The years 1800 to 1809 saw Napoleon at the height of his power, with his armies defeating the numerically superior forces of Prussia, Russia, and Austria. Marengo, Austerlitz, Ulm, Wagram and Jena were among the most masterfully conducted military operations ever carried out on the European continent. The deaths of Marshal Lannes and General Lassalle in 1809 cast a pall over the Empire for the first time, and subsequent overly-ambitious attempts to add Spain and Russia to the list conquests eventually brought about Napoleon's downfall.Napoleon's triumphs were not entirely those of one man, however. While few of his marshals and generals showed much capacity for independent command, a large number of talented subordinates were necessary to carry out Napoleon's favored tactics. The French Revolution had brought large numbers of civilians and NCO's into the upper ranks of the army, replacing the old aristocracy. This officer corps on merit soon became the most effective in Europe. All of the colorful personalities of the First Empire are covered in detail here, as well as a portrait of the officer corps as a whole, as continuous warfare began to dangerously thin the ranks and erode the morale of the men Napoleon needed to stay in power.