Napoleon was able to control, and expand his empire so successfully because of his
intelligence in knowing how to rule. There is no doubt in the fact that the French
Revolution created Napoleon Bonaparte (Connely Owen, Encarta 99). This was the man
who in 1799, combined a passion for power with his genius for leadership. Although to
many people everything that Napoleon accomplished over a span of fifteen years seemed
to undermine the principles of 1789, the result at the end was that many of his
achievements of the Revolution were made French realities (Orsinger, Richard:
www.taxdirect.net/users/rrichard/napoleo1.htm). Indeed, these realities were also made
Napoleon was able to control, and expand his empire so successfully
because of his early success, and him learning in that time how to control an empire. From
1784 to 175 Napoleon attended the Ecole Militarie in Paris. So the wars of the French
Revolution gave him the opportunity to test his skills. He finished his training and joined
the French army when he was 16 years old. Soon after his father died, Napoleon moved to
Paris in 1792. After the French monarchy was overthrown on August 10, 1792, Napoleon
decided to make his move up the ranks. After this, Napoleon started becoming a
recognized officer. In 1792 Napoleon was prompted to the rank of captain. In 1793 he
was chosen to direct artillery against the siege in Toulon. He seized ground where he
could get his guns in range of British ships. Soon after that Toulon fell and Napoleon was
promoted to the rank of brigadier general.
When Napoleon was made commander of the French army in Italy. He
defeated four Austrian generals in succession, and each army he fought got bigger and
bigger. He was once quoted saying, "In Italy I realized I was a superior being and
conceived the ambition of performing great things, which hitherto had filled my thoughts
only as a fantastic dream"...