Napoleon Bonaparte (ESTJ)

This is a very recently expedited request, so usually it would be published after the other expedited requests. However, since the research is done via a different medium (reading vs. watching),  we were able to work on it at the same time. (Reading opportunities can be distinct from TV watching opportunities.) Since the Dragon Ball expedited requests are not quite ready yet, we’re publishing this one ahead of them.

Te:

“I can no longer obey; I have tasted command, and I cannot give it up.”

“You become strong by defying defeat and by turning loss and failure into success.”

“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.”

“Don’t you see that I was not born on the throne, that I have to maintain myself on it in the same way I ascended it, with glory, that an individual who becomes a sovereign like me cannot stop, that he has to keep climbing, and that he is lost if he stands still.”

Napoleon is known for many things, but his main overarching theme was ambition. Napoleon was determined to gain power and status. He was dedicated to his future and his career, determined to impress others and break out of his lower class boundaries. Napoleon was essentially a workaholic, able to work several days at a time with virtually no rest. In every situation he approached, he had to come out the winner. He didn’t see the advantage of ever conceding, even when in certain scenarios, it may have been advantageous. For instance, allowing Britain to keep Malta in 1803 may have given him an opportunity to rebuild and reinforce his own strength. There were other times as well when peace would have been the wiser decision, like the failed invasion of Russia. However, Napoleon felt threatened and was determined to come out on top, to the dismay of those advising him. Ultimately, his undoing ended up being his overconfidence, stubbornness, and brash actions.

Not only was Napoleon very bold in his strategies on the battlefield, he generally just approached life in a very bold manner. We would expect a more cautious or risk averse approach if he were an introverted perceiving dominant. However, after escaping from exile on the island of Elba, he met up with a French regiment who had been sent to capture him. He basically offered himself up to them on a silver platter, openly proclaiming who he was and telling them to kill him if they wished. They immediately fell in line under his authority once again. This is a good example of a confident Te dominant, demanding authority over those he feels should be under him.

Napoleon used his accomplishments and his abilities as a way to build his reputation and value in the eyes of others, which is a Te tendency. (Putting forward results as a measure of self value.) He wanted to be seen as indispensable. He would use news to falsely bolster or exaggerate his accomplishments, and snuff out any publications contrary to him. He also had a tendency to constantly remind others of his accomplishments in an attempt to maintain their admiration (this also touches on Si – putting the past forward frequently).

Napoleon was very controlling, beyond the obvious position of power that he held. This can be seen in the way he controlled publications so they could affect his reputation in an advantageous way. This could also be seen in his views on women, whom he felt should be controlled. It is generally believed that he felt the need to control and micromanage human activity. (This also points to Si, but that’ll be covered in the next section.) Napoleon was also described as one who “derived amusement from causing any one uneasiness and distress”, which generally points to a high thinking function or low feeling function.

Si:

“Forethought we may have, undoubtedly, but not foresight.”

“If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.”

“You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war.”

“Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go.”

While many may try to peg Napoleon as an ENTJ due to his ambition and future-oriented nature, he actually had a very detail specific memory and detail-oriented focus that gave away his Si cognitive mentality.

First, he made sure to grow in knowledge and gather information in case he may need it later. He would study a wide variety of subjects, such as history, science, music, and philosophy. (The variety also hints at Ne, but more on that later.) He would use this expanse of knowledge to impress others. Great historical figures were also a specific focus of his, some of which he desired to model himself after, like Caesar or Alexander the Great. In addition, when preparing for a military campaign, he would study the location(s) in which it was going to take place, including the history, geography, and culture so that he could be as prepared as possible. He would also specifically try to learn of the mistakes of others before him, so he could avoid the same errors. This all demonstrates a respect for history (or the past), and the knowledge that may be acquired from it in order to best prepare for the future, which is all very Si in nature. He would utilize every possible opportunity to gain any information that may be useful for the future. In spite of being a proud man, he was not afraid to demonstrate ignorance if the person he was talking to could enlighten him and increase his knowledge.

Napoleon also made sure to focus specifically on the details, and his memory made him adept at doing so. He would frequently dictate letters to his secretaries, and would get frustrated with every detail that they accidentally omitted (due to his refusal to repeat himself). He is described as being able to remember everything that he had previously said with great accuracy. In addition, one of his wives said that he would pour over lists of cadres of the army, and specifically memorize the names of corps, individuals, and etc. At one point, one of his commanders could not locate their division, and Napoleon was able to produce the details of that division from memory, including where they were positioned for the next three days, and the strength and status of each unit. (Meanwhile, the commander’s aides had begun pouring over maps and papers to find the information themselves.)

Napoleon found financial and physical security to be very important. Once able, he always kept a “cassette” of gold coins on him at all times, just in case. He made sure he was able to profit from nearly every military venture that he undertook. He also focused on the physical needs of his men, touting that “an army marches on its stomach.” He always ensured that his troops were well-equipped and well fed. While he would spend large amounts of money, it was never to his long term detriment, and he would make sure to review his accounts and refuse to pay any bills that the thought were unreasonable. (This all points away from Se, since a frequent downfall of Se is short-sighted spending.)

Napoleon brought stability to France when he came to power, which endeared him to the people. He was especially proud of the Napoleonic legal code that he instituted, which is still the basis for French law today.  He specifically said, “What nothing will destroy, what will live forever, is my Civil Code.” He was also prone to micro managing, and involving himself in nearly every aspect of what he commanded. He preferred to interview prisoners himself, in order to gain any possible information he could. He also wrote the Code Napoleon, which set strict limits on women’s freedom of action. His focus on rules and codes can also be seen as potential Si evidence.

Ne:

“Ability is nothing without opportunity.”

“One must change one’s tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority.”

Napoleon’s Ne comes out partially in the wide variety of subjects and information that he felt compelled to study and learn. Low Ne is frequently used to cover for high Si’s need to be prepared with all possible information. As mentioned in the Si section, Napoleon felt the need to learn a range of subjects, including history, science, music, and philosophy even though some of that was not directly relevant to his desired career path. He also tried his hand at writing, including philosophical essays, political essays and even novels. These endeavours were not very successful, but demonstrate a Ne user’s need to explore and dabble in different possibilities.

He was also known for being able to handle a variety of topics at once, able to jump between them as necessary, without needing to stop and regather his thoughts. Napoleon was also aware that tactics must be changed periodically in order to maintain power and victory. He specifically said ten years, which demonstrates low Ne, since high Ne would desire change more frequently. Napoleon was simply enacting change when absolutely necessary.

Lastly, while he viewed ability and accomplishments as highly important, he also recognized that ability was nothing without opportunity. This is alluding specifically to his extraverted perceiving function, since that is what makes one good at seizing opportunities as they come. Napoleon’s Ne appears developed enough to be tertiary, but it’s still somewhat devalued and not his preferred focus.

Fi:

“Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.”

“Death is nothing, but to live defeated and inglorious is to die daily.”

“Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.”

Napoleon is known for having a severe inferiority complex. He hated being seen as weak or lower than anyone else, and fought hard to portray himself in a positive light. He was hypersensitive to criticism, hence his tendency to censor publications and eliminate anyone who spoke against him. He grew particularly angry with cartoonists such as Rowlandson who displayed him in a comically demeaning way. His image was ultimately highly important to him, and he had little natural security in it, otherwise he would not have constantly felt threatened by any forms of criticism. He would do whatever he could to bolster his image. This all suggests inferior Fi.

Napoleon also altered his behavior for the sake of gaining favor in the eyes of whomever he needed to impress. Not only would he dress in such a way to impress others, but he would put on the appearance of being whatever religion the other party was. He would portray himself as Muslim to the Egyptian Muslim, as an atheist to the French revolutionaries, as Catholic to the European Catholics, and etc. This all suggests a devaluing of his own identity, putting on other identities separate from his own in order to achieve his goals (Te).

While he did possess his own set of values, Napoleon had a tendency to disregard them, which is indicative of bad Fi. For instance, he is said to have “reviled” the behavior of those who chased fortunes after the “Reign Of Terror”, however, couldn’t stop himself from joining in.

External Sources:

• The Personality Traits that Led to Napoleon Bonaparte’s Epic Downfall
• What Made Napoleon a Great Leader?
• First-Hand Descriptions of Napoleon
• Napoleon Bonaparte Quotes