Simply Napoleon

The soldier who became an emperor and changed Europe forever.

Napoleon Bonaparte rose from a relatively obscure Corsican family to become emperor of France and one of Europe's most powerful figures. In Simply Napoleon, historians J. David Markham and Matthew D. Zarzeczny offer an accessible introduction to the man behind the legend, tracing his extraordinary rise, his military victories, his reforms, and the ambition that ultimately brought his empire crashing down. From the battlefields of Italy and Egypt to Austerlitz, Moscow, Waterloo, and his final exile on Saint Helena, the authors follow Napoleon through the triumphs and failures that defined his career. They also look beyond the battlefield, exploring the Napoleonic Code, his reshaping of government and education, his relationship with Josephine, and the political changes that continued long after his defeat. The result is a lively portrait of a complex leader whose influence still echoes across Europe and beyond.