Napoleon: The Spirit of the Age

The Spirit of the Age, based on the new version of Napoleon's correspondence made available by the Fondation Napoléon in Paris, is the story of Napoleon's conquest of Europe and his magnificent Grande Armée's sweeping journey across the continent, much like the first volume of Michael Broers's magnificent biography.

The narrative opens with Napoleon's yet untested army navigating the Bavarian Alps in the early winter of 1805, only to fall upon the unsuspecting Austrians and Russians at Austerlitz, marking the beginning of a series of spectacular victories over the Prussians and Russians in the following two years.

The chronicle then follows the army's ill-considered foray into Spain in 1808, a move that would prove to be one of the most detrimental steps in Napoleon's reign as ruler. However, the narrative also recounts the army's ultimate triumph, the final defeat of Austria at Wagram in 1809, a battle that would become the bloodiest in European history up to that point.

Through this captivating account, readers are immersed in the sweeping grandeur of Napoleon's military conquests, the daring maneuvers of his Grande Armée, and the profound impact these events had on the course of European history. The Spirit of the Age stands as a testament to the strategic genius and relentless ambition that defined Napoleon's rise to power and his lasting legacy.

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