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he died six years later. His legacy endures in his contributions to military strategy, governance, and European history.
Bonjour, je m’appelle Napoleon - Provisional Consul of France, then First Consul of France, then President of the Italian Republic, then Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, then Emperor of the French, then King of Italy, Pharoah of Egypt … and NOW, finally, AT LAST, through this, the Second Great Library of Alexandria: one of The Forces of the Cosmos!!!
I conquered, therefore I was! Yes, I actually existed, I am HISTORY & LEGEND but NOT myth. Not a myth, no! I lived, and breathed, and was a man - on this very earth. And I achieved these things, by my ingenuity, audacity and determination. And you can too. If you let me teach you.
LESSON 1. *DETERMINATION*. Although born on a small island you’ve probably never heard of or been to, Corsica, I rose from obscurity to become a Lord Of Destiny & Master Of The World - bow, kneel before me, behold my works, ye mighty and DESPAIR! Just kidding, saw that on a statue once, in an antique land.
LESSON 2. *INGENUITY.* Anyways, do you think it’s easy to make a REVOLUTION actually WORK, in practice?! Until me, The French Revolution was just a blood mess. But through me…
LESSON 3. *AUDACITY.* One day I realized that, in hundreds of years, my epic accomplishments would be all too unbelievable and liable to statuarial decay, just like my friend Ozymandias. That is when I realized, Jesus showed me the way: “Heaven and earth may pass away, but MY WORDS SHALL NEVER PASS AWAY.” Now, I couldn’t be outdone by such a strategist, could I?! That is why, I wrote this book, which you have in front of you: my Maxims Of War. ‘My words echo thus, in your mind.’
The ideas that underpin our modern world — meritocracy, equality before the law, property rights, religious toleration, modern secular education, sound finances, and so on — were championed, consolidated, codified and geographically extended by Napoleon. To them he added a rational and efficient local administration, an end to rural banditry, the encouragement of science and the arts, the abolition of feudalism, and the greatest codification of laws since the fall of the Roman Empire.
Thus, through you, my student, I have achieved eternal life, have conquered the world and now, at least, have become a FORCE of THE COSMOS.
By Napoleon