This panoramic volume tells the story of French art, culture and life from the 1770s to the 1820s: the first French voyages of discovery to Australia, the stormy period of social change with the outbreak of the French Revolution, and the rise to power of the young Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.

This superb and comprehensive book details the foreign units which formed such an important part of Napoleon's forces. It examines each non-French unit in turn, giving an overview of the unit's origins, its organizational and combat history, its uniforms and standards, and details of the unit's eventual fate. Colourful accounts, taken from contemporary reports and memoirs, emphasize the qualities of the unit and throw light on what life was like for many of the foreign soldiers recruited into the Grande Armée. In total more than 100 different foreign units that served in the French Army are investigated in detail in this ambitious publication. Some foreign units fought and flourished throughout the Consulate and Empire, whilst others lasted for just a few months. Covers Polish, German, Swiss, Italian, Spanish, and other units in the French Army and presents a combat history and details uniforms for each regiment. Napoleon's Mercenaries is the best single-volume study of this aspect of Napoleon s army and a vital reference for every Napoleonic enthusiast. Little can be found on the foreign units that were an integral part of the French army ... For a long time a gap has existed, but now Napoleon s Mercenaries fills this gap. Robert Burnham, Napoleonic Series

A specialist in Napoleonic history reveals the legendary leader’s influence on the City of Light in this illustrated visitor’s guide. Historian David Buttery explores the many connections between Napoleon and Paris, where many remarkable buildings and monuments date from his time in power. Many of the city’s most famous sites were built or enhanced on Napoleon’s instructions, while others are closely associated with him and the First French Empire. Buttery explores the Napoleonic history of the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Hôtel des Invalides, Musée de l’Armée, Notre Dame Cathedral, Père-Lachaise Cemetery, and other fascinating sites. Full of evocative detail and practical information, Napoleon’s Paris is essential reading for every history buff who visits the French capital.