On this day 224 years ago...

Napoleon Bonaparte fled his homeland and began a military journey that would live on in infamy. Born on the lush Mediterranean island of Corsica on August 15, 1769, Napoleon was a member of Italian nobility. His family originated from Tuscany; he was ethnically Italian, not French. He attended Brienne le Chateau, a military academy, and subsequently graduated Ecole Militaire, a first for a Corsican native. A pro-France Napoleon and his family fled Corsica for mainland France after rising tensions between the Coriscan leader, Pasquale Paoli, and the young Bonaparte threatened his well being. In France, Napoleon became a key player in the French Revolution and associated with the Jacobin political group. He played a leading role in the capture of the city of Toulon as well as the "Reign of Terror" campaign. He was arrested for treason and promptly released. Then, on this day 222 years ago, he was promoted to General of the Army of the West. The rest, as they say, is history! The image below is a recreation of the famous "Napoleon Crossing the Alps" by Jacques-Louis David.