The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Vol. 2 (of 4)

This volume traces the subject's transformation from victorious republican general into dominant European statesman and ruler, recounting military campaigns in Italy and Egypt, the political seizure of power in Paris, and consolidation of authority as First Consul and later emperor. It examines diplomatic settlements, major battles, and the reshaping of French and allied institutions through legal, educational, and administrative reforms, as well as economic measures like the continental system. Interwoven are accounts of political rivalries, royalist plots, and the interplay between military success and domestic reorganization that enabled continental expansion and set the stage for wider conflict.