Since this is a VERY large set of questions so I'll just be doing a very simple answer for each question and we can expand from there.

Napoleon didn't outwit any politicians to take the throne; a general was wanted when the French Directory was overturned in favor of what would become the Consulship. Future marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was a consideration for First Console but he disappeared before hand.

The other nations of Europe were in near constant war against France because they were looking to stop the Revolution for a variety of reasons and they didn't declare war simply because he took the throne. Further, Napoleon only started two wars; the Peninsular War where he deposed the Spanish in an attempt to further stop the British and the Invasion of Russia when he was trying to defeat Russia before they could declare war on him. Both times, he was on the Strategic offensive in an effort to keep the peace.

He was considered the greatest general of all time because he was a very apt commander, he knew when to giving the final blow. Mobile artillery and any other advantage he had was given to him during the French Revolution. Napoleon was a good commander and a great strategist.

I cannot give a very detailed account of his escape and how he is viewed is up to debate, I see him as a terrible man but a genius as well as someone to look up to in terms of military matters. Some books, mainly written by British writers, still pose him as the Ogre so I tend to stay away from those in favor of more that are more balanced.

As for battles, see Lodi, Arcole, the Pyramids, Marengo, Austerlitz, the Ulm campaign, Jena-Auerstedt, Eylau, Friedland, Wagram, Borodino, and a variety of smaller battles.

I'd recommend that you look at this book list that I made for what you might want. All are good and fit what you want.