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Napoleon's Rise : Napoleon : The Downfall Of Napoleon Bonaparte

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‘Had he died before crowning himself Emperor in December 1804, he would be remembered (today) as fondly as George Washington is in the United States.’ It is hard to disagree with this statement from Laurent Joffin. Napoleon Bonaparte was the architect of his own demise as his limitless ambition for expansion ultimately cost him. Like most conquerors he did not know when to stop. He is a figure who has had a lasting effect on European politics and diplomacy to this day. ‘A charismatic leader is much more powerful than the hereditary sovereign or the parliamentary politician, for he can generate so much more enthusiasm and call for so much greater sacrifices’. In 1804 when Napoleon made himself emperor of France it marked the beginning of the end. The events that followed would taint his legacy. Obsessed with his own image, Napoleon ruled France whilst always looking to satisfy his personal goals. He was ‘a dictator who enjoyed dictacting’ and an opportunist who used every moment in rule to make sure the people followed him dearly. ‘The Civil Code’ was perhaps his greatest achievement but his creation of an authoritarian state eventually gave rise to resistance by the people. This ‘Napoleonic Code’ disrespected local customs and ‘extinguished local life’ . This code was put in place in every country in his empire which angered locals as it disregarded their traditions. While this code allowed him to reign rule over the entire nation, he put himself in the limelight for

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