WRITTEN FRIDAY MAY 17, 2013
1804:
Napoleon Bonaparte
A brilliant military strategist? Definitely.
An asshole? Quite so.
While the French Revolution had taken place and France placed itself in a war against practically everyone in Europe, Napoleon was off becoming a dominant military hero, especially in Italy. By 1799, Napoleon was coming back from his Egyptian campaign. He was encouraged to take over the throne of France after a failing government led by Maximilien Robespierre (we'll get to him later) and the Directory.
Napoleon's troops scare off the National Legislature and in the coup end up making Napoleon the man in charge.
By 1802, Napoleon developed the Napoleonic Code as the new set of French laws. In 1804, Napoleon had expanded his power and wanted to be named emperor. He would be the first emperor in over a thousand years.
He invited Pope Pius VII to travel from Rome to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris to crown him emperor on December 2, 1804. It was a beautiful ceremony with well-planned details and featured the blessing of the crown by the pope. Napoleon stood up, took the crown and placed it on his own head. Napoleon then took another crown and placed it on Josephine - he was now his wife, not by choice. Deal with it.
CERTIFIED ASSHOLE