The Real Napoleon

Book excerpt: THE REAL NAPOLEON - The Untold Story "An impressive and powerful piece of work" - Rupert Heath, literary agent. "Fresh and convincing" Andrew Lownie, literary agent. "Many thanks for this, which I found fascinating and very much enjoyed reading - despite the fact, or perhaps precisely because, it debunks many of my own long-held opinions about Napoleon... you do write nicely, with great passion and in a compelling style... I'm perfectly happy with the premise that British history has tarnished Napoleon unfairly..." Robin Wade, literary agent. "Passionately argued - a book you must read" Jean-Claude Damamme, French historian. In this book Napoleon is shown for what and who he was and not as the caricature described by many bigoted 'historians', especially of the British persuasion. He was not short, he was often generous and he seldom forgot a friend, particularly those from his early days before he was famous. France was attacked in 1802, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1809 and 1814 - yet it is always Napoleon who is blamed for the so-called Napoleonic Wars, a misnomer if ever there was one. England with a mad King, a Prime Minister who was pickled in port, a Foreign Secretary who killed himself and a Prince Regent addicted to laudanum and alcohol - too umbrage that a genius across the Channel was ruling a country that had been Britain's enemy for decades. Napoleon, in the words of Napier - who served with British forces in the Peninsular and who was regarded as the finest historian of his day - was seen as the epitomization of the democratic forces that were swirling around Europe as a result of the American and French Revolutions. Hence the British Establishment wanted him destroyed at all costs. Thus millions in gold left the Bank of England to pay for Austrian and Russian armies to attack France. Even worse secret payments were made to assassins working for the Comte d'Artois, Louis XIII's infamous sibling, in order for attempts to be made on Napoleon's life. William Pitt knew all about this and sanctioned this state sponsored terrorism - yet Napoleon would not lower himself to respond in kind. Goethe thought that Napoleon was the greatest man alive and he was Heine's hero. To Nietzsche he was the greatest man of the C19th. He was admired by Byron and Hazlitt and many a denizen of the English mainland. Napoleon was sent to Saint Helena in 1815 because he was so popular with the British public! There he was murdered by one of D'Artois' creatures - Montholon. Napoleon has been vilified and traduced for far too long. I take great pleasure as an Englishman in setting the record straight.