Napoleon Bonaparte created permanent, lasting change in the political landscape of Europe, elevating the ideals of liberalism and nationalism as his armies rolled across the continent, decapitating kingdoms and nation states, and winding them around the spindle of French empire and political thought. Though his empire collapsed fewer than two decades after its inception, and though France lost control of her American colonies by war or bargain, his impact was nonetheless colossal. More than anyone else Napoleon brought the ideals and goals of the revolution to fruition, not just in France but on the rest of the Continent as well. A true child of the revolution, Napoleon’s character was complex and fractured as any other. As a general he sought …show more content…
The corrupt and incapable Directory had recently risen from the ashes of Robespierre’s Committee of Public Safety, and there had been instability in government and on the streets for what seemed like decades. Then came the victory of the revolutionary army over the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont, and the capture of Nice and Savoy by none other than Napoleon, who by this point had already earned the respect of many in power (Proctor, The Rise of Napoleon). It was a shining moment for the French, and one that would be repeated the following year over the Austrians. With those victories, Napoleon brought glory and validation to a struggling France, but with success his ambition grew. In 1796, after his routing of the Sardinian armies, Napoleon revealed his hunger for power in a conversation with a confidant. “What I have done so far is nothing. I am but at the opening of the career I am to run,” he said. “A republic of thirty million people? How could it be. … The victories which we have just gained have given the French soldier his true character. I am everything to him. Let the Directory attempt to deprive me of my command and they will see who is master. The nation must have a head, a head rendered illustrious by glory… let them have their toys and they will be satisfied… they will allow themselves to be led” (Napoleon). What does this reveal? A hidden agenda of self-interest? A contempt of the people? No. Simply that one man can hold in one head conflicting values. Napoleon’s ambition, self-interest, and drive for personal glory does not preclude a dedication to republican values. It is clear from his decisions later, as leader of the French, that his morals still lay with republicanism, but his misconceptions concerning application, as expressed here—“ A republic of thirty million people? How could it be.”—influenced his decision making as he came to