"Review Essay 183 on The Invisible Emperor: ..." Topic

…Napoleon on Elba From Exile to Escape.

"The isle of Elba, off the Tuscan coast, is remarkably beautiful. Blessed with fine beaches, a wonderful climate, and delicious cuisine, today it is a popular tourist hotspot. In the past, the significant iron deposits made the island an important mining site, which brought profit to its rulers. In mid-1814, Elba's Governor, General Jean-Baptiste Dalesme, must have felt a little like Hiroo Onoda, the famous Japanese soldier who, alone, stranded on Lubang Island, persisted in fighting World War Two for his God-Emperor until 1974. Similarly bereft of news, Dalesme was continuing a war that was already over. Since 1810 he had been assigned to this quiet Mediterranean outpost. The closest he came to combat was taking the odd pot-shot at Royal Navy vessels that were passing by. Unlike Onoda's case, events quickly took a decidedly unexpected turn.

On 3 May the frigate HMS Undaunted sailed into Portoferraio, Elba's principal town. To everyone's amazement, the Emperor Napoleon disembarked and took possession of his new miniature empire. Under the terms of the Treaty of Fontainebleau, agreed with Tsar Alexander I, the defeated Emperor of the French was granted lifetime sovereignty over the island. On arrival the auspices seemed unfavourable to Napoleon. When asked his opinion of the Elbans, Dalesme replied "the people of Elba are good, gentle and in no way resemble the people of Corsica [!]." A few days later, while Napoleon was surveying one of the beaches of the island, a local inhabitant emerged out of nowhere screaming "long live the king of England!" Napoleon grabbed the hilt of his sword; tragedy was luckily averted thanks to the quick thinking of his entourage who chased the impertinent subject away…"
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