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Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, St. Helena stands.
Located about 1,950 kilometers from the west coast of Africa, this volcanic island has a population of no more than 6,000. It was originally a little-known place, but history gave it a special reputation, and that was the final destination of Napoleon. The most prominent statesman and military strategist in French history, exiled here and ended his legendary life.
Napoleon, the great man who once shook Europe, was not only the founder of the First French Empire, but also a reformer. His war tactics allowed France to expand its borders into northern Africa and successfully prevented external enemy attacks on several occasions. Under his leadership, the French legal system was perfected, laying the cornerstone for the later capitalist state, and successfully defending the spirit and achievements of the French Revolution.
However, a question arises on the surface of history: Why did such a remarkable leader die unexpectedly at the age of 52? There are many legends and speculations about his death, including stomach cancer, kidney disease, and even the assassination of his lover. Despite these claims, the mystery remains unanswered for more than 200 years.
On the night of May 5, 1821, in front of a house on the island of St. Helena, people gathered, all staring at a bed in the room where Napoleon, who was dying, was lying. When the giant of history died on this isolated island, his death caused a huge shock in Europe, and many speculated that it may have been a British trick. At the time, the British saw Napoleon as a great threat, but they also knew that his direct killing might provoke a French revolt.
Therefore, he chose to be exiled to this island.
But what the truth is, only clear evidence can tell us. Nevertheless, later autopsy reports announced that Napoleon had died of stomach cancer. Several members of the Napoleon family died of stomach cancer, including his father, grandfather and two younger sisters. The family history of this genetic disease gave the British side some comfort in thinking that the great man may have died as a result. However, acceptance of this causal conclusion is far from enough.
The Swedish dentist Stamford Sifford, in the 50s of the 20th century, turned his interest to the study of Napoleon's cause of death. One day by chance, he flipped through the memoirs of Louis Mars, Napoleon's chief bodyguard, which recorded a series of strange symptoms of Napoleon: from lethargy, to insomnia, to various physical discomforts, such as swollen legs and hair loss. As a toxicology researcher, Seaford is acutely aware that these symptoms may be related to some kind of poisoning condition.
In the following research, he collected samples of Napoleon's hair, and the results shocked the public. Napoleon's hair contained up to 13 times the amount of arsenic in normal people, suggesting that he may have been affected by arsenic poisoning for a long time before dying. This discovery has aroused widespread concern in society. At the same time, Napoleon's last words during his lifetime further deepened the mystery. He mentioned that the British oligarchic group and its hired killers may have been implicated in his death, and explicitly asked the private doctor, Margie, to dissect his body.
Not only that, but Montoron, a guard officer who had a deep hatred with Napoleon, was also involved in the matter. He had a personal grudge with Napoleon and was suspected of possibly poisoning Napoleon for a long time. This method of poisoning was cunning and secretive, causing Napoleon's body to be eroded for a long time.
In 1840, King Louis Philippe of France, in order to pay tribute to the great emperor, decided to welcome his body and hold a grand funeral for him in the House of Honors in Paris. Regarding the real cause of Napoleon's death, although history has left many mysteries and speculations, the real answer is still an unsolved mystery, waiting for future generations to continue to explore and study.
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