Tyrant or Hero
Hero: A person who does something out of selflessness or of his beliefs and is admired for it
While he may not be considered as one now, Napoleon Boneparte was a hero of the time. Even though what he did was not out of selfless and was for glory, it was what he believed was right and he did whatever he needed to make it happen.
Napolean rose to fame by being a brilliant military leader. He had gained a lot of popularity and support for driving the British forces out of Toulon in 1793, capturing northern Italy and taking control of Egypt. This actually helped them discover the Rosetta Stone, from which they were able to decode hieroglyphics. Though he was defeated in 1798 during the Battle of the Nile, he …show more content…
The Catholic Church was once again a part of the French society after it was abolished during the French Revolution. The Jews were no longer treated so unjustly anymore; Napoleon had written a proclamation and established Jews as full citizens of France. He had also abolished slavery, which was no longer in Europe after that.
He had caused many little things that added up to his success as an emperor and him being considered as a hero. He had beautified the cities in France by having a lot of modern public works done, such as roads, bridges and canals. He had caused the metric system and driving on the right side of the road.
However, the main things that helped him gain his popularity and success were beliefs. He believed that success and wealth were not to be determined by their family or social status, and that “it is success that makes great men”, not birth. This gave the people of lower social class a chance; he had no restrictions and admitted men of any class. They were no longer judged by their ancestry or wealth, but by their knowledge and prowess. He had supported The Legion d’honneur, which basically outlined …show more content…
Napoleon had caused and supported nationalist movement, which encouraged many countries, such as Ireland and South Africa, to become independent countries. In addition, because of his conquering, he had created unity of Europe. He had also sparked further revolutions, such as a chain of revolts in 1848, after he had died, his nephew had restored the French Empire. Ten of thousands of books were written on his political brilliance and military tactics. These books helped inspire many of the greatest commanders.
Napoleon himself had written countless literary pieces, and his “Memoir”, which helped us learn about what his life was like and his beliefs and thoughts. He was also the first man to create his own public image and shape it to be what he wanted to be thought of him.
Tyrant: a person who gained power illegitimately and uses it cruelly for selfish