Two Faced HIstory

The past is history and history is the past that intrigues the modern world. History is written by the royals, the rich, and the powerful; in many ways it is the winners who fill the pages of the history books. For this reason perspective is essential to understanding the truths of the pasts. Men are not created either bad or good, but rather possess layers that create a unique character. It is the historian's job to unravel these layers; these layers contain the truth behind both the man and history. Like any other man Napoleon Bonaparte had layers that are to this today complicated to know, but like no other man he was great in seizing the opportunity of a time and place that was vulnerable. Great men are born with a stroke of genius, and hold all the luck in the world at the palm of their hands, but great men know how to take advantage of the good and the turmoil. Bonaparte possessed qualities of a leader, but it was the events that took place in 17th century France that molded him into emperor. From the perspective of the French Bonaparte was a heroic emperor, but in the eyes of an enemy Bonaparte was tyrannical emperor. There are pages in the history books that are written with a certain degree of irresolute, there are characters that leave a reader both sympathetic and appalled.
17th century France was in turmoil. The French revolted and ousted Louis XVI, no longer was France ruled by a monarchy, it was the republic of France. Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the island of Corsica who grew into a soldier climbing on both the professional ladder and social ladder. At the age 27, he was given the command of the French army in Italy (video). This is where he proved his brilliance in campaigning. Bonaparte tapped into the soldie...

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... him. He created an anarchy and position an heir to the throne. By doing this he contradicted his belief in talent over birth right. He controlled all aspects that took place in France. Each public figure has his enemies and fans, Bonaparte was no different. He earned his fans, but earned his enemies with the same success.
Napoleon Bonaparte is a figure with a complicated past. He is a man of vision, who made his vision to a reality. Europe was Bonaparte's enemy because of his desires of taking over as emperor of Europe and France was his support because of his talent in constructing a nation. He is a man who was given the opportunity to become a legend. It is more than his actions that compel people; it is his complexity in character that makes us dispute whether or not we see a hero of see a man that loved his own ego more than he was devoted to his own country.