The first of three documentaries telling the story of Napoleon. With access to a unique archive of Napoleon's personal letters, many of which have never been published before, historian Andrew Roberts journeys through the history and geography of Europe to bring this story vividly to life as he retraces the footsteps of the legendary leader himself. The films shed new light on Napoleon as an extraordinarily gifted military commander, a mesmeric leader whose private life was, contrary to popular belief, littered with disappointments and betrayals. From lowly Corsican Army officer to first consul of France, this episode charts the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte to leader of the French nation in the late 1790s. It tells of Napoleon's military triumphs in Italy, Eqypt and against anti-revolutionaries on the streets of Paris, his marriage to Josephine Beauharnais and leadership of the military coup of 1799 that swept him into power. It shares in his ambition as an army officer and his highly progressive modernisation of the country during the early years of his dictatorship, but then also an acute sensitivity in the man, a personality trait that in later years would prove to be an Achilles heel to his power. The film is presented by British historian Andrew Roberts, and shot on location in St Helena, France and Italy.

In 1805, when Napoleon was crowned King of Italy, he was at the height of his power - the previous year, he had been crowned Emperor of the French. This edition of the series charts the transformation of a political leader of the French to Emperor and global statesman, from a son of the French Revolution to husband of the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor, the most powerful, conservative, monarchist nation on earth. It features the Battle of Austerlitz, one of the greatest military encounters of the nineteenth century, the rise of a Napoleonic Empire - at its peak numbered over 40 million people - and the supreme meritocracy that was the Napoleonic regime, but it also the compromises that Napoleon had to make to guarantee his global power, compromises that relied upon his trusting nature, a personality trait that in later years would prove to be an Achilles heel to his power. The film is presented by British historian Andrew Roberts, and shot on location in St Helena, France, Czech Republic and Russia.

Historian Andrew Roberts charts the fall of Napoleon, a defining moment in global history, which saw him taken to the remote island of St Helena in the Atlantic Ocean in 1815 as a prisoner of the British. It had taken just a year for the monarchies of Europe, the anti-Napoleonic powers of the world, to destroy him. He trusted the Tsar of Russia - but the Tsar reneged on their deal. He sought revenge by invading Russia in 1812 - but the campaign was a disaster. He sought to defend France against her enemies - but made some grave and ultimately suicidal military misjudgements. Ever since the revolution had taken place in France in 1789, the monarchist nations of the world were out to destroy Napoleon. At the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, they were granted their ultimate opportunity.