Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821 C.E.) was born during the time of the French Revolution, which ultimately affected his goals and eventual leadership of France. Napoleon directed many successful campaigns to expand the empire and allies of France from 1796-1812 C.E. His motives were controversial, did he want to bring peace to France or gain ultimate power? Napoleon Bonaparte was the ultimate ruler of the French Revolution who wanted complete power with many goals set to expand the French empire.
             Napoleon was not merely a "child" of the French Revolution, he was the French Revolution. His control of the French military from 1796-1812 was unmatched at his time. Napoleon came into power when he became a general in King Louis XVI's army at the young age of 24. He was a firm supporter of the revolution and supported the Directory during a popular uprising in 1795. In his first set of military campaigns from 1796-1797 C.E., Napoleon drove the Austrian army from northern Italy and created French rule there. His second attempt was not as successful as in 1798 C.E. he attempted to gain access to the Red Sea and threaten British control of the sea route to India by capturing Egypt. This campaign resulted in total British victory. Napoleon then returned to France in 1799 when Austria, Russia and Britain joined forces to bring down France and end the revolution. However, Napoleon would not let this happen as he overthrew the Directory and instituted a new constitution which gave him almost complete power to rule France for ten years. In 1804, Napoleon named himself emperor. The obvious greatest general of his time, Napoleon's army conquered the Italian and Iberian peninsulas, the Netherlands, and Austrian and Prussian forces. After forcing them to be allies, Napoleon sent his relatives to rule the countries he captured. Nevertheless, the same ambition that helped the Napoleonic Empire of France grow, also led to its decline....