August 15th, 1769
Napoleone di Buonaparte born in AJaccio, Corsica, the second surviving son of Carlo and Maria-Letizia Buonaparte.

April 1779 to October 1784
Studied at the military school at Brienne-le-Chateau where he excelled in mathematics, history and geography.

September 1st, 1785
Transferred to the military academy in Paris and passed the 2nd Lieutenant's examination.

September 1789
Napoleon joined the La Fere Artillery Regiment and was influenced by one of the leading artillerists and military theorists of the day, Baron J. P. du Teil. He also became involved in Corsican nationalist politics.

February 1791
Served with the Artillery Regiment du Grenoble and rose to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. At this time Napoleon was also active in the Jacobin Club in Grenoble.

April 1st, 1792
Now back in Corsica, he secured the position of Lieutenant-Colonel of the Ajaccio Volunteers.

June 10th, 1793
Napoleon was forced to leave Corsica because he opposed the anti-French separatism of Paoli.

July 1793
He joined the Republicans during the Revolt of the MIdi and was attached to the Army of Carteaux. By September1793 he was appointed commander of the Republican artillery and through that winter carried out a vigorous attack on the British-held port of Toulon. By the end of December 1793 he had been appointed Brigadier-General and, in February of 1794, artillery commander for the Army of Italy.