Napoleon Bonaparte was a French statesman and military leader born on August 15, 1769, on the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. After completing his military studies, he rapidly rose through the ranks of the French military, eventually becoming the commander of the French Army. In 1799, he staged a coup d’état and became the First Consul of the French Republic. In 1804, he declared himself Emperor of France and established a strong centralised government. During his reign, Napoleon conquered much of Europe and extended the French Empire to its greatest extent. However, his ambition ultimately led to his downfall, and he was exiled to the island of Saint Helena in 1815, where he died six years later. Napoleon is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history and his legacy is still felt today, particularly in the French legal system, which he reformed, and in his introduction of the metric system.