With a new introduction by Andrew Roberts. 'A penetrating interpretation. No one with a serious interest in the Napoleonic period can afford to ignore it. ' - Times Literary Supplement Whether viewed as an inspired leader or obsessed tyrant Napoleon has divided opinion for over 200 years. Few individuals have left such a mark on history. Georges Lefebvre's classic work published in Routledge Classics in one paperback volume in English for the first time is a definitive portrait of the Napoleonic era. Lefebvreâs history sweeps us from the lightning coup dâÃtat of 18 Brumaire in 1799 to his final downfall amidst the wheatfields of Waterloo. More than a biography it is a brilliant survey of the turbulent age Napoleon inaugurated in his attempt to redraw the map of Europe from the Peninsular War to the invasion of Russia. The cast includes his antagonists â Pitt the Younger Wellington Metternich and Tsar Alexander â and his allies â the wily Minister of Police Fouchà and Talleyrand the âPrince of Diplomatsâ. Lefebvreâs account is equally clear-eyed about Napoleonâs genius and his flaws. Napoleonâs determination to emulate Caesar and Augustus condemned Europe to more than a decade of war and economic crisis but he also built an empire introducing educational administrative and financial initiatives that are still in place today. Georges Lefebvre (1877-1959) One of the foremost historians of the Twentieth Century and known as the âhistorianâs historianâ he held the chair of the French Revolution at the Sorbonne. His The French Revolution is also available in Routledge Classics. . Language: English