Hardly an aristocrat, Bonaparte saw his opportunities enhanced by the Revolution. From the moment the French republic declared war on the European monarchies, its fate became directly tied to the successes of generals. Bonaparte turned from “Corsican kid” and anonymous officer into the commander in chief in Italy (at age twenty-seven!), into Consul (1799, extended to life in 1802), into Emperor of the French (1804), and King of Italy (1805), and into master of Europe. This came at a huge price: three million soldiers and another million civilians were killed. His hubristic dream failed because he could not extricate himself from Spain before invading Russia (1812). The German craicaturist has but one thing to tell him: Go to Hell!
Source:
French Revolution political caricatures.
Bibliography:
Album of German caricatures against Napoleon I, 1813-15, #14
