The People’s Emperor: The Unlikely Rise and Spectacular Fall of Napoléon III out July 2026

Available to pre-order now

Born into imperial splendour in 1808, Louis-Napoléon – the nephew of Napoléon Bonaparte – grew up far from power after his uncle’s defeat at Waterloo.

As a young man in exile, he repeatedly plotted, unsuccessfully, to restore the Napoleonic empire. Few took him seriously. But what followed is one of the most astonishing, improbable stories in history. Aged 40, Louis-Napoléon was elected president of France in 1848. Three years later, he seized power and then became emperor. He ruled until 1870, but led the country into a disastrous war with Prussia, which cost him his throne.

Napoléon III’s tale is one of self-belief, political skill and radical innovation – the first person to master mass democratic politics and populism. Yet, despite being one of the most important trailblazers of the nineteenth century, he is largely misunderstood today, if not totally forgotten.

His strange rise and catastrophic fall is a story of both tragedy and farce, set during some of France’s most tumultuous decades.

The People’s Emperor will be published by Faber & Faber in July 2026