Napoleon

2015 • BBC

4.3

3 reviews

Rating

Eligible

Season 1 episodes (3)

1 Episode 1

6/9/15

From lowly Corsican Army officer to first consul of France, this episode charts the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte to leader of the French nation in the late 1790s. It tells of Napoleon's military triumphs in Italy, Egypt and against anti-revolutionaries on the streets of Paris, his marriage to Josephine Beuharnais and leadership of the military coup of 1799 that swept him into power.

2 Episode 2

6/16/15

In 1805, when Napoleon was crowned King of Italy, he was at the height of his power - the previous year, he had been crowned Emperor of the French. This episode charts the transformation of a political leader of the French to Emperor and global statesman, from a son of the French Revolution to husband of the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor, the most powerful, conservative, monarchist nation on earth.

3 Episode 3

6/23/15

In 1815, Napoleon was taken to the remote island of St Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, a prisoner of the British. It had taken just a year for the monarchies of Europe, the anti-Napoleonic powers of the world, to destroy him. This final episode charts the fall of Napoleon, a key defining moment in global history. He trusted the Tsar of Russia - but the Tsar reneged on their deal. He sought revenge by invading Russia in 1812 - but the campaign was a disaster. He sought to defend France against her enemies - but made some grave, and ultimately suicidal military misjudgements.

About this show

2015 marks 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo.This major, three-part series, sheds new light on Napoleon as an extraordinarily gifted military commander and a mesmeric leader whose private life - contrary to popular belief 200 years later - was littered with disappointments and betrayals: not least in relation to Josephine. Using recently uncovered historical evidence and based upon almost a decade of research, this series provides a comprehensive portrait of Napoleon and the achievements of the benevolent dictator. Travelling through the history and geography of Europe, the story of this controversial figure is brought vividly to life and confounds many popularly held assumptions of the man.

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4.3

3 reviews

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