Born in Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte began his career in the French army, rising to the rank of General for his success during the wars following the French Revolution. In 1799 he brought about a coup d'etat, assuming the title of First Consul of the French Republic. In 1804 he was crowned Emperor of France, leading the French to military conquest over most of Europe. He reigned as Emperor until April 1814, when he was forced by the allied European armies to abdicate. Exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba, he remained only until his escape in February 1815, when he returned to France to resume his title of Emperor. In June of that year he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and exiled once again, this time to the Atlantic island of Saint Helena, where he remained until his death. His legacy is mixed; he was responsible for extensive modernizing reform in France, and the Napoleonic Code widely influenced the legal systems of many nations. On the other hand, his ambition for world power seemed inexhaustible and his campaigns were often marked by extraordinary devastation and cruelty towards non-combatants, including women and children. Napoleon's battle strategies are still studied in military schools today.