Napoleon rose to power through his military successes in Italy and Egypt in the late 18th century. He launched a coup in 1799 and became the First Consul of France, later crowning himself Emperor in 1804. As Emperor, Napoleon reformed the legal and educational systems, established the Bank of France, and expanded French territorial control through military campaigns across Europe. However, his invasion of Russia in 1812 proved disastrous and led to the formation of a coalition that eventually defeated Napoleon, forcing his second abdication in 1815 after his brief return from exile on Elba during the "Hundred Days."