HC - Napoleon The Man, The Myth. The Legent Part 4 The Spanish Ulcer. 28/03/2013 13:17:15

He fired cannon on his own countrymen, wooed the mistress of a formidable opponent and even threatened the Pope. He was Napoleon, one of the most brilliant and complex figures in history. This absorbing appraisal of his life offers a new perspective of the little man from Corsica, who rose to new heights of power by seizing every brutal, outrageous opportunity in his path. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte, a native of Corsica, crowned himself emperor of France, an audacious gesture that illustrated his overweening pride and ruthless ambition. Despite his diminutive stature, “the little corporal” loomed large over much of Europe for two decades-as an adroit statesman, military strategist and ruthless conqueror. This sweeping documentary reveals the private tribulations as well as the public triumphs of a complex historical legend. From the glory of his empire to his defeat at Waterloo and miserable exile on Elba, here is an entertaining and complete portrait of an extraordinary life.

Part 4: The Spanish Ulcer

Up until 1807, Napoleon's life and career had been an almost uninterrupted tale of success, but things were beginning to unravel. The Emperor's determination to impose the 'Continental System' on the whole of Europe was the driving force behind the decision to invade Spain and Portugal, known to posterity as the Peninsular War. A further headache presented itself in the form of a revitalised and remodelled Austrian army, a force that was to inflict Napoleon's first decisive defeat on the battlefield. Family matters both home and aboard were also starting to cause Napoleon some problems, as his fortunes slowly began to wane.