The latest historical epic from Ridley Scott, Napoleon tells of the rise and fall of the French emperor, and explores his tumultuous relationship with Joséphine de Beauharnais. How closely does it match the real history?
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Ridley Scott's 'Napoleon': the real history
Explore the true stories behind Ridley Scott's historical epic Napoleon – from the true nature of his relationship with Josephine de Beauharnais and secrets of his military prowess to the myth of his height and the mythos of the Hundred Days...
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) is considered to be one of history's greatest military leaders. Here's everything you need to know about him
She was Napoleon’s muse, empress of France, and above all a survivor. Dr Laura O’Brien explores how Joséphine de Beauharnais reinvented herself after the Reign of Terror, and her fractious relationship with Napoleon
The Corsican general who rose to become emperor of France often claimed that he ‘owed everything’ to his mother, Letizia. Dr Laura O’Brien considers the truth of this complicated relationship
The marriage of Napoleon Bonaparte to his first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais, is well known – not least because it ended as a result of the latter's inveterate adultery and profligacy. But how much do you know about the French Emperor’s second wife? Here, author Deborah Jay explores the life of Habsburg Archduchess Marie-Louise
Jeremy Black charts Napoleon’s rise to power in Revolutionary France and the dramatic chain of events leading up to his final defeat at Waterloo
What were the Napoleonic Wars? Why did they happen, and why are they sometimes known as the 'Wars of Coalition'
When the Corsican general seized power in a coup in 1799, he proclaimed himself a defender of the republican ideals that had come from the revolution. But, as Marisa Linton explains, the would-be emperor did all he could to dismantle them
If there's one thing Napoleon Bonaparte is known for, it's that he was short – and very unhappy about it. But how tall was he really? Historian Emily Brand explains
It was a battle that proved to be one of the most decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. Ian Castle investigates Napoleon’s crushing defeat of the Austro-Russian army, whose fate, he believes, was sealed even before the first musket shot rang out
After abdication, exile and humiliation, the ex-emperor of France was down, but not out. Soon enough, Napoleon launched his return to greatness, and to the battlefield
He’d already escaped one island internment, but Napoleon’s banishment to St Helena in 1815 was permanent. All at sea in the Atlantic, the fallen French ruler’s final years were a battle of a different kind, writes historian Julian Humphrys
Although the opposing sides were European, their status as imperial powers meant the Napoleonic Wars played out in many different corners of the world. Michael Rapport explores the conflict’s surprising global impact
Since his death in British custody on the island of St Helena in 1821, the claims that Napoleon Bonaparte was either murdered or spirited off the island have never completely gone away. Siân Rees examines these theories in detail, exploring the many deaths of Napoleon
Napoleon wanted to buried within sight of the River Seine in Paris – but the British were reluctant to enable the creation of what could become a Napoleonic shrine
