I write historical fiction and blog about all things Napoleonic.

Why Napoleon? Read on to discover how this unlikely man—who’s both revered and reviled—defined an era. But you won’t learn much about battles here. I’m interested in Napoleon himself, in the people around him, and in the culture of his era. St. Helena Island in the remote South Atlantic, where Napoleon spent the last five years of his life in exile (and which I visited in 2011), is a particular fascination of mine.

Margaret Rodenberg, author of the historical novel, FINDING NAPOLEON
Finding Napoleon: A Novel is winning awards
 

My novel, FINDING NAPOLEON­­—with its adaptation of Napoleon Bonaparte’s real attempt to write a novel—offers a fresh take on Europe’s most powerful man after he’s lost everything. A forgotten woman of history, the audacious Albine de Montholon, narrates their tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal.

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Finding Napoleon in Historical Fiction

Beyond the Ghetto Gates by Michelle Cameron

Beyond the Ghetto Gates by Michelle Cameron Napoleon and the Jews in Italy I asked Michelle—who did extensive research—to share her thoughts on Napoleon’s encounter with Italy’s Jewish population: Beyond the Ghetto Gates takes place in 1796 – 1797 during Napoleon’s Italian Campaign. What was it about that time and place that inspired your novel?  While

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Finding Napoleon in Montreal

At the Napoleonic Historical Society 2019 conference, Chris Franke who honors Louis Anselm Briquet

In September, I spent three days in Montreal immersing myself in Napoleon Bonaparte with the Napoleonic Historical Society. As usual, the society’s annual conference was informative and entertaining. This year, the speakers covered a broad range of topics from war to art to political marriage to dueling etiquette. They examined Napoleon’s influence beyond France and

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Join the Napoleonic Historical Society

Image from the Napoleonic Historical Society website

Napoleonic Conference, Montréal, September 13 – 15, 2019 What Is the Napoleonic Historical Society? The Napoleonic Historical Society’s mission is “to study, share and stimulate interest in the history of the Age of Napoleon.” Members are a diverse group of people. Some are battle reenactors who can argue over every maneuver that won or lost a conflict.

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FINDING NAPOLEON ON MAY 5

Napoleon Bonaparte on deathbed, by Denzil Ibbetson from his sketches made at Longwood House, St Helena, May 6, 1821, on loan from Conte Walewski to Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Napoleon Bonaparte’s Death Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on St Helena Island on May 5, 1821. The next day, Denzil Ibbetson (1775-1857) came to Longwood House to sketch the Emperor as his body awaited autopsy. Based on his drawings, Ibbetson painted the strikingly modern painting shown above. He gave the painting to Napoleon’s last rival,

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FINDING NAPOLEON’S SON AND HEIR

Napoleon's son, the King of RomePhoto by Margaret Rodenberg

Commemorating the birthday of the Eaglet, Napoleon’s only legitimate son As reported on March 21, 1811, in the Paris journal Le Monitor, Napoleon Bonaparte’s son, the King of Rome (nicknamed the Eaglet), was born on March 20, 1811: “Today, 20 March, at twenty minutes past nine in the morning, the hopes of France were realized: Her

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