Napoleon was born Napoleone di Buonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica to Carlo Buonaparte, a lawyer and politician, and his wife, Marie-Letizia Buonaparte. The Buonapartes were a wealthy family from the Corsican nobility. Napoleon changed his name so it sounded more French. Napoleon Joined the army in 1779 and rapidly got promoted. In 1798 he left for a campaign in Egypt and Syria. In short, it was an absolute failure. He returned to France and became emperor.