After Napoleon Bonaparte’s final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, the British government exiled him to St. Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean. They believed that this location would be too isolated for him to plan any further uprisings and that he would no longer be able to disrupt the peace. This assumption proved correct, as Napoleon died on May 5, 1821, after five years in exile.

Napoleon Bonaparte was a prominent and controversial French general during the French Revolution. His exceptional military strategy and ambitious nature enabled him to rise rapidly through the military ranks. He led France to significant victories that helped expand its empire across Europe. In 1799, he seized power through a coup and declared himself Emperor, assuming ultimate authority. His ambitions resulted in a series of conflicts throughout Europe known as the Napoleonic Wars. Additionally, he established the Napoleonic Code in 1804, which aimed to unify French law and ensure that all laws applied equally to everyone under his rule.  

Napoleon was captured and exiled twice during his life. His first exile occurred in 1814 when the Coalition Forces compelled him to abdicate his throne. He was then sent to the island of Elba, where, according to the Treaty of Fontainebleau, he was granted sovereignty over the island and became its Emperor. However, after just over a year on Elba, he escaped and returned to France, which led to the period known as the Hundred Days. Ultimately, he was defeated again at the Battle of Waterloo and was exiled permanently to St. Helena.

He died on May 5th, 1821, at the age of 51, after spending nearly six years in exile. During his last years, he suffered from a mysterious illness that ultimately left him bedridden. He pleaded for his release, and his doctors even argued that his exile, combined with his condition, would lead to his death. However, these pleas were ignored by the Allied powers. His autopsy later revealed that he died of stomach cancer.