TLDR;

  • Event: Napoleon Bonaparte returned from exile on the island of Elba and landed in France on March 1, 1815, at Golfe-Juan near Antibes, aiming to reclaim his empire.
  • Journey: As he marched towards Paris, his charisma and promise of glory led soldiers sent to arrest him to join his cause instead, culminating in a triumphant entry into Paris on March 20, 1815.
  • Outcome: King Louis XVIII fled Paris on March 19, 1815, and Napoleon resumed power, marking the start of the Hundred Days, which ended with his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

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Story

The sea was calm as the small ship approached the French coast, but the air was electric with anticipation. Onboard, a figure cloaked in a grey overcoat and a familiar bicorne hat stood at the prow, eyes fixed on the land he once ruled. Napoleon Bonaparte was coming home, and with him, the fate of Europe hung in the balance.

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Exiled to the island of Elba after his abdication in 1814, Napoleon had been a lion in a cage, restless and plotting. The Bourbon monarchy, restored in his absence, was weak and unpopular. Sensing an opportunity, Napoleon made his move. On March 1, 1815, he landed at Golfe-Juan, a small port near Antibes on the French Riviera, with a small band of loyal followers, determined to reclaim his empire.

As he marched north, the news of his return spread like wildfire. Soldiers sent to arrest him instead joined his ranks, captivated by his charisma and the promise of glory. ‘The eagle will fly from steeple to steeple until it reaches the towers of Notre-Dame,’ he declared, and indeed, his journey was a triumphant procession.

The turning point came when Napoleon reached Grenoble. The troops stationed there, ordered to stop him, instead threw down their arms and reportedly cried, ‘Vive l’Empereur!’ While the exact details of the encounter are often romanticized, the troops did indeed join Napoleon. With each step, his army grew, and by the time he reached Paris, King Louis XVIII had fled on March 19, 1815, and Napoleon entered the city on March 20, 1815, once again becoming the ruler of France.

But this dramatic return was only the beginning. The Hundred Days would culminate in the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon’s dreams of empire would finally be shattered. Yet, for a brief moment, the world watched in awe as the eagle soared once more.

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Would a different strategy have changed Napoleon’s fate at Waterloo?