Napoleon Bonaparte's exile on the Island of Elba

In addition to its crystal-clear sea, the colors of its nature, and the richness of its minerals, the Island of Elba is known worldwide for one great name: NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.

After the disastrous Battle of Leipzig and following the Treaty of Fontainebleau of April 14, 1814, Napoleon, until then Emperor of all of Europe, was forced to abdicate the throne of France and accept a very different empire: the Island of Elba.

Yes, because, contrary to what many think, Napoleon was not imprisoned on Elba: he chose the island for his exile and ruled it, bringing more innovations than any government had ever made.

For the first time after centuries, the Island of Elba was united under a single flag, and for the first time, after a life of battles and movements, Napoleon Bonaparte was forced to stop and govern a territory that would remember him forever.

This section aims to briefly relive the ten months of Napoleon's stay on Elba by retracing the symbolic places of his exile, those less known from his private life, and some stories and anecdotes told by the voice of Sandro Foresi (S. Foresi, Napoleon the Poor Man, 1941).

In 2014, the Island of Elba celebrated the Bicentenary of Napoleon Bonaparte's Exile on the island with numerous events and historical reenactments.

2021 will be another year dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte. The official opening of the events and initiatives scheduled on Elba will take place on May 5, the Bicentenary of his death.