Napoléon Bonaparte doesn't really need an introduction. He's the most famous Frenchman ever. He's had more books written about him than any other person, except for Jesus Christ. This French general and emperor shook France, Europe and the world at the turn of the nineteenth century. He is also a polarizing figure. Enlightened ruler, or tyrannic dictator? In this episode, we will explore the fantastic story that led him from humble origins in Corsica to being the focus of all of Europe's monarchs and armies. Note: I strongly encourage you to listen to my previous episode on the French Revolution. You might miss a bit in the years of 1789 to 1799 if you are not aware of some facts that I talked about then. Timecodes: Introduction 06:10 - Humble beginnings 14:36 - From promising officer to superstar General 20:12 - Joséphine and the Italian Campaign 29:48 - The Egyptian Legend 42:36 - Napoléon takes over France 53:51 - Conclusion Music: Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs, composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully, arranged and performed by Jérôme Arfouche. Art: Bonaparte devant le Sphinx by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1867-1868 Support the showReach out, support the show and give me feedback! Twitter, Mastodon, Reddit & Instagram Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts Become a patron on Patreon to support the show Get beautiful “La Fayette, We are Here!” merchandise from TeePublic