Napoleon - Part 1

The man who would become known to history as Napoleon Bonaparte was born as Napoleone di Buonaparte on August 15, 1769. His birthplace was Corsica, a small, sunny island in the Mediterranean. Though Napoleon would go on to be a hero of France, his parents, Carlo and Letizia di Buonaparte, had Italian roots.

Corsica was a small island, with a rich and distinct culture of its own. But by the time of Napoleon’s birth it had been conquered by France.

As a member of Corsica’s noble class, Napoleon was allowed to attend the Royal Military School of Brienne-le-Château on the French mainland. It was a very prestigious school, reserved for the children of the French elite. Napoleon, the awkward boy from the newly-acquired colony, didn’t fit in. His classmates constantly teased him about his background.

This harsh treatment only pushed Napoleon to work harder to prove himself. He poured himself into his studies, spending hours each day learning all he could about math, Latin, history, weaponry, and the arts. It was at school that Napoleon first learned to speak French. But although he mastered the language of his new country, he would speak it with a Corsican accent his entire life. 

All his dedication paid off. He passed his exams at Brienne with flying colors. He then spent a year at the École Royale Militaire in Paris. Again, he excelled. At age 16, he finished his education and became one of the youngest officers in the French army. His first commission was in a prestigious artillery regiment. 

As Napoleon began his military career, French politics were being turned on their head as a result of the French Revolution. Napoleon soon found himself pledging his unconditional allegiance to France. 

Napoleon chose to support the revolution. At heart, he agreed with many of the revolutionary ideals: he disliked the monarchy and the Church’s power over society. But his decision was unusual for someone of his class. The majority of the Corsican nobility supported the king, as did most of Napoleon’s fellow graduates from the École Royale Militaire. 

In the tumult following the beginning of the revolution, political groups sprang up all over France. Napoleon was drawn to the Jacobins. They were among the most hard-line antiroyalists, and – as the revolution continued – they rose to become the most powerful political group in the country.  

As a loyal Jacobin, Napoleon secured a position as an artillery commander. The position put him in the front line, fighting for France against its enemies: Britain, Spain, Prussia and Austria. It also allowed him his first chance to secure fame and glory.

In July 1793, royalist forces captured the strategic port city of Toulon. To cement their control, they invited British and Spanish forces and ships to help defend the city. 

The revolutionary government demanded that Toulon be retaken. But it was a tough nut to crack. The royalist forces were in very strong positions. It quickly became clear that the key to victory would be Fort Mulgrave, a heavily defended British position outside the city. If revolutionary forces captured the fort, they could reign cannonballs down onto the British ships below. 

Napoleon developed a plan to capture Fort Mulgrave, and fought hard to secure the men, artillery, and supplies his plan required. Then, when the attack began, Napoleon was there, in the thick of the fighting. He showed immense courage. His horse was shot dead beneath him; men close to him were killed. But he pushed forward. After a bitter fight, the fort was captured. Cannons were quickly trained on the enemy ships, and victory was won.

Napoleon’s planning, courage and success did not go unnoticed. Reports from the battle describe him as an astoundingly intelligent officer; letters from his superiors note that he seemed like a natural leader. With this crucial victory to his name, he earned another promotion. 

He was awarded the rank of general. He was just 24 years old.