5. Napoleon Bonaparte May Have Had Syphilis
When it comes to charismatic leaders, perhaps none tops the list quite like Napoleon Bonaparte, the so-called “little emperor.” He took over the rule of France in the chaotic period following the Reign of Terror, when Maximilien’s policies and the Guillotine had turned the people of France against each other, and the country was out of control. He was also a skilled diplomat who understood the needs of the people, of society as a whole, and how to negotiate with leaders both in France and in other countries, such as Italy. Where he differed from other leaders of his time was in his willingness to push limits far beyond what other leaders would even consider.
Napoleon moved from being a consul and military leader within the French state to declaring it to be an empire in 1804. He was coronated as emperor at Notre Dame and famously took the crown from the hands of the pope and placed it on his head, effectively crowning himself. He went on to expand the French empire in such a way that would not be seen until Hitler began his conquests in the 1930s.
Napoleon probably died of arsenic poisoning but was likely not intentionally poisoned, as some have suggested. Instead, evidence suggests that the little emperor had syphilis, which at the time was treated with arsenic. Like those whose STDs were treated with mercury, the drug given to them was poisonous and proved to be fatal.