How true was Napoleon's own assessment that "All the misfortunes of my life, I truly believe, can be traced back to islands"?
Although Napoleon hated the sea and was a notoriously poor sailor, it has often been remarked how largely islands featured in his life. He himself said, on St Helena, “All the misfortunes of my life, I truly believe, can be traced back to islands.” His judgement may have been clouded by his situation at the time, but it was true that he was born on an island and he died on an island.
His greatest triumph was sealed on an island mid-river. His most enduring enemy was an island nation. The greatest love of his life was also a native islander. His first exile was to an island, and his last step on French soil was on an island. The range and distance of those islands reflect the enormous impact Napoleon had on Europe and the world.
To some extent "Napoleon's Islands" are pegs on which to hang the main themes of his career, but they also make us evaluate it in a different way. They emphasise the enduring appeal of the Napoleonic adventure, either a romance in the Byronic mould, or a tragedy foretold in the Ancient Greek tradition, where hubris gives way to nemesis.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 on 30 October 2025.