Louis Napoleon, also known as Napoleon III, was the first President of the French Republic and later became the Emperor of the French. Born on April 20, 1808, he was the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. He rose to power after a coup in 1851 and established the Second French Empire in 1852, ruling until 1870. During his reign, Louis Napoleon focused on modernizing France, promoting industrialization, and expanding the country's infrastructure. His foreign policy included military campaigns, such as the Franco-Prussian War, which ultimately led to his downfall and the establishment of the Third French Republic in 1870.