Part 6/10:
The financial crises leading to the French Revolution of 1789 marked a pivotal shift, overthrowing the ancient regime and establishing the first French Republic. Napoleon Bonaparte emerged as a key figure, transitioning the government from the Directory to the Consulate. He orchestrated a series of military campaigns known as the Napoleonic Wars, significantly extending French influence across Europe before his ultimate defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.