Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica. He was the second son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino. He had an older brother named Joseph, who later became King of Spain.

Napoleon was educated at a military academy in France, where he studied mathematics and science. In 1785, he enrolled in the Ecole Militaire in Paris. There he learned to speak French fluently and studied the writings of Voltaire and Rousseau.

Napoleon was promoted to captain at age 21, but was forced to resign from the army two years later because his family could no longer afford his tuition fees. He returned to Corsica where he became involved with politics and helped organize a revolt against French rule on the island. The revolt failed, however, and Napoleon escaped from prison in 1796 by stealing a boat and sailing back to France (where he would eventually meet Josephine).

When Napoleon returned to France in 1789, he became involved with the French Revolution—a movement that sought to overthrow King Louis XVI and establish a constitutional monarchy instead.

Napoleon fought for France in the Revolutionary Wars, which lasted from 1792 until 1802 when Napoleon overthrew King Charles X and established himself as Emperor Napoleon I of France. The wars ended with the signing of the Treaty of Amiens between Britain and France in 1802.

The Second Coalition War began soon after this treaty was signed; it lasted from 1803 until 1805 when Napoleon defeated Austrian forces at Austerlitz (in present-day Czech Republic). This victory led him to declare himself Emperor Napoleon I of France with no further opposition from other European powers such as Britain or Russia who had previously opposed his rule over France during previous wars fought between

In 1798 Napoleon led an army of about 40,000 troops through Italy against Austria and Sardinia; this campaign resulted in victory for France at Marengo (1800) but also led to friction between him and Emperor Paul I of Russia (whose daughter Alexander had married).