Uploaded November 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
WHO WAS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE and what do we truly know about him? In this French history documentary from History Calling, inspired by the 2023 movie Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Ridley Scott, we look at the real #Napoleon Bonaparte, from his birth in Corsica in 1769, to his experiences of the French Revolution to his rise to become one of the most famous military commanders in history, who took much of Italy and Egypt before his 30th birthday. We’ll hear how he became first consul, then Emperor of the French as Napoleon I from 1804 until 1814. We’ll discuss the Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars he fought, until his disastrous invasion of Russia led him to be deposed and exiled to become Emperor of Elba, a small Mediterranean island. I’ll also reveal how he effected his escape from Elba just ten months later and took back his throne for his famously short rule of 110 days (known as the Hundred Days because I guess it sounds better), only to lose it again when he was defeated by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and sent into exile in Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.
I’ll also discuss Napoleon’s personal life, including his failed engagement to Desiree Clary, future Queen of Sweden, his sometimes-tempestuous marriage to the infamous Empress Josephine, the unusual reasons why their marriage came to an end and his second marriage to Marie Louise of Austria, which produced his son, Napoleon II. Finally I’ll deal with one of the most famous stories about Napoleon too; the question of how tall was Napoleon.
So does he deserve the movie’s tagline, ‘He came from nothing. He conquered everything’? Well let’s find out. This is the rise and fall of #NapoleonBonaparte!
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
DID MARIE ANTOINETTE’S HAIR TURN WHITE THE DAY BEFORE HER DEATH?
youtu.be/eCMSKrTzS7Y
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
DJI Drone: amzn.to/38h1vXr (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/39hROZm (US LINK)
Go-Pro Hero 10 camera: amzn.to/3EPIK9U (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3rTWScL (US LINK)
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/37CdC1r (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3vaVxjU (US LINK)
Memory Card: amzn.to/36QvcOQ (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3KeLZZs (US LINK)
Microphone: amzn.to/3MFtoaK (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3rYtjH8 (US LINK)
LEARN MORE:
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
Andrew Roberts, Napoleon the Great (Penguin Random House, 2014)
Available at amzn.to/47caqCu
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
WHO WAS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE and what do we truly know about him? In this French history documentary from History Calling, inspired by the 2023 movie Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Ridley Scott, we look at the real #Napoleon Bonaparte, from his birth in Corsica in 1769, to his experiences of the French Revolution to his rise to become one of the most famous military commanders in history, who took much of Italy and Egypt before his 30th birthday. We’ll hear how he became first consul, then Emperor of the French as Napoleon I from 1804 until 1814. We’ll discuss the Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars he fought, until his disastrous invasion of Russia led him to be deposed and exiled to become Emperor of Elba, a small Mediterranean island. I’ll also reveal how he effected his escape from Elba just ten months later and took back his throne for his famously short rule of 110 days (known as the Hundred Days because I guess it sounds better), only to lose it again when he was defeated by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and sent into exile in Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.
I’ll also discuss Napoleon’s personal life, including his failed engagement to Desiree Clary, future Queen of Sweden, his sometimes-tempestuous marriage to the infamous Empress Josephine, the unusual reasons why their marriage came to an end and his second marriage to Marie Louise of Austria, which produced his son, Napoleon II. Finally I’ll deal with one of the most famous stories about Napoleon too; the question of how tall was Napoleon.
So does he deserve the movie’s tagline, ‘He came from nothing. He conquered everything’? Well let’s find out. This is the rise and fall of #NapoleonBonaparte!
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
DID MARIE ANTOINETTE’S HAIR TURN WHITE THE DAY BEFORE HER DEATH?
youtu.be/eCMSKrTzS7Y
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
DJI Drone: amzn.to/38h1vXr (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/39hROZm (US LINK)
Go-Pro Hero 10 camera: amzn.to/3EPIK9U (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3rTWScL (US LINK)
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/37CdC1r (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3vaVxjU (US LINK)
Memory Card: amzn.to/36QvcOQ (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3KeLZZs (US LINK)
Microphone: amzn.to/3MFtoaK (UK LINK) OR amzn.to/3rYtjH8 (US LINK)
LEARN MORE:
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
Andrew Roberts, Napoleon the Great (Penguin Random House, 2014)
Available at amzn.to/47caqCu
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
