About This Quiz
He was often called the “Little Corporal” in his startling rise to military power at the end of the 18th century. Then he became a god of war, gathering political power and military might seemingly at will. He was Napoleon Bonaparte, a French hero for the ages. But what do you really know about this often misunderstood general?
The map of Europe looked very different in the late 1700s. And as Napoleon seized power in his home country, he set out to take more and more territory for himself. As a result, he made enemies of countries like Britain and Prussia and Austria — and they decided to fight back. What do you know about the wars that consumed Europe during Napoleon’s reign?
Early in his career, Napoleon gained a reputation as a fearless leader who created amazing battlefield strategies. He consistently defeated other armies, earning respect even from generals who had fought many wars. What do you know about the biggest battles of Napoleon’s life and how they affected his country?
In the end, Napoleon’s power began slipping, in large part because of the vast forces gathered against him. France was in for a titanic showdown with its mortal enemies. What do you know about the fateful events that found Europe throwing hundreds of thousands of men into bloody combat?
Take this deadly Napoleon quiz now! We’ll find out if you can outmanuever one of the craftiest military men of all time!
Napoleon was a French general who led his country to the apex of European power in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He is still regarded as one of the best military minds in history.
One myth about Napoleon is that he was short. He was actually 5 feet 7 inches tall, which was very average for his era.
Napoleon’s military victories made him a hero in France. He eventually elevated himself to emperor — and he answered to no one.
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He executed a coup d’etat, forcibly taking political power to augment his military might. He made himself emperor in 1804.
At the Battle of Wagram, Napoleon’s men defeated the Austrians. The victory increased the emperor’s grip on the continent’s politics.
Nations like Britain and Prussia saw Napoleon’s rise and confronted him with their armies in a series of coalitions. Numerous alliances failed to bring Napoleon to heel.
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In 1812, Napoleon sought to add to his dominion by invading Russia. But things didn’t go quite as he planned.
French troops were weak and overextended in Moscow. Depleted by winter, the men were forced to withdraw from Moscow, a sign that other Europeon nations took as hope of Napoleon’s lessening power.
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia cost him many, many men — troops who would later have been very useful to keep other nations at bay.
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The French army drove the Russians all the way back to Moscow ... and then they abandoned the great city. Napoleon’s men swarmed in and took the city.
The allies exiled Napoleon to an island off of the coast of Tuscany. But Napoleon didn’t take his punishment without a fight.
Napoleon decided to escape from exile. He did just that, and was soon back in his home country, ready to take power again.
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The Allies were ready for Napoleon this time. They had about 320,000 troops, vastly outnumbering the French, who had just 185,000.
As French troops fled across the bridge, a panicky French solider detonated explosives too soon, collapsing the only escape route. Tens of thousands of French troops were forced to surrender.
At the Battle of Leipzig, the Allies tore through Napoleon’s army. It was a decisive victory for the Allies.
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During the French Revolution, which started in 1789, Napoleon was a promising young officer. The conflict gave him plenty of occasions to shine, and that's exactly what he did.
The young officer was so brilliant in military matters that he became a general at just 24. And he was just getting warmed up.
Even at the age of 26 , Napoleon was outmaneuvering enemy generals. He won almost every battle in his first major military campaign.
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Napoleon had plenty of supporters who wanted him out of exile. He and 700 troops escaped Elba and two days later, they landed in France, and Napoleon set off to retake control of the country.
Signed in 1815, the Declaration at the Congress of Vienna basically called Napoleon an outlaw. And the Great Powers decided it was up to them to stop him.
Napoleon’s rise to power upset leaders in Britain, Prussia, and other European nations. They knew Napoleon’s warring ways would affect their countries in one way or another.
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The emperor’s power let him do just about anything he wanted. In 1808, Napoleon installed his brother, Joseph, as king of Spain.
Two armies from the Seventh Coalition — Prussia and Britain — blocked Napoleon’s path. The battle they fought became one of the most famous in human history.
British and French forces fought back and forth ... and then vital Prussian reinforements arrived just in time to turn the tide of the battle. The French were crushed.
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With the Allies massing against him, Napoleon knew he had to divide and conquer. In March 1815, his army attacked in hopes of capturing Allied armies before they could attack his.
Napoleon’s unstoppable army finally met its match. The Seventh Coalition pulled off a stunning upset, using superior tactics to stop the French in their tracks.
The series of five wars that Napoleon’s men fought against the coalitions are called the Napoleonic Wars. In the end, Napoleon finally lost his last war and wound up in exile for a second time.
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When Napoleon returned from exile, it was the Hundred Days, about the time it took for King Louis XVIII to regain control. It was actually 110 days, but who’s really counting?
Napoleon was cast off to St. Helena, a remote island in the South Pacific. He lived in a place called Longwood House, a large house that was in disrepair and definitely not suited for a former emperor.
Napoleon’s time in exile didn’t help his health. In 1821, after years of being sequestered in poor conditions, he died from stomach cancer.
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