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Napoleon Bonaparte Facts & Worksheets

Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon I, was a military general and the first emperor of France.

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Napoleon Bonaparte (August 15, 1769 to May 5, 1821), also known as Napoleon I, was a military general and the first emperor of France. He is considered one of the world’s greatest military leaders. Napoleon revolutionized military organization and training, sponsored the Napoleonic Code, reorganized education, and established the long-lived Concordat with the papacy.

See the fact file below for more information on Napoleon Bonaparte or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Napoleon Bonaparte worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

  • His ancestors came from Italy. His paternal ancestors belonged to a minor Tuscan noble family, while his maternal ancestors belonged to a minor Genoese noble family.
  • Maria Letizia Ramolino gave birth to him on August 15, 1769, in Corsica, France. Carlo Maria di Buonaparte, his father, was a staunch supporter of Corsican resistance leader Pasquale Paoli. Carlo shifted his allegiance to France after the resistance leader left Corsica. He and his brother, Joseph, were then admitted to the French College d’Autun. His mother was strict with him because he was an uncontrollable energetic child.
  • He was accepted and spent five years at a military college in Brienne. His classmates did not like him because he had a Corsican accent despite knowing how to speak French. He was also bullied because of his birthplace, short height, mannerisms, and inability to speak French fastly. Nonetheless, he demonstrated leadership skills when he led junior students to victory over seniors in a snowball fight.
  • He finished his studies at Brienne in 1784 and was admitted to the École Militaire in Paris. He became an artillery officer and was the first Corsican to finish college at the military academy.

Early Military Career

  • In 1785, his father died, and he was forced to come back to Corsica to become the new head of the family. He finished early in his military academy in Paris and became an artillery officer before coming back to Corsica the next year.
  • When Paoli led the Nationalists in a civil war, he, like his father, became a supporter of Paoli. They disagreed on many issues, and he wanted to stop supporting the Nationalists.
  • He moved his family to France and gave them the French name Bonaparte instead of Buonaparte.
  • In June 1793, he joined a military unit in Nice while supporting the Jacobins, a post-French Revolution political party. But when the Jacobins began to wield dictatorial power, he became upset, but he escaped execution.
  • He fought for the government against revolutionary fighters in 1795.
  • He was appointed as Commander in the Army of the Interior and served as a military advisor to the Government. In 1796, he began commanding the Army of Italy. He was able to properly train 30,000 men who were malnourished and had low morale before coming under his command. He led them to victories against Austria. His army was also able to expand the border of France.
  • He married Josephine de Beauharnais on March 9, 1796. His wife had two children with her late husband, General Alexandre de Beauharnais.
  • In 1798, he was deployed to the Middle East. The French military suffered defeat the next year and most of its territory needed to be surrendered.
  • In October 1799, he returned to France and plotted another coup in response to the Jacobins’ June coup, which resulted in them taking control of the country. As the second coup became successful, he rose to power.
  • The values held in the French Revolution were liberty, equality, and fraternity. It ended in November 1799 when he overthrew the National Assembly and declared it to be over. He conceded the fact that he betrayed the goals of the revolution as he said, “They wanted me to be another George Washington.” George Washington was famous for leading his army during the American Revolution.

Ruler of France

  • A constitutional amendment in 1800 established the position of First Consul. The first consul had the power to appoint military leaders, governors, civil servants, judges, and legislative body members. He was the first to hold this position, and he oversaw several reforms, including the adoption of Roman Catholicism as the state religion.
  • He led the development of the Napoleonic Code, which consisted of laws prohibiting privileges from being granted based on birth and served as a guide in granting government jobs. It also guaranteed religious freedom.
  • His reforms were widely known, and he was formally recognized as the first consul for the duration of his life in 1802. He was awarded the title of emperor of France two years later.
  • He was able to achieve European peace, but it did not last long, as France and Britain resumed fighting in 1803 and were followed by Austria and Russia. In Austerlitz, he defeated Austrian and Russian forces, gaining support from Naples, Sweden, Holland, Italy, Westphalia, and Spain.
  • The wars he led because of unsettled conflicts associated with the French Revolution and the French Revolutionary Wars that resulted in French domination over the majority of Europe from 1803 to 1815 became known as the Napoleonic Wars.
  • He used his military strategy skills to wage war against numerous European coalitions. The French army won the wars he led, and his empire grew as he invaded other territories and formed alliances with those who were impressed.
  • France conquered territories in Western Germany and the Low Countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, during his reign. He enacted comprehensive revolutionary regulations in these invaded regions. In addition, he established satellite kingdoms in Italy, Spain, and Poland.
  • In 1810, he got annulled to Josephine because of her inability to produce a male child. Later that year, he married Marie-Louise, the 18-year-old daughter of Austria’s Emperor. The following year, they had a son, Napoleon II.
  • He eventually suffered military defeats that harmed France’s national budget. He led a winter invasion of Russia with over 600,000 men in 1812, but returned to France with only 10,000. His opponents used his defeat as an opportunity to stage a coup, which failed. While he was fighting Russia, British forces began to sweep across their territory.
  • On March 30, 1814, he surrendered and was exiled from France to Elba Island. He returned to Paris from exile in 1815. The masses warmly received him and led his forces into yet another battle. He won against a Prussian force in Belgium but was defeated a few days later at Waterloo. He lost his title and power as a result of the defeat. His request to pass the throne to his son was also denied. He was sent into exile at St. Helena Island.

Death

  • His physician was Barry O’Meara. According to him, the former emperor’s health deteriorated as a result of the harsh treatment he received. He began reading and writing as a form of escape, but he developed severe depression as a result of years of isolation and loneliness.
  • While confined to his bed in 1821, he wrote the last words implying his will. He stated, “I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine, in the midst of those French people which I have loved so much. I die before my time, killed by the English oligarchy and its hired assassins.”
  • In February, as his health began to fail rapidly, he reconnected with the Catholic Church.
  • On May 5, he made his final confession in front of Father Ange Vignali, saying his last words: France, l’armée, tête d’armée, Joséphine, which translates to “France, the army, head of the army, Joséphine” in English. He died later that day.
  • In 1840, Louis Philippe I was granted permission to return his remains to France after it was buried at St. Helena. When his casket was opened for confirmation, his body was seen to be well-preserved and not decomposed at all. On December 15, a state funeral was held.
  • In 1861, his remains were entombed in a sarcophagus.

Napoleon Bonaparte Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Napoleon Bonaparte across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Napoleon Bonaparte worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Napoleon Bonaparte (August 15, 1769 to May 5, 1821), also known as Napoleon I, who was a military general and the first emperor of France. He is considered one of the world’s greatest military leaders. 

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Napoleon Bonaparte Facts
  • Story of My Life
  • The Rightful Answer
  • The Codified Laws
  • Draw the Line
  • Battle of the Bravest
  • Living in Color
  • Sayings
  • Moment of Truth
  • Searching for Bonaparte
  • What Year is it?

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Napoleon Bonaparte known for?

Napoleon Bonaparte (August 15, 1769 to May 5, 1821), also known as Napoleon I, was a military general and the first emperor of France. He is considered one of the world’s greatest military leaders.

How did Napoleon lose his empire?

On March 30, 1814, he surrendered and was exiled from France to Elba Island. He was returned to Paris from exile in 1815. The masses warmly received him and led his forces into yet another battle. He won against a Prussian force in Belgium but was defeated a few days later at Waterloo. He lost his title and power as a result of the defeat. His request to pass the throne to his son was also denied. He was sent into exile at St. Helena Island.

Did Napoleon betray the French?

The values held in the French Revolution were liberty, equality, and fraternity. It ended in November 1799 when he overthrew the National Assembly and declared it to be over. He conceded the fact that he betrayed the goals of the revolution as he said, “They wanted me to be another George Washington.” George Washington was famous for leading his army during the American Revolution.

Why is Napoleon a hero?

He led the development of the Napoleonic Code, which consisted of laws prohibiting privileges from being granted based on birth and served as a guide in granting government jobs. It also guaranteed religious freedom. His reforms were widely known, and he was formally recognized as the first consul for the duration of his life in 1802. He was awarded the title of emperor of France two years after.

What is Napoleon’s greatest battle?

In Austerlitz, he defeated Austrian and Russian forces, gaining support from Naples, Sweden, Holland, Italy, Westphalia, and Spain.

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