Napoleon and His Marshals

Napoleon appointed twenty-six men to the post of Marshal of the Empire, a newly created position to honor his most important generals. He encouraged competition among them for titles and wealth, but above all, for glory. But instead of forming a team of rivals, as the famous Lincoln did, he created a den of vipers. Andrew Roberts, a masterful biographer with a knack for portraying flawed heroes in all their vitality and self-delusions, invites us into the lives and relationships of these elite warriors, whose rivalries shaped the destiny of Europe.

The marshals were the unseen swords behind Napoleon's throne. Their courage reinforced his aura of invincibility. Through their lives, we follow the rise and fall of one of history's most charismatic leaders, who built an empire greater than Caesar's from the ashes of France's first failed attempt at democracy. Napoleon rose to power amid the fervor and chaos of the French Revolution, restoring order after years of violence and upheaval. He enacted new laws, championed modern technologies, and pioneered new approaches to governance and education, yet his defeat ushered in a return to absolute despotism. Was he a genius or a tyrant? From the perspective of his military commanders, the answer may well be both.

More than a quarter of his generals perished in fierce battles. Only two remained with him at Waterloo. But many will remember what it was like there, fighting to build a new world. "Napoleon and His Military Commanders" is an insightful study of the transformative leadership of a man uniquely gifted at rallying troops, who, tragically, mistrusted those whose loyalty he needed to survive.