34 Fun Facts About Napoleon Bonaparte You Probably Didn’t Know

Want to learn more about Napoleon I? This post will give you all the fun facts about Napoleon Bonaparte you probably didn’t know before!

Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte or Napoleon I is one of history’s most renowned figures, and no doubt one of the most influential French figures of all time!

His military genius, political prowess, and larger-than-life persona earned him numerous loyalists during his reign. To date, his life is narrated in history books and taught to students worldwide.

Disclaimer: This post might contain affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) should you choose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using one of our links. It’s okay – We love all of the products we recommend anyway, and you will too! Also, that commission helps us keep this awesome free blog up to date! You can read our full disclosure here for more details!

While many of us are familiar with his iconic achievements and significant impact on France and Europe, fascinating aspects of his life often go unnoticed.

To help you learn more about him, I am sharing 34 fun facts about Napoleon Bonaparte that you probably didn’t know that shed light on his character, quirks, and familial ties.

Psst… You can also check out these famous quotes by Napoleon to see the powerful words he said over time!

Fun Facts About Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon’s rise from humble origins to becoming a pivotal figure on the world stage serves as a reminder of the potential within each of us to overcome obstacles and leave a lasting legacy.

In this article, I’ll delve into some lesser-known but fun facts about Napoleon Bonaparte — from intriguing, interesting, to weird.

From his tumultuous love life to interesting tidbits about his historic military encounters, here are 34 fun Napoleon Bonaparte facts to pique your interest.

1. Napoleon was born on the island of Corsica

Born on 15th August 1769, Napoleon hailed from a minor Tuscan noble family, the Buonapartes, who resided in their ancestral home, Casa Buonaparte on the island of Corsica.

His roots trace back to Italian ancestors who had emigrated to Corsica two centuries before his birth.

In the year preceding Napoleon’s birth, the Republic of Genoa, an Italian state, sold Corsica to France.

However, it wasn’t until 1769, the year of Napoleon’s birth, that France fully conquered the island.

Despite this change, Napoleon’s family remained strongly against Corsica’s unification with France.

His father who was a lawyer even took part in the Corsican Resistance against the French, a battle that was ongoing while his mother was pregnant with him.

If you’re interested in delving deeper into Napoleon’s early life and upbringing, his childhood home has been transformed into a museum known as The National Museum of the Maison Bonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica which offers an insightful glimpse into his past.

2. Napoleon was named after his great uncle

Napoleon was named after his great uncle who had passed away a year before.

Another interesting fact about his name is that Napoleon was born Napoleone Buonaparte, but as the years passed, he stylized his name to Napoléon. He also changed his last name from Buonaparte to the more French version, Bonaparte.

His family didn’t change their last name instantly, but given the French influence on Corsica, they also dropped the Italian-origin surname for its French counterpart, Bonaparte but it was only after Napoleon had signed his name as Bonaparte in 1796.

As more years went by, he kept only his first name as the official one.

3. Napoleon Wasn’t As Short As You May Think

His height is among the interesting facts about Napoleon since it’s a much-disputed matter between him being short or average.

While he is still known as a short man thanks to the propaganda spread by a famous British cartoonist, James Gillray who always depicted him as a short man in his cartoons, and since these were popular, everyone came to know him as a short man.

But in reality, he was, in fact, an average-height man measuring 1.69 meters (5 feet 5 inches).

So why did everyone consider him short at the time and even gave him the nickname of the “Le Petit Caporal” (the little corporal)?

The confusion came from the fact that the French inch (pouce) at the time was 2.71 cm while the Imperial inch was shorter at 2.54 cm.

When Napoleon was measured during his autopsy, he was declared to be 1.69 meters which translated to 5 pieds 2 pouces (5’2”) in the pre-metric system, but when converted to the metric system, it becomes 5’5”.

And during those days, 1.69 meters (5’5”) was definitely not short but rather average!

4. He wrote a romance novel

Among the little known facts about Napoleon is that he’s an author, albeit not as famous as one of these French writers, but he also has a book to his name.

In addition to being a firm and stern military leader, Napoleon was a bit of a romantic at heart.

Reportedly, he only ever truly loved his first wife, Joséphine which is evident in the numerous intense love letters he wrote to her.

But before that, he penned a romance novel, Clisson et Eugénie, about a young soldier’s relationship with Eugénie.

The story is supposedly based on his relationship with fiancée Eugénie Désirée Clary to whom he was engaged in 1795 before Joséphine came into the picture.

5. He had 12 siblings, 7 of whom survived

The next piece of information about Napoleon that you might not know is that he had 12 siblings, to begin with.

Napoleon’s mother, Maria-Letizia Buonaparte married Napoleon’s father, Carlo Buonaparte in 1764 and gave birth to 13 children in total.

Unfortunately, not all survived beyond a couple of years, let alone see their brother ascend the throne.

Seven of his siblings lived and assumed various positions of power all across Europe. Among the children that survived, Napoleon was second in line with Joseph being the eldest and Lucien, Elisa, Louis, Pauline, Caroline, and Jérôme following suit.

6. He was the first person from Corsica to graduate from École Militaire

Napoleon’s admission to the École Militaire in 1784 after finishing school was a significant achievement since it opened up opportunities for him to pursue a military career and later paved his way to becoming one of history’s most renowned military leaders.

During this time, a tragedy happened! His father passed away which meant that Napoleon had to step up.

He completed his course in 1 year instead of 2 due to reduced income from his family and became the first person from Corsica to graduate from the École Militaire.

7. Napoleon was a brilliant military strategist

This is probably one of the most known facts of Napoleon Bonaparte!

Widely regarded as one of history’s most brilliant military strategists, Napoleon revolutionized warfare with his innovative military campaigns and tactics.

He believed in taking the initiative and had an offensive mindset which he would use to pressure the enemy, forcing them into a defensive position.

Napoleon used tactics to exploit weaknesses in the enemy’s formation like outflanking or outmaneuvering them.

Being an artillery commander, he incorporated artillery extensively into his strategies, often combining it with infantry and cavalry.

Gathering intelligence on his opponents and using psychological warfare against them were other strategies Napoleon would use.

His strategies became so popular that they were given a name, Napoleonic tactics. In fact, many national armies went on to use these tactics from the 18th century to mid 19th century.

8. At just 24, Napoleon became a general in the French army

Napoleon rose through the military ranks quickly due to his strategic mind and knack for leadership.

After he graduated from École Militaire, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in La Fère artillery regiment. Post this, he was given command of a battalion and promoted to captain.

Then came Napoleon’s clever plan for the Siege of Toulon which worked in his favor forcing the opposition to yield. This earned him a promotion from the rank of colonel to brigadier general at 24.

9. Napoleon Popularized the bicorne hat

Napoleon Bonaparte is often associated with his iconic bicorne hat which became a distinctive part of his image.

He started wearing the hat, albeit sideways, during his military campaigns, soon becoming his signature style and an integral part of his military uniform.

For those unaware, the bicorne hat, made of black wool felt with an inner band of silk is a type of hat characterized by the two points or corners that extend from the front and back giving it a distinctive shape.

Its peculiar design made Napoleon easily recognizable on the battlefield.

10. He established reforms that are Still In use to date

Napoleon didn’t just win wars, he also made a number of reforms that are still used in France today.

He unified and standardized French law into the Napoleonic Code, officially called the Civil Code of the French providing a clear and comprehensive legal framework.

Additionally, Napoleon established Banque de France in 1800 to recover the economy after a recession during the Revolution era.

He also wanted to offer quality education and create a more educated society as part of educational reforms, so he established a higher education system, secondary schools called lycées.

He also founded specialized institutions like the University of France in 1808 to promote scientific education.

11. He was bullied in school for his size and lack of French fluency

When Napoleon moved to mainland France and started schooling at the age of 9, he was often bullied because he spoke French with a heavy Corsican accent and not as fast as other students.

Being of average size and born in Corsica also added to the list of things he was bullied for, making Napoleon a reserved and not-so-popular kid.

This is a significant Napoleon fact for kids, specifically on NOT bullying your peers.

12. Napoleon was known for his quick temper and was prone to outbursts of anger

The bullying obviously didn’t do any good, making Napoleon an angry kid, evident in the few outbursts at school, and later a hot-tempered adult.

He also had little tolerance for incompetence and would become visibly agitated when faced with setbacks.

In fact, his (debatable) small stature and fiery temper have inspired a term called the Napoleon Complex, a popular belief that short men tend to (over) compensate for their lack of height through domineering behavior and aggression.

13. He was married twice

Let’s continue with some familial facts on Napoleon Bonaparte, shall we? Napoleon was first engaged to Désirée Clary in 1795 before parting ways some months later after meeting Joséphine de Beauharnais.

After this, Désirée became the Queen of Sweden and Norway through her marriage to King Charles XIV John.

Napoleon’s first marriage was to Joséphine de Beauharnais, a widow whose husband had recently passed away. Their first marriage ceremony was a civil wedding in 1796 and later a religious ceremony in 1804.

A few months after meeting, Napoleon was madly in love with her and even though most people were against their marriage since Josephine was a widow and older than Napoleon, they went on to get married.

Fast forward to 1810, their marriage was annulled because Josephine couldn’t give him a child! Soon after, he married Emperor Francis II’s daughter, the Archduchess of Austria, Marie Louise, a young bride who fulfilled his wish of having a child.

14. Napoleon had multiple affairs throughout his marriage

Although Napoleon loved Joséphine dearly, their marriage was troubled and marked by infidelity.

During his time in Egypt, Napoleon had a mistress named Pauline (she came to be called Cleopatra), who was the wife of a junior officer.

Similarly, in Poland, he was romantically involved with Countess Maria Walewska. Their relationship lasted for some years.

Another notable affair of Napoleon was with Eléonore Denuelle, who even bore him a son.

Some say he strategically pursued relationships with women from influential families or countries to secure alliances or for political and diplomatic considerations.

15. He adopted his stepson in 1806

When Napoleon married Joséphine in 1796, he took on the role of stepfather to Eugène de Beauharnais and his sister.

Eugène was Joséphine’s son from her previous marriage to Alexandre de Beauharnais. Eventually, Napoleon formally adopted Eugène since he had developed a close bond with him and treated him as his own son.

Eugène rose through the ranks in the military and was given significant responsibilities during wars.

Since Napoleon trusted him a lot, he was also made the Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy under Napoleon.

16. Napoleon proclaimed himself the Emperor of France

Here is another one of the most famous fun facts about Napoleon Bonaparte!

Napoleon Bonaparte was the de facto leader of the French Republic as First Consul from 1799 to 1804 after organizing a coup (known as coup d’état) but sought to elevate his status and legitimize his rule.

This decision was influenced by several factors, like wanting to consolidate his power and establish a stable government that would help him implement his reforms after a period of political upheaval in France.

Through a referendum where he got the majority, he declared himself the Emperor of France and was coronated on 2^nd December 1804. He ruled as Emperor till 1814 and again in 1815.

17. Napoleon was crowned at Notre-Dame Cathedral

Napoleon’s coronation was held on 2 December 1804 in a ceremony presided over by Pope Pius VII at Notre Dame de Paris, unlike earlier coronations that took place at Cathedral de Reims in Reims.

Napoleon did this to symbolize the breaking away from old traditions and welcoming his regime.

Napoleon wore a golden laurel wreath on his head throughout the coronation. When the time came, he made a symbolic gesture by keeping the replica of Charlemagne (imperial) crown above his head, thereby “crowning himself” and not the pope crowning him as it had always been.

He later crowned Joséphine the Empress of the French!

This very moment can be seen in Jacques-Louis David’s painting (known as The Coronation of Napoleon) which now hangs as one of the most famous paintings in the Louvre Museum.

18. His mother Maria-Letizia Bonaparte didn’t attend his coronation

You’ve read some of Napoleon Bonaparte’s facts, now here’s one about his mother, Letizia Bonaparte — she didn’t attend his coronation.

If you’re wondering why, it’s not because she didn’t love him, but because she disapproved of his marriage to Joséphine which he did not consult her on.

Despite her absence from the coronation, Maria-Letizia maintained a close relationship with Napoleon.

Napoleon held his mother in high regard, so he created an honorary title for her, “Madame Mère.”

19. Napoleon’s son, also named Napoleon, reigned for only 2 weeks and died young

Marie Louise, Napoleon’s second wife gave birth to his son who became Napoleon II and also the King of Rome.

Napoleon II was born in 1811 and shortly after, Napoleon I named him his successor.

When Napoleon I was forced to abdicate, he said that his son would rule as Emperor of France but the coalition victors didn’t acknowledge him. Later, Napoleon II became a titular Emperor for just 2 weeks.

In 1832 at 21, he died from tuberculosis. He had a brief and tragic life that he never got to actually rule the empire.

20. Napoleon’s wife’s daughter married his brother

Here are some more fun facts about Napoleon’s familial connections.

His first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais had a daughter named Hortense de Beauharnais from her previous marriage.

After Joséphine married Napoleon, Hortense became his stepdaughter whom he treated with respect.

Napoleon and Joséphine eventually got her married to his brother, Louis Bonaparte in 1802 to strengthen his family’s position making Hortense her stepfather’s sister-in-law.

It gets a bit more complicated when you read the next fact. After marriage, she became the Queen of Holland when Louis was made King.

21. His stepdaughter/sister-in-law later gave him an heir

You read the convoluted connections within Napoleon’s family. Now, here’s another weird fact about Napoleon’s ties.

His step-daughter turned sister-in-law, Hortense Eugénie Bonaparte (born de Beauharnais) had an unhappy marriage with Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon I’s brother.

Despite this, they had three children together, the third of whom survived and was named Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte when he was the President of France from 1848 to 1852.

Born in 1808, he eventually became an emperor and assumed the name Napoleon III. Thus, Napoleon’s nephew became his heir and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 until 1870.

22. Beethoven’s 3^rd Symphony was originally a dedication to Napoleon

Of all the Napoleon facts, this is one not many people are aware of. Ludwig van Beethoven greatly admired Napoleon and viewed him as a champion of the ideals of the French Revolution.

So much so that the music maestro wanted to dedicate his Third Symphony to Napoleon, even titling it “Bonaparte.”

However, when Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France, Beethoven was very disappointed and felt that Napoleon had betrayed the principles he had fought for.

Subsequently, he renamed his symphony “Sinfonia Eroica” (Heroic Symphony).

23. Napoleon commissioned the Arc de Triomphe

The monumental arc and one of Paris’ iconic symbols, Arc de Triomphe was commissioned in 1806 by Emperor Napoleon.

He wanted to honor the French army and commemorate his military triumphs with a grand monument that would reflect the power and glory of the Empire.

After his victory at Austerlitz, Napoleon had architect Jean Chalgrin design the arc.

Construction of the Arc de Triomphe was delayed for various reasons, amidst which Chalgrin died, and the work was taken over by Jean-Nicolas Huyot. It was finally completed in 1836 but Napoleon didn’t live to see it finished.

You can read more about the Arc in my previous post on the fun facts about Arc de Triomphe.

24. Napoleon loved playing the card game solitaire or patience

Napoleon loved playing patience or solitaire while he was in exile.

As the name suggests, solitaire is a single-player card game wherein the cards are to be arranged in specific formations or sequences.

It is said that playing solitaire allowed Napoleon to exercise his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills which he also applied in his military strategies.

In fact, several variations of the game are named in his honor — Napoleon’s Flank, Napoleon’s Square, Little Napoleon Patience, and Napoleon at St Helena.

25. The Rosetta Stone was discovered during the Napoleonic campaign in Egypt

Napoleon and his army conducted various campaigns worldwide and among them was the Egyptian expedition.

In addition to his army men, the campaign also had scientists, mathematicians, and naturalists.

During this campaign, the Rosetta Stone was discovered by an officer in the French Army of Engineers, Pierre-François Bouchard in 1799.

The stone was inscribed with three versions of the decree with minor differences issued in Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC making it key to deciphering the Egyptian scripts.

Although Napoleon didn’t discover the stone himself, he is attributed in the publication.

26. He attacked Russia during winter (called the Russian invasion), only to lose terribly

In 1812, Napoleon launched a massive military campaign to conquer Russia by assembling a grand army.

To counter this, the Russians employed a strategy where they lured the French troops further into their territory and away from their resources while simultaneously destroying, burning, or abandoning resources and infrastructure in Russian cities to deprive the invading forces of supplies and support.

The Russians retreated as the French advanced exposing the latter to the harsh conditions of the Russian winter.

The ill-prepared soldiers suffered due to extremely cold temperatures and lack of adequate provisions ultimately retreating from Moscow with disastrous outcomes.

To this date, this battle is believed to be the bloodiest of all Napoleon’s wars and an important step in his downfall.

27. He attempted suicide before his exile

A little-known fact about Napoleon is that he attempted suicide before his exile to Elba, which the Allies had included in the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

When he was retreating from Moscow after his failed invasion, the Russians nearly captured him, so he took a pill that he was carrying.

Fate had other plans when he survived that attempt because the pill’s potency had weakened with time. Ultimately, he was exiled to the island of Elba.

28. Napoleon was exiled twice – to the islands of Elba and Saint Helena

Napoleon had made many enemies during his reign, all of whom were waiting for him to make one mistake so that they could defeat or capture him.

Of these, Britain and Russia were significant threats. When Napoleon realized he was losing the War of the Sixth Coalition against Russia, Austria, and their allies, he abdicated the throne and was exiled to Elba in 1814.

He later escaped in February 1815 with 700 men and went back to France. By March of the same year, he had reached Paris and taken over power for a period that came to be known as Hundred Days (more on this on the next point).

By this time, he had gathered a number of soldiers and organized an offensive against the British and Prussian armies which he lost.

Following this, he was exiled again and sent to Saint Helena when the British captured him. The upcoming fact will tell you what transpired between the two exiles.

29. His comeback from exile in Elba was called ‘Hundred Days’ because that’s roughly how long it lasted

After being exiled to Elba in 1814, Napoleon escaped from the island on a sailing ship and returned to France.

Upon his return, he was greeted with support from various sections of society, but his reign was short-lived.

Napoleon’s return to power was a tumultuous period that lasted only a hundred days (les cent jours).

He was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 by the Seventh Coalition and exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he spent the remainder of his life in captivity.

30. There was an elaborate plan to rescue him from Saint Helena

Let’s continue these interesting facts on Napoleon Bonaparte with the next plot twist.

There were elaborate plans made to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Throughout his captivity, Napoleon’s supporters and loyalists devised numerous schemes to free him and restore him to power.

One of these was using a submarine to bring him back to France. But all of these were either foiled or did not materialize, and Napoleon remained imprisoned on the island of Saint Helena until his death.

31. He always carried a vial of poison with him

It is rumored that Napoleon carried a vial of poison attached to a cord around his neck. However, there is no substantial historical evidence to support this claim.

But given that he expressed the willingness to take his own life rather than face capture or defeat and his suicide attempt during his retreat from Moscow are anecdotal references that support the assumption.

32. He fought the Battle of Waterloo but was defeated in 1815

Napoleon Bonaparte fought the Battle of Waterloo on 18th June 1815 which marked a significant turning point in his career and ultimately led to his final defeat.

It was fought near the town of Waterloo in present-day Belgium. The Seventh Coalition, consisting of various European powers, and led by the Duke of Wellington, united against him to prevent his return to power after his return from exile at Elba.

The French army could not hold its ground and ultimately, Napoleon acknowledged defeat and abdicated for the second time and was exiled to Saint Helena.

33. He died under mysterious circumstances

Napoleon’s death on 5th May 1821 on the island of Saint Helena was under mysterious circumstances.

This sparked speculation and controversy leading to theories and debates about his demise.

His physician, Barry O’Meara claimed that isolation and loneliness took a toll on Napoleon’s mental and physical health resulting in him suffering from various ailments including stomach ulcers.

His other physician, François Carlo Antommarchi conducted an autopsy and found the cause of death to be stomach cancer.

But other accounts attribute it to deliberate long-term arsenic poisoning, though recent studies published in 2007 and 2008 show that he indeed died of ulcers and cancer-related complications and that his body had already been exposed to arsenic poisoning even when he was a young boy.

34. He was initially buried on Saint Helena but later interred at Les Invalides, Paris

Napoleon had asked to be buried on the banks of the Seine in his will, but upon his death, the British governor had him buried in the Valley of the Willows on Saint Helena itself, where he had spent his final years in exile.

In 1840, King Louis Philippe I asked for the remains to be returned to France which the British government agreed to.

A state funeral was held, and his remains were kept in St Jérôme’s Chapel until they were finally entombed in the crypt under the dome at Les Invalides in 1861.

---

Final Thoughts on the Interesting Facts About Napoleon Bonaparte

Whether you are a history buff thirsty for knowledge or simply curious about the interesting facts about Napoleon Bonaparte’s life, I hope this article gave you the insights you wanted.

Let me know in the comments below which Napoleon facts surprised you the most, and if you know of any more, then share them with the readers in the comments below.

Check out these posts to help you plan your trip to Paris

• Fun things to do in Paris on a Rainy day
• Famous Paintings in Paris
• Where to Find the Best Macarons in Paris
• Famous Paintings at the Louvre Museum
• Best Covered Passages of Paris
• Most beautiful neighborhoods of Paris
• Fun free things to do in Paris
• Famous Churches to Visit in Paris
• Best Museums in Paris
• Tips for Visiting the Eiffel Tower
• How to Spend One day In Paris

Was this post on the important facts about Napoleon Bonaparte helpful? Then please consider sharing them with others.

Sharing is caring!