Napoleon, however, was always one step ahead of his enemies. Many of these royalists plotted to kill Napoleon in various ways, to reestablish the monarchy. The French citizens loved him, but there were many members of the French nobility with ties to the former kings of France who hated Napoleon's guts and who wanted him out. In 1804, he crowned himself Emperor of France. He did all kinds of great things to improve his country – he built sewers and roads, created a centralized bank (Banque de France), made education more available to everyone, and developed a tax code. Following the French Revolution, Napoleon was elected First Consul of France. The French people totally dug him, particularly because he believed in equality and the individual rights of his people – something the past kings had not really believed in. During this time, he became a French superstar for his ability to protect France and to win battles. Napoleon lived during the French Revolution (1789-1799) and saw his country in great turmoil and upheaval. He eventually climbed his way up the army ladder, until he was leading troops and strategizing battle plans. As a young man, Napoleon showed signs of being a great soldier. It was part of the French empire at the time, but had only recently been bought by France from Italy. He was born in 1769 on the island of Corsica, off the coast of Italy. Napoleon was a powerful soldier who ruled as Emperor of France in the early 1800s. Guess who was exiled to the island of Elba? Right! Napoleon Bonaparte. We know from Danglars's report at the very beginning of the novel that Edmond has stopped at the island of Elba to retrieve a letter on his way back to Marseilles which is addressed to Noirtier. We know that Edmond Dantès's story spans from around the 1815 until around 1838. In order to really understand what The Count's all about, we need to take a look at what was going on in France at the time. Separating the historical and political scene from The Count of Monte Cristo is like trying to separate salt from the ocean. First thing's first let's set the historical scene for you. Strap on your traveling shoes, because the Count's going to take you all over the world. Marseilles, Leghorn, the Island of Monte Cristo, Rome, Paris, Versailles (Auteuil), 1815-1838
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