First shown on Channel 4 in January 2003 Text only version	Military genius and passionate lover, revolutionary and emperor, glorious leader or little dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte’s thunder echoes down through two centuries to today. Channel 4’s major four-part series reveals the man behind the legend. This website uncovers his motivations, personal life, political intrigue and international battles. It compares him with other rebels whose lust for power has been all consuming and asks how they justified their position. We explain how he turned a demoralised, disorganised army into the fiercest fighting machine the world had ever seen. His rise through the military and political ranks is tracked, highlighting how astutely he used every opportunity, even the French Revolution itself, to his own advantage. Maps on the site show the staggering territory amassed by the French empire at its height under his rule and we look at the British caricatures that attempted to undermine his terrifying might which threatened the English from across the Channel. If you want to understand the importance of Napoleon and how much he changed the world, from military strategy to government organisation, propaganda to sex, read on. ^TOP		site credits To survive these troubled years, time travellers should take a look at our guide to Napoleon's empire. Explore how Britain foiled France's bid for global domination at War Against Napoleon.