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During Napoleon’s stayed on Elba in 1814, he was not content. His
thoughts kept wandering back to his ambitions of a grand empire.
In
February 1815, Napoleon escaped from the island with 1,000 or so
followers. He landed on March 1 and marched toward Paris, gathering
supporters along the way. The French army sent to stop him, joined
him instead. The Bourbons fled as Napoleon entered Paris on March
20, beginning the Hundred
Days. The people welcomed back their hero, but not his dictatorship.
Napoleon proclaimed a new constitution that limited his power. Napoleon
was determined to change that constitution later as he prepared
to engage the allies.
After a few victories, Napoleon lost at the Battle of Waterloo.
Napoleon fled to Paris and abdicated again on June 22, ending the
Hundred Days.
This
time, the allies weren’t so generous toward him. In August, they
imprisoned Napoleon on the island of St. Helena, off the southern
coast of Africa. On the island, there was nothing for Napoleon to
do but write his memoirs.
Napoleon died on May 5, 1821.
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