The Shadow Emperor: A Biography of Napoleon III

About this book

A breakout biography of Louis-Napoleon III whose controversial achievements have polarized historians. Considered one of the pre-eminent Napoleon Bonaparte experts Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian Alan Strauss-Schom has turned his sights on another in that dynasty Napoleon III (Louis-Napoleon) overshadowed for too long by his more romanticized forebear. In the first full biography of Napoleon III by an American historian Strauss-Schom uses his years of primary source research to explore the major cultural sociological economical financial international and militaristic long-lasting effects of Frances most polarizing emperor. Louis-Napoleons achievements have been mixed and confusing even to historians. He completely revolutionized the infrastructure of the state and the economy but at the price of financial scandals of imperial proportions. In an age when colonialism was expanding Louis-Napoleons colonial designs were both praised by the emperors party and the French military and resisted by the socialists. He expanded the nations railways to match those of England; created major new transoceanic steamship lines and a new modern navy; introduced a whole new banking sector supported by seemingly unlimited venture capital while also empowering powerful new state and private banks; and completely rebuilt the heart of Paris street by street. Napoleon III wanted to surpass the legacy of his famous uncle Napoleon I. In The Shadow Emperor Alan Strauss-Schom sets the record straight on Napoleon IIIs legacy.