L'Empereur Napoleon: Enlightened Emperor or Despot

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Salut! So, the topic I pose is this: is Napoleon Bonaparte, self-declared Empereur des Français, a hero and enlightened ruler, delivering Enlightenment thought and tolerance, or a murderous and Ancien Regime style tyrant who "started" countless wars. When answering, please use facts, which may or may not relate to:
Concordat of 1801 - Restoration of Catholicism in France
Code Napoleon - French Legal Code that would travel from France to Louisiana and Quebec
Italian Campaign and Spanish Campaign atrocities (among others)
All Wars from 1796-1815 (Remembering that Napoleon never declared war, but was declared on, every time, bearing into question how he conquered)
Toleration of the Jews
Religious Freedom
Louisiana Purchase
Censoring of Newspapers
Re-institution of Slavery in Saint-Domingue
Conduct with Josephine and Marie Louise

And any other mentions I forgot

But as I ask, remember the time period. Take into consideration how other monarchs handled issues he faced. For instance, even though people brand Napoleon as murderous for killing some prisoners of war, and censoring free thought, think about the Tzar? Or the King of Prussia? Did they not also do the same things? Not justified, no, but not original and out of ordinary. I like to weigh people to see if their good outweighs their bad. Does Napoleon's good, even his victories, outweigh his bad? Or does he appear evil? Also try to think enlightenment wise. Is he an enlightened despot, like Frederick the Great, spreading a meritocracy and religious freedom, or a tyrant? Merci.
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waltsland's avatar
VIVE L,EMPEREUR!!!Enlightened Emperor.:flagoffrance: France Flag of France France flag [Flags Hearts] France Heart France emoticon :FRflag: :FlagFrance: Hi-I-am-from-France France French Icon