On December 2, 1804, in Notre Dame Cathedral, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France while Pope Pius VII watched. The military strategist (genius?) was at the peak of his power, power which he would maintain until 1812, when in December of that year his 600,000 man Grande Armée (estimated) returned from a failed Russian campaign a mere 25,000 men, and Europe began to see a chance to conquer the illustrious leader.
Image source:
National Gallery of Art. "Napoleon in His Study." Accessed December 2, 2011. http://www.nga.gov/kids/napoleon/.
Information sources:
A&E Television Networks, LLC. "Napoleon crowned emperor." Accessed December 2, 2011. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/napoleon-crowned-emperor.
Walter, Jakob. The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier. Translated by Marc Raeff. New York: Penguin Books, 1991. (page xxvi)
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