Napoleon Bonaparte is undoubtedly known as one of the most successful military and political leaders in history. His actions brought France out into the limelight and were an important factor in the shaping of European politics in the 19th century. He was looked upon by his enemies and many others as a tyrant, but to others he was a hero as he dominated Europe and increased France’s sphere of influence. He did this by establishing alliances and appointing friends and family to rule over other European countries. Whether or not Napoleon was a tyrant is almost beside the point when you look at the great things that he accomplished.

What was the situation in France before Napoleon took power in 1799? France had experienced the revolution in 1789 and had gone through several different types of government. France was changed, during the revolution, from a monarchy-governed state to a republic, to a revolutionary government to being ruled by the directory, a group of five men who were elected by a council. It was this government that Napoleon overthrew by plotting with members of the directory and his brother, who held the position of speaker in the Council of Five Hundred. The directory was overthrown and was replaced by the Consulate, with Napoleon running everything as First Consul. Five years after the overthrowing of the directory, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France, and the story has it that he seized the crown out of the hands of Pope Pius VII to avoid subjugation to the authority involved there – many of these acts have lead me personally to believe that his seizure of power was more tyrannical in nature than heroic.

     Napoleon was a great general and a true master of stratagem; it was his strategies and tactics that allowed him to conquer most of Europe through a series of wars and battles. He was, more often than not, victorious, and his actions in battle were seemingly very heroic. Long before Napoleon was a general, he was a lowly artillery commander who battled in the siege of Toulon; it was his plan that led to the capture of the city. During the battle he was wounded in the thigh, and after his victory was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Many of his actions and decisions in battle could be viewed as tyrannical, such as his re-establishment of slavery in the French colonial territories. When his army was retreating from Russia, suffering from plague and cold, he had many of the sick men and stragglers poisoned to avoid them falling into the hands of the Russians. It may have been a sacrifice for his country, but he was still killing off his own men to avoid them getting captured, which is, presumably, the act of a tyrant. He was apparently ruthless, and it was this attribute combined with superior stratagem and strength of arms that allowed Napoleon to win so many battles.

     To many of the conquered countries, Napoleon was indeed considered a tyrant. The British considered him a ravenous conqueror, and a nursery rhyme suggested that he ate children, warning youngsters of the Bonaparte Bogeyman. They propagandized Napoleon as being freakishly short and many cartoons frequently mocked his diminutiveness. He was often caricatured with a ridiculously large hat and belly for such a short man. I suppose it’s just the fate of any world figure, tyrant or no: to be made fun of for every little shortcoming that you possess. It’s as true today as it was two hundred years ago.

     My conclusion is, though Napoleon possesses many heroic deeds and attributes, he gives me reason to believe that he is more of a tyrant than a hero. It seems like he wished to win at almost any cost, sacrificing the lives of his men in bloody battles and campaigns. He even had his men kidnap the Pope at one point; forcing the evangelical leader to travel with him to adopt policies and gain power. Despite his tyrannical side, Napoleon was and remains to this day, a symbol of military genius and political power, and many of his contributions to Europe, such as the Napoleonic Code, have gone unrivalled. He was truly a great man, hero or tyrant.