Napoleon's place in history
Napoleon was one of the greatest military commanders in history. But he has also been portrayed as a power-hungry conqueror. Napoleon denied being such a conqueror. He argued that, instead, he had attempted to build a federation of free peoples in a Europe united under a liberal government. He did intend, though, to achieve this goal by concentrating power in his own hands. However, in the states he created, Napoleon granted constitutions, introduced law codes, abolished feudalism, created efficient governments, and fostered education, science, literature, and the arts.
Excerpt adapted from the "Napoleon I" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999