Was Napoleon Bonaparte a Hero or a Villain Essays

Was Napoleon Bonaparte a hero or a villain? During the Napoleonic Era, from 1799 to 1815, France became a military power gaining and controlling land throughout Europe. While some historians believe Napoleon Bonaparte was a ruthless dictator, his military accomplishments far outweigh any atrocities he committed. He helped France gain stability after the French Revolution and he also abolished the Feudal contract. Napoleon was a brilliant strategist using military tactics to cause fear and to defeat whatever enemies stood in his way. Throughout his rule, Napoleon continually gained ground, and by the end of his reign, his empire encompassed all of Spain, Italy, and a small portion of land by Russia and Austria. (see map) He is one of†¦show more content†¦He knew that regular canons balls would not work but if something that could shoot many projectiles at once would be deadly and effective. He lined up his cannons filled with small pebbles and glass shards. This dispersed the crowd very quickly. This is what would be come to be known as the Famous ``Whiff of Grapeshot.`` For his accomplishment he was awarded the army of Italy. It consisted of 30,000 underfed underpaid and was faced with the task of invading Italy. He won crucial battles that demoralized the Italian army. An example of this is when he faced The Austrians and the Piedmontese. He divided each army and defeated them separately. After the battle was over he said to his troops â€Å"soldiers, we thank you† and gave them their first real money in years. He gained a lot of ground for France and thus increased his national prestige. He made many good changes for France. One of the most important was he brought France out of the chaotic period of the Revolution. Without him the turmoil would have continued and France would be an entirely different country. Another significant thing he did was he created the Napoleonic Code. It was a very basic code of civil laws. This set of laws prevented people from being born into power. It made people work for a high prestige of power not just given to them by birth. The code also allowed freedom of religion. This code helped shaped many laws that are still used today like the constitution of laws that is currently beingShow MoreRelatedNapoleon Bonaparte A Hero Or A Villain?1624 Words   |  7 Pagesthe fact that Napoleon Bonaparte was a significant character in France. However, there have been debates among historians for years around the central question: â€Å"Was Napoleon Bonaparte a hero or a villain?† The answer here relies on how one looks upon the situation. Was Napoleon Bonaparte a savior to the French, or was he a tyrant to the French? Although many historians’ answers do rely deeply onto perspective, their answers also lie within which stage of life Napoleon Bonaparte was in, as well asRead MoreComparison Of Napoleon Bonaparte A Hero Or Villain909 Words   |  4 Pagesthe fact that Napoleon Bonaparte was a significant character in France. However, there have been debates among historians for years around the central question: â€Å"Was Napoleon Bonaparte a hero or a villain?† The answer here relies on how one looks upon the situation. Was Napoleon Bonaparte a savior to the French, or was he a tyrant to the French? Although many historians’ answers do rely deeply onto perspective, their answers also lie within which stage of life Napoleon Bonaparte was in, as well asRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte : Hero Or Villain1862 Words   |  8 PagesNapoleon: Hero or Villain Essay True heros have consistently been shown to encompass villainous characteristics and Napoleon Bonaparte, although a tyrannical ruler, was no exception to this rule. The term hero at its core refers to an inspiring individual who is idealized for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. This person manages to not only overcome the tragic situation at hand, but conjointly is able to win over the public’s admiration. Contrastingly, a villain is definedRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesNapoleon Bonaparte has been called a hero by some and a villain by many others. He was the First Consul of France, then the emperor of France, and finally an outlaw. Napoleon had a meteoric rise to power in the late 18th century, and lasted to the early 19th century. He was able to rise to power through his great military victories and he was able to keep his power by fending off enemies in wars and with some reforms. Napoleon started his life good, but different than many French rulers. NapoleonRead MoreNapoleon Bonaparte - Villain or Hero?889 Words   |  4 PagesNapoleon Bonaparte was inarguably an important figure in the history of France and Europe. However, there has been much controversy over the subject in the past. Would history perceive him as a hero or an enemy of France and the world? Many twentieth-century dictators would later model themselves on Napoleon, more than a hundred years after his death. Napoleon was not the first dictator, so why was he such an important figurehead for future dictators? Some historians may consider that Napoleon wasRead MoreThe Evolution of the Hero1960 Words   |  8 Pagesthink we know a hero when we see one. But pinning down those attributes is a challenge; your hero may not look much like mine. So it s worth asking: Are there certain immutable characteristics that have defined heroism across the ages? The men and women on the following pages are individuals of extraordinary distinction, but how do they stack up ag ainst the legends of the past? Although there are some timeless, universal qualities known as heroic, throughout history the idea of the hero has fluctuatedRead MoreUnited States History Research Project2148 Words   |  9 Pagespositive aspects that occurred in Jesse James’ life. If one knew the general idea of who James was, they would automatically assume he was either a really bad person or an historical hero. Many songs, books, and news articles were written in the context of him being an American hero. On the other hand, some believe that the large amount of crimes he has committed were superior over his good doings in life which was not very much. I have searched through the campus library and scholarly databases findingRead MoreThe Role of Fate in Romeo and Juliet2091 Words   |  9 Pageseither tragedy or comedy, this polarity of themes allowing him to experiment with the full range of human emotions. Typically, an integral part of a Shakespearean tragedy is love, which is frustrated by a breakdown in order, or the character of the hero, due to some human limitation. The play Romeo and Juliet has all these typical characteristics. However, the resultant conclusion of events for the characters in this tragedy is adversely affected by the hands of fate, and not solely the product ofRead MoreThe Role of Fate in Romeo and Juliet2082 Words   |  9 Pageseither tragedy or comedy, this polarity of themes allowing him to experiment with the full range of human emotions. Typically, an integral part of a Shakespearean tragedy is love, which is frustrated by a breakdown in order, or the character of the hero, due to some human limit ation. The play Romeo and Juliet has all these typical characteristics. However, the resultant conclusion of events for the characters in this tragedy is adversely affected by the hands of fate, and not solely the product ofRead MoreAlexander The Great Of The Greatest Military Geniuses2832 Words   |  12 Pagesor more commonly known as Alexander the Great ( Greek: á ¼Ë†ÃŽ »ÃŽ ­ÃŽ ¾ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ´Ã ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š á ½  ÃŽÅ"ÃŽ ­ÃŽ ³ÃŽ ±Ãâ€š) was destined to be a king. Alexander the Great was also considered one of the greatest military geniuses in history. He was the inspiration for many great leaders and warriors in later generations of many different cultures. Hannibal Barca once ranked Alexander as the â€Å"greatest general in all of the world†. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, Napolà ©on Bonaparte, and Julius Caesar are just several of the many that were inspired. Even Julius