Was Napoleon a good guy or a bad guy? Who can really tell? We never lived during his time, that time being the French Revolution. He did some great things like the code, but he did manage to get a lot of people killed. So was he good or bad? Well, maybe this article can help you see weather he was a good guy or a bad one.

Napoleon Bonaparte was his name. Born in 1769 and died around 1821. He became a general at the age of 24; however, he was sent to military school, by his parents, when he was only 9 years old. Napoleon was also born in Corsica, Italy; which is now a part of France.

The Battle of Toulon took place in 1793. This is where napoleon really earned his respect because his is army had won this battle. When Napoleon turned 27, he met Josephine. (The year 1796) This was his first wife. She was a 30 year old widow. Shortly after their marriage, Napoleon divorced his wife so that he could remarry, and produce an heir. He married Marie Louise of Austria and together, they had a boy, whom was named Napoleon II. He never got around to ruling.

Napoleon became a very liked man during the French Revolution. He was liked so much that in 1799, he elected a full consul, which is equivalent to a President today. 5 years later, Napoleon was elected as an emperor. His brothers and sisters became the Kings and Queens of other countries. Some of those siblings are Joseph of Spain, Elisa of Tuscany, Jerome of West Phalia, and Caroline of the Kingdom of Naples. All together, there were 8 children in this family. They were all riding on power. He was winning all of his wars with Egypt and Britain. According to the Spanish, Napoleon was a killer, but no one would agree because he had created the Napoleonic Code.


The Napoleonic Code

This code was followed mostly throughout France, or any of the countries that Napoleon defeated. Some of the laws that were passed are as follows…

Bill of Rights

Freedom of Religion

Free college to hoses who qualify

Free public schools

Forbad privileges based on birth


Later, in 1812, Napoleon had tried to conquer Moscow but he failed! This was a huge disappointment. After he failed, many of the countries that he did not get around to defeating, had come to attack France because they had a weak military. Napoleon had also made a peace treaty with Russia, and he broke it. This was just like Hitler. He had made a treaty with Russia and broke it. You can see how dictators can be a like. Anyways, Napoleon was sent into exile in 1814. He was sent to this tiny island called Elba. He was guarded all the time, making it hard to escape. But you guessed it. Napoleon escaped and came back to France. He was free for about 100 days in 1815, before he sent back again, into exile. Napoleon ended up dying in exile in 1821.


The death of Napoleon Bonaparte is somewhat of a mystery. Some people say that he died of a cancer of the stomach. He was sick and there was no technology to find medicine to make him better during the 1700’s and 1800’s. Others say that it was arsenic poisoning. Evidence was found in his hair. It has been said to be that the guards watching Napoleon had put arsenic around the small home where he stayed. It was a reach to see weather the poison or the cancer would kill him first. Scientist are still trying to figure it out.


Napoleon’s impact on the modern world

1. Napoleon was the founder of Archeology

2. War of 1812, Britain had attacked America because we traded with Napoleon

3. Sold the Louisiana purchase to fund for his war

4. Charles Bonaparte, his great nephew, was a U.S politician

5. Napoleon had inspired the Middle East

6. His code had spread all the way to West Africa and Egypt, along with countries outside of Europe, that he defeated.

7. He helped to put Poland back onto the map

8. He dissolved the Holy Roman Empire and started the German and Italian unification by simplifying their internal structure


So, you tell me, in the comments of course, was Napoleon in your opinion a good guy, or a bad guy. He did some pretty heroic things like the Napoleonic Code. He even said, “my greatest Victory was the code.” And although this great thing occurred, Napoleon did mess up in the end resulting in exile, and later death. Did he deserve to be put into exile, did he deserve to become consul and emperor? Was Napoleon Bonaparte a good guy, or bad??