This classic study of the French occupation of Egypt presents a lucid and comprehensive account of Napoleon's stunning victories and devastating losses.
Originally published in 1962, J. Christopher Herold's Bonaparte in Egypt is considered the definitive modern account of this extraordinary campaign. In an elegantly written and detailed study, Herold covers all aspects of Bonaparte's expedition: military, political, and cultural.
Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Egypt was a bold adventure that reached the extremes of total triumph and utter defeat. Bonaparte won a decisive victory at the Battle of the Pyramids and quickly captured Cairo. But his fleet was completely destroyed by Admiral Nelson at Abukir Bay and his ambition to conquer the Holy Land was frustrated at Acre.
Despite these reverses, Bonaparte returned to France where he was greeted as a hero and seized political power in 1799. His attempt to take permanent control of Egypt and Syria for France was a critical stage on his road to power, and it is one of the most revealing episodes in his spectacular career.
J. Christopher Herold (1919-December 10, 1964) was born in Czechoslova颅kia of Austrian parents. The family moved to Germany in 1939, and shortly afterwards Herold emigrated to the United States.
Herold received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Columbia University. Fluent in 6 languages, he served with Army intelligence in World War II. After the war, he became assistant editor at Columbia University Press, and later editor-in-chief at the Stanford University Press.
Herold wrote a number of books on European history, such as 鈥淭he Swiss Without Halos鈥� (1948), 鈥淛oan, Maid of France鈥� (1952), 鈥淭he Mind of Napoleon鈥� (1955), and 鈥淢istress to an Age: A Life of Madame de Sta毛l鈥� (1958).
This is a complicated book in some ways. It is not only a military history, but also a look at the Egypt of the day and what Napoleon said that he hoped to do there. The problem is that with Napoleon you could never tell if he was telling the truth or just saying it to get his own way.
Certainly the Battle of the Pyramids, the Battle of the Nile and his disastrous excursion into Syria are facts. Facts that brought him glory and failure, failure with lots of casualties, but Napoleon knew how to put a spin on things. He was a master of propaganda, long before it became popular to do so. He knew how to use his generals' abilities to his benefit, but not always to theirs. With that in mind, two of the most memorable characters were Generals Kleber and Desaix. Desaix spent harrowing weeks trying to capture Murad Bey while Kleber was left to deal with myriad problems in Egypt when Napoleon decided it was time to search for his glory back in France.
In his effort to create an Egypt in France's image (an impossibility) Napoleon did bring along the Scientific Commission and Institute, which included some fine scientists and artists. Bonaparte had some good ideas, but his efforts to impose French ideals met with little sucess, despite his continual reassurance of being 'almost Moslem.'
I learned a great deal from this book. Some parts were tedious, but the author's moments of perceptive humor helped. On this, the 202nd anniversary of Waterloo, you can't help but realize how easily that great battle might never have been necessary. Bonaparte and his search for glory could have been lost in the sands of Egypt/Syria, however, the thousands who died of disease or in battle in the Egyptian campaign were just the first of many.
Other than the absolutely hideous cover design, and some annoying typos throughout the text (including some dates), I rather enjoyed this book. This was the first specific history of Napoleon's Egyptian campaign that I've read, so it exposed me to a wealth of new material. I was surprised to find out the author is not British, since he sprinkled his narrative with some very Britishy witty, acerbic observations.
The quote of the book for me is when the author described Bonaparte's appearance upon embarking for Egypt in 1798: : "He had the face of an eagle and the hairdo of a spaniel." (page 35)
Very thorough study of this fascinating interlude as Napoleon operates small armies in a hostile environment. He doesn鈥檛 do it well & no amount of his propaganda can hide the fact that this was a megalomaniac expedition in the pursuit of La Gloire for himself with no clear object aside from being comparable to Alexander or Caesar. He left his army behind to pursue a coup d鈥檈tat in France. Despite having huge technological advantages over his opponents, he achieved nothing long-lasting in power terms in the Middle East & exhibited his total misunderstanding of naval warfare by blaming his Admiral for the Aboukir Bay disaster when he was largely following orders. His lack of logistical understanding is also very visible here.
Crushing indictment of Napoleon's most romanticised exploit. Reading this was a seminal moment in realising just what kind of a person Napoleon really was.
Napoleon has just beaten Austria and agreed for France a peace treaty. But Britain remains at war, so what is France to do next? The options Napoleon suggests are risky; a cross channel invasion, or using Egypt as a launching pad to attack Britain鈥檚 richest colony, India. The first would be incredibly difficult absent a victory over the Royal Navy, Napoleon therefore jumps at the second. To stand still and negotiate is clearly not an option; Napoleon needs more victories for his ambitions in France. Egypt will be the place to win those triumphs, or if it isn鈥檛 he will make it seem like it was! J Christopher Herold provides a narrative of the campaign(s) from inception through Napoleon鈥檚 abandonment of Egypt to further those ambitions, and on to the final surrender of Egypt.
Egypt brings out both the best and the worst in Napoleon. When campaigning there are brilliant victories in land battles 鈥� for example at the Pyramids and Aboukir. And as de facto ruler of a country for the first time Bonaparte鈥檚 tolerant style of government and interest in developing the country shines through. How many generals would have brought such a range of scientists and men of learning along? But at the same time Napoleon is prone to overestimating what can be done and wishful thinking - for example that Turkey will somehow not fight to retake Egypt. In many respects the Egypt campaign can be seen as a precursor to the overreach that is the invasion of Russia. In Egypt he is cut off, overstretched and slowly losing to attrition. The whole campaign is a reckless gamble that does not pay off for anyone - except Napoleon himself who somehow manages the propaganda sufficiently to become consul upon his return to France.
With the book titled Bonaparte in Egypt the narrative could have stopped when Napoleon ups sticks and leaves his army in the lurch. It does not. However, things do speed up with only the last chapter and a half devoted to the time the French were in Egypt post-Bonaparte leaving. This is despite there being two more years from this point until the end 鈥� clinging on may be less interesting than conquest but I certainly feel it could have been more comprehensively covered.
I very much enjoyed the style in which the book is written. It keeps up the pace and interest. Herold tells the story with considerable humour and an eye for amusing anecdotes. Although the narrative follows the campaigns in detail it is not done in the day to day style of X went to Y place that can be so tiresome, instead focusing in on the more important events. Herold does not spare the reader from the often awful conditions, as well as the atrocities that are committed - including those ordered by Napoleon himself.
The book is slightly old, so there are newer options that may well reflect more recent scholarship and ideas on Revolutionary/Napoleonic France鈥檚 role in Egypt. However if it is a good narrative you are looking for Bonaparte in Egypt will still serve very well.
Bonaparte in Egypt by J. Christopher Herold is a fascinating and vivid account of one of the most ambitious 鈥� and often overlooked 鈥� episodes of Napoleon's career. Herold masterfully brings to life the drama of Napoleon鈥檚 Egyptian expedition, highlighting not only the military campaigns but also the scientific and cultural ambitions that accompanied them.
The book is rich in detail and thoroughly researched, making it a truly exciting read for anyone interested in Napoleonic history or the broader age of imperial expansion. Herold鈥檚 narrative captures the chaos, the idealism, and the brutal realities faced by the French army as they ventured into a land so different from their own. His ability to portray the complex motivations behind the campaign and the larger-than-life figure of Napoleon himself makes for compelling reading.
However, at times the book becomes difficult to follow, mainly due to the sheer number of names and figures introduced throughout the story. Without a clear guide or reference chart for the many military leaders, scientists, and political figures involved, it can be easy for readers to lose track of who's who. A simple family tree, organizational chart, or even a glossary would have greatly enhanced clarity and helped maintain the momentum of the story.
Despite these occasional hurdles, Bonaparte in Egypt remains an engrossing and worthwhile read. Herold succeeds in making a complex historical episode both accessible and exciting, offering readers a glimpse into a moment when military ambition, scientific curiosity, and imperial dreams collided on the desert sands.
An interesting look at Napoleon Bonaparte's French takeover of Egypt. I read this for research for a project I was working on, but I enjoy reading historical accounts of various moments in history, so I did enjoy reading it. It is a little bit of an old-school look into that historical event, but this was first published in 1962 after all. It is still a rather forward-looking approach nonetheless. One little tidbit I picked up on that I found particularly interesting was that the book noted that Napoleon kept copies of the Bible and the Koran in his personal library on the voyage to Egypt and read them regularly during the trip. However, he categorized them under politics. Then, after Napoleon conquered Egypt, he made a speech to the Egyptians to win them over and stated that Allah was the one true God and that there was no son of God. He even stated that his troops have also "accepted this truth." However, when the same letter of the speech was sent to French newspapers, he had it changed to say they were "friends of Allah."
Probably the wittiest military history I have ever read. Herold skilfully depicts the grandeur, arrogance, and futility of Napoleon's Eastern adventure. Although I quickly got lost among the various names and geographic locations, Herold's acid and unsparing portrayals of Napoleon and his generals and their harsh and violent times kept my interest. "It is a moral and political axiom that any dishonourable act, if performed by oneself, is less immoral than if performed by someone else, who would be less well-intentioned in his dishonesty." "he had a true passion for diplomacy, which is the art of fishing tranquilly in troubled waters." "an international epidemic of erroneous reasoning" "historians are lenient to those who succeed and stern with those who fail; in this, and this alone, they display strong political sense.". Highly entertaining.
Brillianty written non-fiction book that entertains like a fiction book. This gave me so much information on Napoleon's Egyptian horror, that I was totally sated and hope the author would write a fiction book with the same setting.
Very well written. Had a hard time finding a thesis until the end, however. Still, one of the few focused books on this part of his career, which makes it special in itself.
Straightforward narrative account focused on the French. I read it for research on the naval aspects, so it had limited utility. Decently written and entertaining.