Napoleon

There were many positive aspects of Napoleon's reign. Napoleon had supported the changes brought about by the Revolution. He accepted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and did not restore feudalism. He improved the French system of laws by installing the Napoleonic Code, which made the laws more equal. Napoleon also increased the French education by establishing public high schools, universities, and trade schools. He also used his incredible gift of persuasion in order to assuage the Roman Catholic Church and replaced the Civil Constitution of the Clergy with the Concordat, which also allowed religious freedom. He also used these exceptional gifts to disband the alliances that arose against France.

Though Napoleon accomplished many things he did make mistakes, as does everyone. One of Napoleon's mistakes was that he did not place strong military rulers over newly conquered lands. After Napoleon had gotten rid of the Spanish monarch Napoleon put his brother Joseph on the throne. The Spanish people revolted against their new ruler, with the help of Britain. Soon after Napoleon left Joseph to fight his own battle in favor of punishing Russia Joseph fled the country. Napoleon also did not take care of his allies; many had been forced into signing alliances or treaties and had no reason to remain loyal to him. So when he enacted the Continental System, many countries ignored it because they had no sufficient alternative. Russia, for example, depended on the trade from Great Britain in order for its economy to survive. When Napoleon decided to exact revenge against Russia, he was completely unprepared for the conditions. Two thirds of his Grand Army, consisting of six hundred thousand men, was lost without fighting any major battles.

Overall, Napoleon was a good ruler. He brought about many positive changes in the lands he conquered, abolishing feudalism and granting the people freedom that many had never known. He was a brilliant militaristic strategist, and a gifted diplomat. He was greatly loved by his country and would have been Emperor of France for a long time if it weren't for those other paranoid European countries.

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