Born into imperial splendour, Louis-Napoléon - the nephew of Napoléon Bonaparte - grew up far from power after the defeat at Waterloo. In exile, he plotted to restore his uncle's empire. Few took him seriously. What followed is one of the most astonishing, impossible stories in history. Aged 40, Louis- Napoléon was elected president of France. Three years later, he seized power and became emperor. Napoleon III's story is one of self-belief, political skill and radical innovation - the first person to master mass democratic politics and populism. Yet, despite being one of the most important trailblazers of the nineteenth century, he is largely forgotten today.

The strange rise and catastrophic fall of Napoléon Bonaparte's nephew is a story of both tragedy and farce, set during France's most tumultuous decades.