Most history books talk about Napoleon Bonaparte as something of a bad apple. While he is given credit for his high intelligence and his brilliant military skills, he is also seen as a tyrant that abused and mistreated his soldiers, was hungry for power and glory and wanted in his heart of hearts to become the emperor of all of Europe and maybe the world. 

While it is true that having grown up in poverty Bonaparte sought after riches and recognition and that he often treated those he felt got in his way unfairly and harshly he is known for doing one amazingly good thing in his years of power. He liberated the Jewish people from the laws that had been passed many years before confining them to small sections in cities called Ghettos. He also gave them back their right to own property, have careers and to worship as they wished. 

This was a pretty astounding thing for this man to have done in the 1800s as all across Europe most leaders of most countries saw the Jewish people as a threat and sought to control them and even drove them out of their countries. There were many leaders in other European countries who felt that what Napoleon was doing was dangerous and disliked him even more for allowing the Jewish people their freedom but Bonaparte continued on with his plan not only giving more rights to the Jewish people in France but in other countries that he conquered. 

His actions were confusing to many. Some people believed that Bonaparte's plan was to rid France of the Jewish people by completely assimilating them into French society through intermarriage with gentiles. However, this does not seem to be the case as in 1807 he declared Judaism as one of the official religions of France. 

Bonaparte did however, seem to dislike a certain group of the Jewish population that being those who felt that their religion made them superior. Napoleon clearly preferred those Jewish people who felt that others were as entitled to their religious beliefs as they were to theirs. 

While Bonaparte's treatment of the Jewish people was commendable it was not completely pure. He believed that by treating the Jewish people as Equals and giving them rights to careers and freedom to worship and own property that Jewish people in other countries would flock to France in order to enjoy the same freedoms bringing with them their talents and their skills which would help to enrich France as a country. 

Regardless of the reasons for his actions, while much of the world watched in disbelief and disapproval Napoleon Bonaparte gave the Jewish people not only more freedom but, the opportunity to be part of the country in which they lived. Proving that even those that history views as bad apples may have shining moments of humanity and do something good that can change the lives of many.

This is an original news article © The Kids Window

One in a series of articles on history, see our range of historical costumes for children.  

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