The notable French military leader who rose to power after the Revolution was Napoleon Bonaparte. He initially gained recognition as a successful general during the French Revolutionary Wars and subsequently seized control of the French government in 1799 through a coup d'état, establishing himself as First Consul. In 1804, he crowned himself Emperor of the French, implementing various reforms in legal, educational, and administrative systems through the Napoleonic Code. His military campaigns expanded French territories across Europe, but his ambitions ultimately led to his downfall, culminating in his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and subsequent exile.