Timeline of the Napoleonic era

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the latter stages of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.

Early years

;1769

August 15: Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica

;1785

October 28: Napoleon graduates from Ecole Militaire with the rank of second lieutenant in the artillery.
November 3: Stationed in Valence

;1793

December 22: For his brilliant tactical command at an internal French Siege of Toulon, Napoleon receives the new rank of brigadier general

;1794

August 9–20: Napoleon is imprisoned under suspicion of being a Jacobin and a supporter of Robespierre.

;1795

October: Royalist 13 Vendémiaire rising put down by Napoleon. Barras helps Napoleon win promotion to Commander of the Interior
October 15: At the home of Paul Barras, a Directory member, Napoleon meets Rose de Beauharnais (Joséphine)
2 November: The French Directory was established

;1796

March 2: Napoleon is given command of the French army in Italy
March 11: Italian campaign against Austria begins
May 10: Napoleon wins the Battle of Lodi
November 17: Napoleon wins the Battle of Arcole

;1797

January 14: Napoleon wins the Battle of Rivoli
October 17: Treaty of Campo Formio with Austria
December 5: Napoleon returns to Paris as a hero

;1798

May 19: Napoleon begins his Egyptian campaign with an army of 38,000
July 21: Wins Battle of the Pyramids against Mamelukes in Egypt
July 24: Fall of Cairo
August 3: Under the command of Admiral Nelson, the British fleet destroys the French navy in the Battle of the Nile. Napoleon's army is cut off from supplies and communication

Napoleonic era

;1799

August 23: Receiving news of turmoil in France, Napoleon relinquishes command in Egypt to Kléber and returns to Paris, a so-called Coup d’état
November 9–10: Coup of 18 Brumaire Napoleon overthrows the Directory
December 12: Napoleon elected First Consul of the Consulate

;1800

June 14: Battle of Marengo
December 24: Napoleon escapes an assassination attempt

;1801

February 9: Treaty with Austria signed at Lunéville, Treaty of Lunéville
July 8: Battle of Algeciras
July 15: Concordat of 1801

;1802

March 25: Treaty of Amiens
May 1: Napoleon restructures the French educational system
May 19: Légion d'honneur established
August 2: New constitution adopted, plebiscite confirms Napoleon as First Consul for life

;1803

May 3: Napoleon sells the Louisiana Territory to the U.S.
May 18: Britain declares war on France
May 26: France invades Hanover

;1804

March 21: Introduction of the Civil Code
May 18: Napoleon proclaimed Emperor of the French by the Senate
December 2: Napoleon crowns himself emperor, in the company of the Pope

;1805

October 19: Battle of Ulm
October 21: Battle of Trafalgar; Admiral Lord Nelson killed
October 30: Battle of Caldiero
December 2: Battle of Austerlitz

;1806

March 30: Napoleon names his brother, Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples, and appoints other family members to various other posts
July 12: Confederation of the Rhine established with Napoleon as Protector. Initially had 16 member states, later others were added, including kingdoms of Saxony and Westphalia
August 6: Holy Roman Empire abolished
September 15: Prussia joins Britain and Russia against Napoleon
October 14: Battle of Jena and Battle of Auerstadt
November 21: The Berlin Decree, which initiated the Continental System was issued

;1807

February 8: Battle of Eylau
June 14: Battle of Friedland
June 25: Treaty of Tilsit signed between Russia and France
October 27: Treaty of Fontainebleau (1807) secretly agreed between Napoleon and Spain to partition Portugal

;1808

March 17: Imperial University established
May 2: Spanish people rise up against France. Often referred to as Dos de Mayo Uprising
May 3: Napoleon's soldiers retaliate for uprising by brutally executing Spanish citizens
July 7: Joseph crowned King of Spain after Portugal revolts against the Continental System/blockade Napoleon had put in place. Napoleon collected five armies to advance into Portugal and 'bullied' the Spanish royal family into resigning
Peninsular War
July 16–19: Battle of Bailén

;1809

April 19: Battle of Raszyn
May 22: Battle of Aspern-Essling; first defeat of Napoleon in 10 years
July 5–6: Battle of Wagram; success for Napoleon, Austria loses territory and must enforce the Continental System
July 27-28: Battle of Talavera
October 14: Treaty of Schönbrunn signed
December 14: Public announcement of Napoleon's divorce from Joséphine

;1810

March 11: Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria by proxy in Vienna
April 1: Napoleon officially marries Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma in Paris

;1811

March 20: Napoleon II, Napoleon's son born, styled as the King of Rome

;1812

July 22: Battle of Salamanca
August 4–6: Battle of Smolensk
September 1: Moscow evacuated
September 7: Battle of Borodino
September 14: Napoleon arrives in Moscow to find the city abandoned and set alight by the inhabitants; retreating in the midst of a frigid winter, the army suffers great losses
October 19: Beginning of the Great Retreat from Moscow
October 24: Battle of Maloyaroslavets
November: Crossing of the River Berezina
December: Grande Armée expelled from Russia

;1813

August 31: Battle of San Marcial
September 6: Battle of Dennewitz
September 16: Battle of the Göhrde
September 28: Battle of Altenburg
October 3: Battle of Wartenburg
October 7: Battle of the Bidassoa
October 14: Battle of Liebertwolkwitz
October 16–19: Battle of Leipzig
October 30–31: Battle of Hanau
November 10: Battle of Nivelle
October 31: End of the Siege of Pamplona
December 7: Battle of Bornhöved
December 9–13: Battles of the Nive
December 10: Battle of Sehested

;1814

February 10–14: Six Days Campaign
February 15: Battle of Garris
February 27: Battle of Orthez
April 10: Battle of Toulouse
March 30–31: Battle of Paris
April 4: Napoleon abdicates his rule and Louis XVIII, a Bourbon, is restored to the French throne
April 11: Treaty of Fontainebleau (1814) Napoleon agrees to exile in Elba, the allies agree to pay his family a pension
April 14: Battle of Bayonne
May 4: Napoleon is exiled to Elba; his wife and son take refuge in Vienna

;1815

February 26: Napoleon escapes from Elba
March 20: Napoleon arrives in Paris
June 16: Battle of Ligny
June 18: Napoleon is defeated in the Battle of Waterloo
June 28: Second restoration of Louis XVIII
October 16: Napoleon is exiled to Saint Helena
November 20: Treaty of Paris (1815)

;1821

May 5: Napoleon dies