Napoleons Quest to Egypt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Napoleons Quest to Egypt - Essay Example One of the greatest military commanders and a risk taking gambler; a workaholic genius and an impatient short term planner; a vicious skeptic who forgave his closest betrayers; a misogynist who could captivate men; Napoleon Bonaparte was all of these and more, the twice-emperor of France whose military endeavors and sheer personality ruled Europe in person for a decade, and in thought for a century. Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on August 15th 1769 to Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer and political opportunist, and his wife, Marie-Letizia Bonaparte. The Buonaparte's were a rich family from the Corsican nobility, although when compared to the great aristocracies of France Napoleon's kin were poor and pretentious. A combination of Carlo's social climbing, Letizia's adultery with the Comte de Marbeuf - Corsica's French military governor - and Napoleon's own ability enabled him to enter the military academy at Brienne in 1779. He moved to the Parisian cole Royale Militaire in 1784 and graduated a year later as a second lieutenant in the Artillery. Spurred on by his father's death early in February 1785, the future emperor had completed in one year a course that often took three. Despite being posted on the French mainland, Napoleon was able to spend much of the next eight years in Corsica thanks to his ferocious letter writing and rule bending, as well as the effects of the French revolution and sheer good luck. There he played an active part in political and military matters, initially supporting the Corsican rebel Pasquale Paoli, a former patron of Carlo Buonaparte. Military promotion also followed, but Napoleon became opposed to Paoli and when civil war erupted in 1793 the Buonapartes fled to France, where they adopted the French version of their name: Bonaparte. Historians have frequently used the Corsican affair as a microcosm of Napoleon's career. Napoleon became a hero in 1795, defending the government from angry counter-revolutionary forces; Napoleon was promoted to high military office, a position with access to the political spine of France. Bonaparte quickly grew into one of the country's most respected military authorities - largely by never keeping his opinions to himself - and he married Josephine de Beauharnais (Cronin, 2006). After the events in his place, he wants to explore the east and want to conquer Egypt. Many Historians had interpreted Napoleon's quest to Egypt that he wants to follow the footsteps of Alexander the Great. The French attempt to apply influence over Egypt was because of economics, a political need to deteriorate Britain and the personal needs of General Napoleon Bonaparte, who saw the shadow of unemployment - and a loss of influence - threatening as his armies in Italy were nearing the end of their successful struggles against Austria. Having seen the benefits of Britain's profitable colonies, France's Directory listened to Bonaparte's idea to invade Egypt, drive out the ruling Mamelukes and put up a modern style of government friendly towards French ways. Napoleon's swift victory may have been due to the way he adapted to the rigours of warfare in the Near East. He faced a highly developed cavalry with little of his own, but by organizing his infantry into hollow squares which faced four directions, he could repel a charge from any side. This combined with his artillery enabled Napoleon to resist the Mameluke attacks (Brahmrosensweig, 2006). On