Elba

By Richard Moore

Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled by the Allied governments to Elba following his abdication at Fontainebleau and landed on the island on 4 May 1814.

He was allowed a personal escort of some 1000 men, a household staff and was even given the title Emperor of Elba and rule over its 110,000 people.

Bonaparte began his exile with a reform of the governmental system on the island, which is Italy's third biggest and lies just off the coast of Tuscany.

Soon, however, the former French emperor's thoughts turned towards Paris - now under the restored rule of the Bourbons - and he began to plan his return.

The time came faster than he imagined and only nine months later, on 26 February 1815, he escaped with his miniature army and landed in France. The 100 Days Campaign had begun.