In my mind Napoleon is the greatest military leader of modern times. So I have composed a short biography of his life.
1769
15 August, Napoleon born at Ajacco, Corsica, the second son of Carlo and Letizia Bounaparte.
1779
April, Napoleon enters the Military Academy at Brienne.
1784
October, Napoleon transfers to the Ecole Militaire in Paris.
1785
September, Napoleon graduates from the Ecole Militaire. He is commissioned second lieutenant of artillery and is garrisoned at Valence.
1790
Napoleon returns to Corsica to help consolidate French rule.
1792
Napoleon rejoins his regiment in France
10 August, Napoleon witnesses the second storming of the Tuileries in Paris.
1793
September, Napoleon commands the artillery at the siege of Toulon, his first military victory. He is promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General.
1795
October, Napoleon supports Barras in the suppression of the royalist uprising in Paris.
1796
March, Napoleon marries Josephine de Beauharais. He is given command of the French Army in Italy.
May, French victories at Matenotte, Dego, Millesimo, Mondovi and Lodi. Napoleon takes Milan.
August, French victory at Castiglione.
October, French Victory at Arcola.
1797
February, Napoleon takes control of Mantua.
April, Napoleon negotiates armistice with Austria.
May, Napoleon returns to Paris a National hero.
1798
May, Napoleon sets sail for Egypt.
June, French occupy Malta
July, Battle of the Nile, French gain control of the Nile Delta.
August, Napoleon's fleet destroyed by Nelson at Aboukir Bay.
1799
February, French defeated at the Battle of Acre. Napoleon retreats to Egypt.
July, French victory over the Turks at Aboukir.
August, Napoleon leaves for France.
November, coup d'etat of Brumiere. The directory of France is abolished and replaced by a senate. Napoleon is elected First Consul and de facto ruler of France.
1800
Napoleon reforms local and National government, education and legislature.
1801
July Concordat with the Pope.
1802
August, Napoleon confirmed by plebiscite as consul for life.
1803
May, outbreak of war between France and Britain.
December, the Grande Armee assembled at Boulogne in readiness to invade Britain.
1804
May, the senate proclaims Napoleon 'Emperor of the French'.
December, Napoleon's coronation at Notre Dame.
Spain forms an alliance with France and declares war on Britain.
1805
August, Napoleon invades Germany.
October, French victory at Ulm, defeat at Trafalgar.
November, French victory at Austerlitz. Napoleon crowned king of Italy. Joseph Bonaparte made king of Naples. Louis Bonaparte becomes king of Holland.
1806
July, creation of the Confederation of the Rhine.
September, Prussia declares war on France.
October, French victories over Prussians at Jena and Auerstadt.
November, introduction of the Continental System.
1807
June, French victory over the Russians at the battle of Friedland.
July, creation of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.
November, Lisbon occupied by French forces.
1808
May, Charles IV cedes his rights in Spain to Napoleon.
July, Joseph Bonaparte assumes the throne of Spain to consolidate his brother's sovereignty.
1809
Britain allies itself with Austria in the war against France
December, Napoleon divorces Josephine.
1810
April, Napoleon marries Marie-Louise.
July, Holland annexed to France.
November, northern Germany annexed to France.
December, Russian renounces the Continental System.
1811
March, Marie-Louise bears Napoleon a son, titled the King of Rome.
1812
June, French cross the Neimen and start the Russian Campaign.
French Defeat in Spain.
September, Battle of Borodine. Napoleon enters Moscow.
10 November, survivors of the Grande Armee re-cross the Neimen.
18 December, Napoleon reaches Paris.
1813
February, the Prussians enter an alliance with Russia against France.
May, French victories at Lutzen and Bautzen.
October, Napoleon defeated at Leizig in the 'Battle of the Nations'.
December, allied invasion of France.
1814
March, Paris falls to the allies.
April, Napoleon abdicates.
May, Napoleon exiled to the island of Elba.
1815
March, Napoleon returns to France. The beginning of 'The Hundred Days'.
April, Napoleon establishes a new government in Paris.
June, victory at Ligny and defeat at Waterloo.
Napoleon's second abdication.
October, Napoleon arrives in St Helena
1821
5 May, Napoleon dies.