Napoleon Bonaparte was a man who reshaped Europe. During the French Revolution, he rose from obscurity to become the most famous man on the European continent and dictator of France in just five years. In his youth, he was an idealist, but by the age of thirty, he had become a ruthless, cunning pragmatist. He was a brilliant general, politician, and propagandist, and all of these qualities are best showcased during his epic rise to power. This book covers in great detail his journey from an ambitious Corsican liberal through the French Revolution, his magnificent Italian Campaign, his foolhardy Egyptian Campaign, his coup to take control of France, and his dramatic Marengo Campaign, which placed the crown of France on his head. This is the story of Napoleon's life from 1769 to 1800, while also detailing the great characters and events that make this era one of the most fascinating in human history.