The March of the Twenty-Six

Between the years 1804 and 1815, Napoleon created twenty-six Marshals of France. These men, who held the highest positions in the Empire after Napoleon himself, came from very diverse backgrounds and ranged from a smuggler to a Prince. During the years when Napoleon was conqueror of most of Europe, the Marshals acquired titles and great riches but in the end there was only one who was not to some extent corrupted by greed or ambition, and who remained loyal to the man who had elevated them all to power. This book describes their rise and fall.