Young Napoleon Leaves Corsica

On 15 December 1778, a father and his first two sons boarded a ship. They were leaving their native land: the island of Corsica. The children were nine and ten years old. The father had obtained scholarships for them to be educated in France. This was a great opportunity for two young Corsicans.

But before they could even be admitted to their respective school, the young boys had to acquire the French language, which they did not speak a single word of, considering they grew speaking the Italian dialect of Corsica. With just three months to learn that new language, one can imagine how these two foreigners were welcomed by the French children...

I have always wondered to what extent the complex of the immigrant has played in the life of the youngest boy: his name was Napoleone Buonaparte... A mere fifteen years later, he would be appointed general in the French army ; another six years later he would be the First Consul of the Republic ; and another five years later, he would rule as Emperor of the Republic! Not bad for an immigrant!