A surprising appointment to command the Army of Italy and a series of battles resulting in the defeat of Italy’s French enemies were the precursors to Napoleon Bonaparte, a son of the Revolution, changing the face of Europe prior to his position in France. A confident and relentless man, Napoleon Bonaparte became the First Consul—possessing supreme power as the ruler of France. His eventual self-coronation as the Emperor Napoleon led to many people in Europe developing harsh feelings toward the Corsican soldier-turned-ruler. This book features detailed accounts of Napoleon’s various triumphs—as well as his biggest blunders—in battle and the reputation he left behind as a result of his exile. Despite the hatred some people felt toward him during his reign, Napoleon Bonaparte made a lasting impression on Europe.

This panoramic volume tells the story of French art, culture and life from the 1770s to the 1820s: the first French voyages of discovery to Australia, the stormy period of social change with the outbreak of the French Revolution, and the rise to power of the young Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.