Book description
On June 25, 1807, Napoleon met and embraced his recent foe, Tsar
Alexander I of Russia, on a raft in the middle of the River Niemen near
Tilsit. This theatrical but historic occasion represented the pinnacle
of Napoleon's glory. The Tsar was forced to accept an alliance dividing
Europe into two spheres of influence, and Napoleon became supreme ruler
of the continent of Europe west of Russia.
Alistair Horne traces Napoleon's ascent to power int he years preceding
this climax to his political and military career: the success of the
"peace machine," the formation of the impressive Grande Armee
and the abortive plan to invade England. The author examines in detail
the strategic success of the Ulm-Austerlitz campaign in 1805 - "the
first great battle of modern history" - in which Napoleon
decisively defeated the Austro-Russian army. With the ensuing double
victory of Jena-Auerstadt in 1806 and the defeat of the Prussians,
Napoleon became undisputed master of Central Europe. In 1807, the Battle
of Eylau, resulting in a draw - after which he admitted that his
"soul was oppressed to see so many victims" - led to his
crushing victory at Friedland which set the seal on the campaigns begun
two years previously.
Napoleon, Master of Europe
is more than a military history, for it also describes in colorful and
convincing detail the background of contemporary social life in France,
England and other combatant nations. Alistair Horne was educated at Le
Rosey, Switzerland, and Jesus College, Cambridge. He ended his war
service with the rank of Captain in the Coldstream Guards attached to
MI5 in the Middle East. From 1952 to 1955 he worked as a foreign
correspondent for the Daily Telegraph. In 1969 he founded the Alistair
Horne research fellowship in modern history, St Antony's, Oxford. His
numerous books on history and politics have been translated into over
ten languages, he was awarded the Hawthornden prize (for THE PRICE OF
GLORY) and the Wolfson prize (for A SAVAGE WAR OF PEACE). In 1992 he was
awarded the CBE; in 1993 he received the French Légion d'Honneur for his
work on French history and a Litt. D. from Cambridge University. He was
knighted in 2003 for services to Franco-British relations.
