Napoleon's Exile and Final Years

Exile to Elba

• April 11, 1814: Napoleon boards HMS Undaunted, heading to Elba for exile.
• April 1814: Louis XVIII restored to the French throne; France confined to 1792 borders.
• Napoleon's abdication followed his defeat by Austrian, Prussian, and British forces.
• Marshals and military leaders abandoned Napoleon, forcing his abdication.
• Napoleon was sent to Elba, a small island, in a humiliating exile.
• Mental State: Initially in poor mental health, but resolved to improve Elba.

Life on Elba

• Napoleon built roads, fortifications, and engaged with locals.
• Constantly monitored developments in France, hoping to return.
• Health improved with local resources; planned for his family's arrival, but they never joined him.
• Josephine died in May 1814, severing a significant personal connection.
• Financial strain due to the French refusal to pay his pension, causing further discontent.

Return to France

• February 26, 1815: Napoleon escaped Elba, sailing back to France.
• March 1, 1815: His arrival marked by cautious planning to avoid conflict.
• Gained support from military units as he advanced to Paris.
• Louis XVIII fled; Napoleon restored as Emperor by March 20, 1815.

The Hundred Days

• Attempted to restore his regime, promising more freedoms and less military aggression.
• Faced a coalition of European powers determined to remove him.
• June 1815: Built an army from 100,000 to 300,000 men.
• Decided to strike the British and Prussian forces in Belgium.

The Battle of Waterloo

• June 15, 1815: Surprise attack on Prussians begins the campaign.
• June 18, 1815: Battle of Waterloo; Napoleon's tactical decisions questioned.
• Blucher and Prussian forces arrived, turning the tide against Napoleon.
• Napoleon's forces were defeated, leading to his second abdication.

Final Exile to St. Helena

• Surrendered to the British, eventually sent to St. Helena.
• Lived in isolation, treated poorly compared to other monarchs.
• Spent final years reflecting on his career and writing memoirs.
• May 5, 1821: Napoleon died, suspected causes include arsenic poisoning or stomach cancer.
• His death marked the end of an era, but his legacy as a military strategist and reformer remains debated.

Legacy

• Napoleon seen as a modernizer and reformer who influenced Europe significantly.
• His wars were seen as forced by coalitions resistant to change.
• Despite his flaws, he is credited with impacting European history and modernization efforts.