ipl-logo

Napoleon Bonaparte Hero Or Tyrant

1258 Words6 Pages

Can one be viewed as both a hero and a tyrant? In the case of Napoleon Bonaparte, it is difficult to differentiate between a savior of the values of the French Revolution and another absolute ruler of the French people. The Revolution strove to embody enlightenment ideals by establishing representative forms of government and giving the people equal fundamental rights. As the Revolution became radical, corrupt, and chaotic, the people of France turned to Napoleon as a potential leader. His actions as ruler of France preserved several of the enlightenment ideals that sparked and developed from the Revolution. One of his major accomplishment, the Napoleonic Code, succeeded in promoting equality and liberty. Secondly, he created a society where high positions were given to people of talent rather than people of noble birth. Lastly, he spread the Revolution throughout Europe by establishing new policies and constitutions in the countries …show more content…

He also established a meritocratic society that granted all citizens equal opportunity to advance in society. Not only did he preserve the Revolution’s ideals, but he also spread it throughout Europe by abolishing old systems and creating constitutional monarchies. Although Napoleon was a controversial ruler, he preserved the ideals of Revolution by creating the Napoleonic Code, establishing a meritocracy, and restructuring society and government throughout Europe. In analyzing the many achievements political policies of Napoleon, one finds the accomplishments of both a hero and a tyrant. His accomplishments and character can not truly be defined into one identification, but he ultimately was able to preserve certain important values of the Revolution that may have otherwise succumbed to chaos. Had no leader emerge from the chaos of the Revolution, there would have been no guaranteed preservation of its most important

Show More
Related

Enlightenment Era Dbq

544 Words | 3 Pages

He thought that the power lies in the hands of the people and their elected government officials. He also believed that there should be an elected president in place of a monarch. These thoughts helped the people have more power and can control who they think is capable to be in charge of them. This also gave the people the option to change their leader if the people find him not good enough to rule. This could help the people to have a say on taxes and other laws they oppose.

Read More

How Did Alexander The Great A Hero Or A Villain

746 Words | 3 Pages

Describe the steps that Alexander the Great and his mother took to ensure his rise to power. Alexander and his mother took many steps to ensure his power as king of Macedonia. One of the first steps he took was to have a great education. Secondly, Alexander may have gotten his father killed by his bodyguard.

Read More

Why Did Napoleon Support The French Revolution

968 Words | 4 Pages

After the French Revolution, a Corsican artillery officer, named Napoleon Bonaparte, became the emperor of France in 1804. After playing a significant role in trying retake the French port of Toulon, occupied by the British, he was appointed general at the age of 26 in 1793. This marked the beginning of the Napoleonic Era, which would change the course of European history for centuries. However, despite claiming to be a strong supporter of the French Revolution, Napoleon mostly undermined the goals of the Revolution by violating the Declaration of the Rights of Man, insisting on returning to principles of the Old Regime in regards to women, the imposition of taxes and the re-establishment of the social elite. Nonetheless, Napoleon still supported the main goals of the Revolution by establishing the Civil Code and supporting the peasantry by lowering bread prices.

Read More

To What Extent Did Napoleon Betray The Values Of The French Revolution

910 Words | 4 Pages

Napoleon Bonaparte greatest work was the creation of the Napoleonic Code. The Napoleonic Code gave revelation the country a uniform set of laws and eliminated many injustices. However, because the Napoleonic Code promoted order and authority over individual rights, it limited freedom of speech and the press. These rights were all important components that were established during the French Revolution. Not only did the Napoleonic Code take away many rights from the citizens, this code also restored slavery in the French Colonies in the Caribbean.

Read More

The French Revolution: Napoleon's Rise To Power

1230 Words | 5 Pages

Napoleon’s Imperial Decree at Madrid stated that “from the publication of the present decree, feudal rights are abolished... all feudal monopolies of ovens, mills, and inns are suppressed” (Document 8). By abolishing feudalism, Napoleon promoted liberty and freed people from their duties to their lords. Individuals no longer had to conform to their social status and were able to pursue their own success by having access to previously exclusive resources. Napoleon believed that the privileges of the upper class should be abolished (Pagano “Napoleon Domestic Program Good”).

Read More

Compare And Contrast Napoleon And Alexander The Great

760 Words | 4 Pages

Napoleon also, was a skilled military leader and became the first emperor of France. Napoleon was a French leader whom quickly rose through the ranks of military during the French revolution and drove his military to expansion and change in the western world. Although they cannot be compared in every way because Napoleon twice relinquished his authority in military leadership, in which Alexander would not have even dreamt of doing. SECTION IV: Alexander the Great should be placed in a time capsule because of his outstanding and notable achievements of brilliant commands and undefeatable battles. He was young and clever with his battle tactics so that he could save the world from imperial enslavement.

Read More

Napoleon Bonaparte Good Or Bad Essay

591 Words | 3 Pages

Was Napoleon Bonaparte a good person? When Napoleon came to power he did many things for France. The things he contributed to France was lycees, opened up the churches, bettered tax collection, ended corruption, and the Napoleon’s Code. Many people like to think that Napoleon was a bad man, but they don’t seem to acknowledge the fact that he helped out everyone greatly. With all the things he did for France the bad things he did should outweigh the bad.

Read More

Impact Of The Renaissance On The Founding Of America

729 Words | 3 Pages

The Declaration of Independence symbolized his ideas of “life, liberty, property.” Voltaire wanted to be free from expression, religion, and separation of church and state. He also believed the universe was a clock and the clock maker was God. Montesquieu defined three types of government, republican, dictator, and monarchy. He also contributed in the separation of powers which was multiple branches and check and balances which each branch has certain rights.

Read More

What Are Napoleon Bonaparte's Accomplishments

1184 Words | 5 Pages

Before Napoleon became emperor, France was in a post-revolutionary state after a series of civil wars. Napoleon Bonaparte’s accomplishments were achieved inside and outside of France. Napoleon’s political feats were achieved by having superior military leadership. Napoleons leadership of France ended up turning tables in many different areas from gaining economic stability to establishing an agreement with Pope Pius VII of the Roman Catholic Church. The greatest achievements that made the years 1801-1805 the height of Napoleons political career were the Concordat, the Napoleonic Code, and the reformation of French economy.

Read More

Was Napoleon A Hero Or A Villain

1165 Words | 5 Pages

Napoleon- Son of the Revolution If is often debated whether the French society that Napoleon Bonaparte constructed was for the better of the country, or for the worse. Napoleon was a brutal military dictator who changed France in many ways when he rose to power during the violence of the French Revolution. He was a powerful and competent leader who allowed France to experience the height of their empire, but he also caused many people to lose their lives due to the wars with other countries. Napoleon was a hero because his policies benefitted France greatly and provided stability by reflecting the principles of the French Revolution, which were life, liberty, and fraternity. Moreover, he increased the land that belonged to France and gave the people a sense of nationalism.

Read More

Napoleon Bonaparte: One Of The Greatest Leaders In History

771 Words | 4 Pages

Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. He attended school in France, where he learned French and graduated from a French military academy in 1785, where he became a lieutenant of the French Army. He became the husband of Josephine de Beauharnais in 1796, but got divorced since they did not have any heirs yet, he married Marie Louise in 1810 and had a son named Napoleon Francois Joseph Charles Bonaparte a year later. Since Napoleon had conquered the city of Rome, he gave his son the title of King of Rome. There are many facts that explain why Napoleon was considered one of the greatest leaders in history, but the main reasons why he is regarded as such is because he was helpful, charismatic, brave and brilliant.

Read More

How Did Napoleon Spread Enlightenment

510 Words | 3 Pages

Napoleon spread enlightenment ideas that benefited the people in France. He created the Napoleonic code, which was basically the first written document of laws. That meant that the judge could not change anything, but the laws applied to all citizens equally and protected their rights. He gave people religious tolerance, which means people had religious freedom. He also created a system of meritocracy, giving positions based on people's talents and not to the ones that are higher classes.

Read More

Napoleon Bonaparte Research Paper

1002 Words | 5 Pages

Program of Reforms Napoleon is one of the most celebrated personages in the Western history. According to Godechot, he was the one who “revolutionized military organization and training, sponsored the Napoleonic Code, the prototype of later civil-law codes, reorganized education, and established the long-lived Concordat with the papacy” (1). All these left a lasting mark on France and much of western Europe. Revolutionizing Military Organization Napoleon is considered as one of the military geniuses of all time as he was able to revolutionize the art of war with tactics and strategy based on a highly mobile army with an overwhelming number of groups of men

Read More

How Does Napoleon Corrupt In Animal Farm

448 Words | 2 Pages

When somebody receives incredible power, they also receive a large burden of responsibility. Some people, such as Napoleon, disregard these responsibilities and become corrupt. In reality, we have seen this in leaders such as Stalin, who became corrupt once into power. In “Animal Farm”, Napoleon, a totalitarian pig, is a great example of how too much power is equal to corruption.

Read More

Napoleon Bonaparte: Heir Of The French Revolution

852 Words | 4 Pages

Did he, at all, maintain or develop some of the fundamental ideals? Napoleon indirectly influenced and spread ideals of the French revolution throughout Europe, his government and social hierarchy were an embodiment of these ideals.

Read More

More about Napoleon Bonaparte Hero Or Tyrant

Related Topics

Open Document