How did Napoleon Bonaparte assume control of France and much of Europe, and what factors led to his downfall?

NNAPOLEON BONAPARTE (1769–1821) sought to put an end to civil strife in France in order to create unity and consolidate his rule. And he did. But Napoleon saw himself as a man of destiny, and the glory of war and the dream of universal empire proved irresistible.

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The Coronation of Napoleon, 1804In this detail from a grandiose painting by Jacques-Louis David, Napoleon, instead of the pope, prepares to crown his wife, Josephine, in an elaborate ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral. Napoleon, the ultimate upstart, also crowned himself. Pope Pius VII, seated glumly behind the emperor, is reduced to being a spectator. (Photo by Jacques-Louis David [1748–1825]/Louvre, Paris, France/The Bridgeman Art Library)