Alexander the Great vs Napoleon Bonaparte, What I Got so Far

When we think of Alexander the Great, we think of an outstanding war hero. When we think of Napoleon Bonaparte, we think, again, of an outstanding war hero. If a random person were asked who either of these rulers was, their first response would be a fact about war. Alexander and Napoleon share similarities in their warfare, and how they used it to conquer and establish new lands. Alexander the Great’s strong perseverance and incredible battle strategies led to increase his power over his empire. Napoleon used his intelligence and skill of manipulation to earn respect and support from the French people, which gained him great power.

Both men had similar qualities attaining leadership but their strategies to reach this were very different. Alexander the Great was King of Macedon, a state located in Northern Greece. Aristotle tutored him until the age of 16, and by the age of 30 he had created one of the largest empires in the ancient world. As he was undefeated in battle, Alexander is considered as one of history’s most successful military commanders and his battles and strategies are still taught at military schools worldwide. Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was born on a bright July day in 356 B.

C. and died in June of 323 B. C. During his lifetime he was: King of Macedonia (336-323), Pharaoh of Egypt (332-323), King of Persia (330-323), and the King of Asia (331-323). From reading that alone, it is known that he was a conqueror and successful ruler. Alexander was the son of his predecessor Phillip II who passed away in 336 B. C. leaving the throne, a strong kingdom, and a very experienced army to Alexander. Alexander was awarded to be general of Greece and went on to complete his father’s military expansion plans. With this set up now, King Alexander wasted no time.

In 334 B. C. he invaded the Persian-ruled Asia Minor and began a campaign lasting roughly ten years. During this campaign, specifically the battles of Issus and Gaugamela, Alexander had broken the powers of Persia. Alexander the Great went on to overthrow King Darius III to conquer the entirety of the Persian Empire and now has a kingdom that reigns from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River. That wasn’t enough for King Alexander; he wanted to reach the “ends of the world and the Great Outer Sea”. With this, he set off to invade India in 326 B. C. but was orced to turn around at the expense of his troops. Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 B. C. ; in years following his death many civil wars broke out and tore apart his empire. Many years later, in a galaxy far far away, on the date of August 15, 1769 another war hero and emperor was born, Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon reigned over the French from May 18, 1804 to April 11, 1814 and ruled Italy over the years from March 17, 1805 to April 11, 1814. Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, set up Napoleonic Code; it was a major influence in civil law jurisdictions.

Napoleon is best recognized for his role in the wars against France, known as the Napoleonic Wars. His success in these multiple battles led Napoleon to be known as one of the best military leaders of all time. His strategies and campaigns are studied at military schools around the world. Napoleon Bonaparte was born into a family of noble Italian ancestry. Napoleon settled in Corsica in the 16th century and later was trained as an artillery officer at a prestigious military school in France, where they most likely talked of Alexander the Great’s military conquests and strategies.

In 1799, Napoleon staged a “coup d’etat” and made himself first consul. 5 years later the French proclaimed him emperor where he engaged in a series of battles, as said before these were known as the Napoleonic Wars. These wars involved every major power in Europe; after Napoleon’s many victories France maintained a dominant position of authority amongst the continent of Europe. In 1812, the French invasion of Russia and the Peninsula War were turning points in Napoleon’s career. Napoleon’s army was heavily damaged nor ever fully recovered.

Just a year later, the 6th Coalition defeated what was left of Napoleon’s army and further invaded France, forced Napoleon to give up the throne, and exiled him to the island Elba. After a year of being exiled, Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France where he gained back control. It was only for a short period of time, until he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. He spent the last four years of his life in confinement on another island, Saint Helena, where he died of stomach cancer.