Life Under Napoleon

The civil reforms enacted by Napoleon Bonaparte forcibly reshaped the daily life of a continent. Filmed exclusively from the point of view of the people Napoleon ruled, this two-part series seeks to understand what life was like in Europe between 1799 and 1815—from the end of the French Revolution to the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo. Realistically dramatized accounts based on primary sources such as diaries, letters, reports, and court documents give a voice to people from all levels of society who alternately felt Napoleon’s hand upon their shoulder and his boot upon their neck. 2-part series, 52-54 minutes each.