A Short History of Napoleon the First – Sir John Robert Seeley (1906 reprint)
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| Napoleon the First |
A concise, readable single‑volume biography by the well‑known Cambridge historian Sir John Robert Seeley. Seeley takes readers through Napoleon’s Corsican origins, his rise through the French Revolution, his military victories across Europe, his rule as Emperor, and finally his defeat and exile. Written for clarity and compactness, it is a perfect quick introduction to Napoleon’s life for new readers of Napoleonic history.
Preface by the author :
To write a life of Napoleon which shall be positively short is not possible. When I undertook to write one in twelve pages of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, I thought I was attempting what was difficult ; but I was mistaken ; I was attempting what was impossible. I take this opportunity of acknowledging the liberality of the Messrs. Black, who, in compliance with my wishes, and, I believe, at considerable inconvenience to the arrangements of the Encyclopaedia, actually allowed me thirty‑six pages, or not less than three times the space which had been originally allotted for the article. The same publishers now place me under another obligation in consenting to smooth my way to the present Short History, in which the substance of that article is incorporated.
The Life of Napoleon now given to the public is, if not absolutely short, yet, measured by the space allotted in it to each incident, almost as short as the obituary notice of a newspaper. It dismisses more than one great campaign with a sentence, more than one famous battle with a line. In the Encyclopaedia this was unavoidable, but the reader may ask whether there can be any justification for issuing as a book a summary which must needs, he may think, be as jejune as a table of contents. I admit at once that for some purposes this Short History of Napoleon must be wholly useless, but I flatter myself that for certain other purposes it may be all the more satisfactory for being so exceedingly brief.
A bewilderment caused by the multitude of facts and details is the danger which chiefly besets the reader of history ; and where, as in Napoleon's career, facts are unusually crowded together, the danger is greatest, the bewilderment most overwhelming. I have held it possible to meet this difficulty by almost suppressing details, and thus diminishing to the utmost the demand made upon the attention
💡 Important reader note:
This is a late‑Victorian British historical work. Seeley writes from the perspective of his own 19th‑century era; some of his interpretations, judgements on Napoleon’s character and the politics of the Napoleonic wars have been re‑examined and revised by modern historians. Enjoy it as a classic historical biography and a primary source showing how people in Seeley’s time understood Napoleon, alongside newer, up‑to‑date history books.
⚠️ Copyright & Disclaimer
Copyright Notice
of A Short History of Napoleon the First (originally 1886) is public‑domain in the United States and nearly all territories.
A Short History of Napoleon the First – Sir John Robert Seeley (1906 reprint)Classic concise Victorian biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing his rise, reign, and fall. Great beginner‑friendly introduction to Napoleonic history. ⚠️ 19th‑century historical interpretations; some viewpoints differ from modern scholarship.