Napoleon Bonaparte: Hero or Tyrant?Napoleon Bonaparte was an interesting leader in the sense that he was compromised between the attributes of a tyrant and a hero. Napoleon had a strong following throughout his reign and even during his two exiles. He was Emperor of France between 1799 and 1815, following the fall of the Directory. Despite the French Revolution's efforts to rid the country of an autocratic ruler, Bonaparte rose to power as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I in 1804. He claimed to have preserved the goals of the Revolution, which can be easily argued to as his reign became more dictatorial. as it progresses. Despite his distance from certain achievements of the Revolution, he was overall a hero for the French people. Through his military adventures, political changes and social reforms, Napoleon proved himself to be a hero. This is not to say that some aspects of his rule were tyrannical, but it was generally beneficial to France. Napoleon's military career is what ultimately led to his notoriety. Napoleon began his military career above most other men his age. He quickly rose through the ranks and eventually got a great support system. As the Directory relied more and more on the army, a coup d'état developed. Thanks to his military expertise, he immediately became first consul of France. The French empire would soon expand once Napoleon was in power. By the 1790s, the French army numbered nearly a million men, an advantage in the Austrian wars as well as in future ventures. Wars were raging with other European countries in the early 1800s. Napoleon was able to defeat the Continental Coalition, thus gaining territory for France. France annexed part of Italy but also controlled states like Spain, Holland...... middle of paper...... his early successes and military genius classify him as a hero in this sense. His political reign was also that of debate. Although he granted many rights, he challenged them with other restrictions. Overall, France remained stable after the horrific Reign of Terror, but it also granted more rights than under the old regime. Finally, the social aspect of France could prove that Bonaparte was both heroic and tyrannical. Many social changes occurred during his reign. For example, there was an increase in education and the end of feudalism, but Napoleon ruled the imperial catechism and was emperor for life. Overall, the social changes were an improvement over the old regime, thus classifying him as a hero for his times. Overall, Napoleon was a hero in all three aspects of French life, although many aspects were also tyrannical..