Napoleon’s Discordant Historical Legacy: Republican Hero or Opportunistic Tyrant?

Heroic republican crusader to some, brutal despot to some, there is perhaps no more divisive European figure of the 19th century as the French general Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon is often characterized as one of two extremes, hero or tyrant, and this paper seeks to seek out a more nuanced historical image. This paper explores the major sociopolitical and military events that occurred around the newly founded Republic of France as she entered the 19th century which allowed for Napoleon to rise to power, and seeks to shed light on both Napoleon himself as an individual, as well as the impacts of his conquests and political decisions.