Napoleon A Biographical Companion

It is claimed by some that Napolean was a military genius with enormous administrative and organizational abilities who, between 1799 and 1814, established an empire which spread across Europe. One of the most significant warrior-conquerors in history, he was also a ruthless dictator who suppressed all opposition. Paradoxically, his wide-ranging legal and administrative reforms promoted liberalism and democracy, whilst his military conquests ultimately encouraged national unification movements.