Scope
This timeline follows Napoleon's ascent from Revolutionary War commander to ruler of the French state under the Consulate.
Inclusion rule
Include the military victories and political turning points that transformed Napoleon from a prominent general into the dominant executive of France.
Why this timeline exists
Napoleon did not rise in a single step. His authority grew through wartime celebrity, the collapse of the Directory, constitutional redesign, and the gradual concentration of executive power.
Key phases
- Italian victories and military fame
- Egyptian expedition and return to France
- Coup against the Directory
- Constitution of Year VIII and the Consulate
- Consul for Life and consolidation of rule