Timeline Description: Napoleon Bonaparte was an important French military leader who created an empire that stretched across almost all of Europe in the early 1800s. He was a very smart military commander and his methods for fighting wars are still studied today. Eventually, he became Emperor of France, but later he was forced to leave France and live out the rest of his life on an island in the South Atlantic.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 15, 1769 | Napoleon is born. Napoleon is born in Ajaccio, Corsica in Italy. He is born into a family of noble Italian ancestry, but France owns the island so Napoleon is actually a French citizen. |
| May 17, 1779 | Napoleon begins studies at military school. Napoleon goes to France to study at military school. He is enrolled in the Royal Military School in Brienne. |
| October 28, 1785 | Napoleon graduates from Ecole Militaire. Napoleon completes his studies at Ecole Militaire in Paris, one of the best military schools in Europe. He graduates as a second lieutenant. |
| June 1793 | Napoleon's family is forced to leave Corsica. The Bonaparte family is forced to flee from Corsica after the governor accuses them of being too pro-France. Napoleon's family goes to France, where Napoleon returns to focus on his military career. |
| December 22, 1793 | Napoleon earns a promotion to brigadier general. Napoleon serves well for the French Army at the Siege of Toulon. For this, he is promoted to brigadier general. |
| October 26, 1795 | Napoleon is made Chief of the Army of the Interior. At the recommendation of General Paul Barras, Napoleon is promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Interior. Before this, Napoleon is not well known but the promotion makes him rich and famous. |
| March 9, 1796 | Napoleon marries Josephine. Napoleon wants a rich wife and proposes to Josephine, who comes from a wealthy family. Josephine agrees to marry him, but she is not sure she wants to marry him at first because she thinks he is a little odd. |
| March 11, 1796 | Napoleon commands the Italian Army. Napoleon leads the Italian Army in a series of battles against Austria. By the time Italy defeats Austria in October 1797, it is clear that Napoleon is one of the world's greatest military leaders. |
| May 18, 1804 | Napoleon named Emperor of the French Empire. Napoleon is named Emperor of the French Empire and, in December, is crowned in a very fancy ceremony at the Notre Dame in Paris. He is named King of Italy a year later. |
| December 15, 1809 | Napoleon ends his marriage to Josephine. Napoleon divorces his wife, Josephine, because she had not had any children with him. Josephine had given birth to two children in her previous marriage. |
| April 2, 1810 | Napoleon marries again. Napoleon marries 18 year-old Marie-Louise. She is the daughter of the Emperor of Austria, Francis I. |
| March 20, 1811 | Napoleon's first son is born. Napoleon II, called The King of Rome by Napoleon, is born. He is also called Franz, after his grandfather, Francis I. |
| May 4, 1814 | Napoleon is exiled in Elba. After much of Europe unites against Napoleon, his is forced to give up the throne and go to Elba, an island near Italy. His wife and son are forced to leave Paris and they go to Austria to live. |
| March 20, 1815 | Napoleon returns to France to fight again. After escaping from Elba, Napoleon goes back to France to try and take control of the army and the government again. The British and Prussians defeat France in June at the Battle of Waterloo. |
| June 22, 1815 | Napoleon gives up the throne again. After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon gives up the throne again. This time, he will be sent away to Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, which is much farther away from France than Elba. |
| March 5, 1821 | Napoleon dies. While exiled to Saint Helena, Napoleon dies. There are rumors that he is poisoned, but the actual cause of death is most likely stomach cancer. |