On this day in 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France and one of the greatest military leaders in history, abdicates the throne, and, in the Treaty of Fontainebleau, is banished to the Mediterranean island of Elba.
In 1812, thinking that Russia was plotting an alliance with England, Napoleon launched an invasion against the Russians that eventually ended with his troops retreating from Moscow and much of Europe uniting against him. In 1814, Napoleon’s broken forces gave up and Napoleon offered to step down in favor of his son. When this offer was rejected, he abdicated and was sent to Elba. In March 1815, he escaped his island exile and returned to Paris, where he regained supporters and reclaimed his emperor title, Napoleon I, in a period known as the Hundred Days. However, in June 1815, he was defeated at the bloody Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon’s defeat ultimately signaled the end of France’s domination of Europe. He abdicated for a second time and was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, in the southern Atlantic Ocean, where he lived out the rest of his days. He died at age 52 on May 5, 1821, possibly from stomach cancer, although some theories contend he was poisoned.
Bits From Past
| AMERICAN REVOLUTION | YEAR |
| Moravian missionary David Zeisberger is born | 1721 |
| AUTOMOTIVE | |
| Henry Ford marries | 1888 |
| CIVIL WAR | |
| Confederates surrender Fort Pulaski | 1862 |
| COLD WAR | |
| Truman relieves MacArthur of duties in Korea | 1951 |
| CRIME | |
| A War is narrowly averted | 1870 |
| DISASTER | |
| Last survivors of ferry accident rescued | 1968 |
| GENERAL INTEREST | |
| Apollo 13 launched to moon | 1970 |
| Idi Amin overthrown | 1979 |
| HOLLYWOOD | |
| Cher wins Best Actress Oscar for Moonstruck | 1988 |
| LITERARY | |
| Dorothy Parker resigns as drama critic for The New Yorker | 1931 |
| MUSIC | |
| Bob Dylan plays his first major gig in New York City | 1961 |
| OLD WEST | |
| Talleyrand offers to sell Louisiana | 1803 |
| PRESIDENTIAL | |
| President Carter hosts White House Easter egg roll | 1977 |
| SPORTS | |
| Phil Mickelson wins first major at Masters | 2004 |
| VIETNAM WAR | |
| Troops from Hawaii sent to South Vietnam | 1963 |
| B-52s strike North Vietnamese positions | 1972 |
| WORLD WAR I | |
| International Labor Organization founded | 1919 |
| WORLD WAR II | |
| The U.S. army liberates Buchenwald concentration camp | 1945 |
Pingback: Roger Mickelson’s History For 4/20/13 | Sandia Tea Party
Pingback: The Day Louisiana Was Sold To The U.S. | Bite Size Canada