The French Revolution's Impact on Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte is widely regarded as one of the greatest military leaders in history, right up there with Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Genghis Khan. However, his path to power was anything but straightforward. Born on the island of Corsica, which had recently become a French colony, Napoleon initially despised the French and their ways. But his time at a French military school opened his eyes to the class system that was fueling the growing unrest in the country.

The French Revolution was in full swing when Napoleon came onto the scene. The uprising of the common people a ...