The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. They were a continuation of the conflicts sparked by the French Revolution and covered the duration of the First French Empire. Sometimes the wars are given as lasting from 1799 (the year Napoleon seized power) until 1815. Other variations on the exact dates are also used. Collectively the continuous period of warfare from April 20, 1792 through to November 20, 1815 is sometimes refered to as the Great French War (prior to World War I simply 'the Great War').