70 Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes On Life, War, & Leadership

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest military leaders during the French Revolution. He is regarded as one of history’s most successful generals known for his military prowess, brilliant leadership, and indomitable ambition. Here are the best Napoleon Bonaparte quotes about life, love, war, religion, politics, success, and defeat.

Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, rose to prominence leading successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars.

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He first emerged as a leader of the French Republic as First Consul and then the Emperor of France from 1804 until 1814, and briefly again in 1815.

Coming from a modest Corsican family, Napoleon’s journey to success was nothing short of remarkable. With his military genius, he built an empire after triumphing and conquering numerous battles.

His contributions extended beyond the battlefield as he revolutionized military organization and training. Moreover, he established the Napoleonic Code (a set of laws based on equality), laying the foundation for modern French Education.

Napoleon’s impact extended further, as he initiated many liberal reforms and French laws that have persisted through the years.

His rule came to an end after his defeat in the famous Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, following which he was exiled to Saint Helena in the Atlantic where he eventually died in 1821 at the age of 51.

These famous Napoleon Bonaparte quotes about leadership, strategy, and power will inspire you to set ambitious goals, sail through challenges, and conquer the world.

Top 10 Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

1. “A true man hates no one.” — Napoleon Bonaparte         

   
2. “Imagination rules the world.” — Napoleon Bonaparte             

   

3. “We walk faster when we walk alone.” — Napoleon Bonaparte         

   

4. “Victory belongs to the most persevering.” — Napoleon Bonaparte           

   

5. “If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.” — Napoleon Bonaparte         

   

6. “Great men are never cruel without necessity.” — Napoleon Bonaparte         

   

7. “He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.” — Napoleon Bonaparte       

   

8. “The surest way to remain poor is to be an honest man.” — Napoleon Bonaparte             

   

9. “Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.” — Napoleon Bonaparte     

   

10. “To extraordinary circumstances we must apply extraordinary remedies.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
11. “There are but two powers in the world, the sword and the mind. In the long run the sword is always beaten by the mind” ― Napoleon Bonaparte       

    

Famous Quotes By Napoleon Bonaparte

Being a celebrated and controversial French leader, Napoleon’s political and cultural legacy continues through the years, as he is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history.

1. “God is on the side with the best artillery.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2. “The best cure for the body is a quiet mind.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
3. “Six hours sleep for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
4. “Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
5. “Friends must always be treated as if one day they might be enemies.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
6. “The st*pid speak of the past, the wise of the present, and fools of the future.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
7. “Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
8. “If I had not been born Napoleon, I would have liked to have been born Alexander.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
10. “If the art of war were nothing but the art of avoiding risks, glory would become the prey of mediocre minds.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
11. “Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte

Quotes From Napoléon Bonaparte On Success

1. “The only victory over love is flight.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2. “Ability is of little account without opportunity.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
3. “Success is the most convincing talker in the world.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
4. “The greatest danger occurs at the moment of victory.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
5. “If you wish to be success in the world, promise everything, deliver nothing.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
6. “Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
7. “The only victories which leave no regret are those which are gained over ignorance.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
8. “You become strong by defying defeat and by turning loss into gain and failure to success.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “The reason most people fail instead of succeeding is they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
10. “Men who have changed the world never achieved their success by winning the chief citizens to their side, but always by stirring the masses.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

Inspiring Napoléon Bonaparte Quotes

1. “History is a set of lies agreed upon.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2. “We must laugh at man to avoid crying for him.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
3. “The French complain of everything, and always.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
4. “Better to have an open enemy, than hidden friends.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
5. “Soldiers generally win battles; generals get credit for them.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
6. “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of coloured ribbon.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
7. “From the heights of these pyramids, forty centuries look down on us.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
8. “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “I saw the crown of France laying on the ground, so I picked it up with my sword.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
10. “You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

Best Quotes Of  Napoléon Bonaparte

1. “Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2. “It requires more courage to suffer than to die.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
3. “The human race is governed by its imagination.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
4. “Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
5. “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
6. “Let France have good mothers, and she will have good sons.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
7. “I base my calculation on the expectation that luck will be against me.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
8. “If I had to choose a religion, the sun as the universal giver of life would be my god.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon-shots.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
10. “The world suffers a lot. Not because the violence of bad people. But because of the silence of the good people.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes

1. “Never tell your enemy he is doing the wrong thing.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2. “A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
3. “An order that can be misunderstood, will be misunderstood.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
4. “I have seen only you, I have admired only you, I desire only You.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
5. “A man is known by his conduct to his wife, to his family, and to those under him.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
6. “The only way to lead people is to show them a future: a leader is a dealer in hope.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
7. “Strategy is the art of making use of time and space. I am less concerned about the later than the former. Space we can recover, lost time never.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
8. “It is only by prudence, wisdom, and dexterity, that great ends are attained and obstacles overcome. Without these qualities, nothing succeeds.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “As for me, to love you alone, to make you happy, to do nothing which would contradict your wishes, this is my destiny and the meaning of my life.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
10. “The extent of your consciousness is limited only by your ability to love and to embrace with your love the space around you, and all it contains.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

Greatest Quotes by Napoleon Bonaparte

1. “In Love, Victory goes to the man who runs away.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
2. “Great ambition is the passion of a great character.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
3. “Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
4. “Until you spread your wings, you’ll have no idea how far you can fly.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
5. “Victory is not always winning the battle… but rising every time you fall.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
6. “Music is the voice that tells us that the human race is greater than it knows.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
7. “In our time none has the conception of what is great. It is up to me to show them.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
8. “War is when your government tells you who the enemy is, Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
9. “Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
10. “If you build an army of 100 lions and their leader is a dog, in any fight, the lions will die like a dog. But if you build an army of 100 dogs and their leader is a lion, all dogs will fight as a lion.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

Interesting Q&A’s About Napoleon Bonaparte

Here are answers to some of the most frequent questions asked and searched about Napoleon Bonaparte.

1. Where Was Napoleon Born?

Napoleon was born on August 15, 1769, in Ajaccio, Corsica into a native family descending from Italian nobility.

2. How Did Napoleon Rise To Power?

Napoleon rose to power through a combination of military successes, including the coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799, which earned him the position of First Consul. This paved the way for him to crown himself as the Emperor in 1804, marking the establishment of the French Empire.

3. Where Was Napoleon Exiled To?

Napoleon was exiled twice. He was first exiled to the island of Elba after his forced abdication in 1814 but he managed to escape and returned to France and took over his empire again for a brief period.

After that, he was exiled to Saint Helena in the Atlantic after losing the Battle of Waterloo, where he eventually died in 1821 at the age of 51.

4. How Did Napoleon Die?

Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile in 1821 on the island of St. Helena, where he was out of power and exiled from his nation France. The physicians who conducted Napoleon’s autopsy concluded that his death was from stomach cancer, aggravated by bleeding gastric ulcers, after a huge dose of calomel.

Conclusion

What are your favorite Napoleon Bonaparte quotes and sayings listed above? If there is a quote that we’ve missed then let us know in the comments section what your thoughts are.

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