The sachet of poison that failed to kill him and ended an empire

Napoleon sits on Fontainebleau's floor with a sachet of poison sewn to his skin - which island will hold the man who remade Europe? The sachet of poison that failed to kill him and ended an empire In this episode, we follow the last days of Napoleon at Fontainebleau and the choices that led to his exile. We trace the retreat from Moscow, the winter that shattered the Grande Armée, and the political cracks that forced his abdication-so how did a conqueror end up with a sewn sachet and a map of small islands as his fate? Person: Napoleon Bonaparte Date: April 12, 1814 Event: Abdication and negotiations at Fontainebleau Location: Fontainebleau, France Topic: Sachet of poison carried since the retreat from Moscow - He crossed the River Neman in June 1812 with over six hundred thousand men, intending a quick campaign that became a catastrophe. - During the retreat from Moscow he began carrying a small sachet of poison sewn into his clothing and kept it on his person thereafter. - After defeats at Leipzig and the Coalition advance, he rebuilt an army of young recruits-the "Marie-Louises"-and scored several tactical victories in early 1814. - Marshal Marmont negotiated with the Coalition and moved his corps away from Paris, breaking Napoleon's defensive line and softening diplomatic options. - Following Paris's fall and his unconditional abdication on April 6, diplomats debated islands-Corsica, Sardinia, then Elba-as potential places to send the deposed emperor. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].