Death of Napoleon

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Napoleon Bonaparte died on 5 May 1821 at Longwood, on the Atlantic island of Saint Helena, where he had been exiled following his defeat at the battle of Waterloo and his abdication as Emperor of the French. He was 51. An autopsy concluded that he had died of internal bleeding caused by stomach cancer. Napoleon and 27 followers had arrived at Saint Helena in October 1815. In mid-1817 his health worsened and his physician diagnosed chronic hepatitis. In November 1818 the allies announced that he would remain a prisoner on Saint Helena for life. He became depressed and more isolated, spending longer periods in his rooms, which further undermined his health. From July 1820 he suffered frequent stomach pains, nausea and vomiting. In March 1821 he was confined to bed and he was given the last rites on 3 May. Following his death, he was buried on Saint Helena, but his remains were transferred to Paris in 1840. Despite the conclusion of the original autopsies, there has been scholarly debate on...

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