Napoleon Bonaparte - The Ultimate Narcissist? | History Documentary

One of the greatest battlefield commanders ever, Napoleon Bonaparte, created an empire that stretched across the whole of Europe. But he was more than just a soldier, his legal reforms and social policies transformed and rationalised his nation and many are still in place today. He was also a historian and even wrote a romantic novella. This documentary tells the story of how a hot-tempered boy from Corsica rise from humble origins to become Emperor of the French, and how he was brought low, to die powerless and alone on a tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic.
Find out if Napoleon was just a power-crazed megalomaniac, the ultimate narcissist, or whether there a subtler side to the man who history holds responsible for twenty years of war and the loss of six million lives.
Finding Out More:
There are many books about Napoleon life and loves and about his military campaigns. I have added some of most interesting biographies to my Amazon store page if you are interested: www.amazon.com/shop/professor...
Academic References;
Just, W., and Morris, M. R. (2003). The Napoleon complex: why smaller males pick fights. Evolutionary Ecology, 17, 509-522.
Kozłowska, M. A., Talbot, D., and Jonason, P. K. (2023). The Napoleon complex, revisited: Those high on the Dark Triad traits are dissatisfied with their height and are short. Personality and Individual Differences, 203, 111990.
Parker, H. T. (1971). The formation of Napoleon's personality: An exploratory essay. French Historical Studies, 7(1), 6-26.
Parker, H. T. (1990). Why did Napoleon invade Russia? A study in motivation and the interrelations of personality and social structure. The Journal of Military History, 54(2), 131-146.
Tam, A. (2008). In the Mind of a Legend. ESSAI, 6(1), 48.
Copyright Disclaimer:
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.
Images:
Wikimedia Commons
National Museum of the Bonaparte Residence in Corsica
Music:
Claude-Paul Taffanel: Wind Quintet in G minor - Andante. The Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet. CC2.0
Claude-Paul Taffanel: Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino. Alex Murray (flute) and Martha Goldstein (piano) CC2.0
Kai Engel: Oecumene Sleeps by CC4.0
MusicLFiles - The Lament Of The Warfields CC4.0
Misha Dioxin From the Arctic Circle - To the southern seas CC4.0
Anton Bruckner Symphony 3 Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Paavo Järvi (conductor) CC4.0
Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture Skidmore College Orchestra, Public domain
Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No 6 Wilhelm Furtwängler - Berlin Philharmonic
Gustav Mahler Symphony No.4 in G major 3. Ruhevoll European Archive. Musopen Public Domain
Video produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.

[@billyo54]

Lady Caroline Lamb's address to Wellington. 'You will always be remembered as the man who defeated Napoleon sir, but Napoleon will always be remembered for being Napoleon '.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Great quote.

[@seandobson499]

She also called Lord Byron 'Mad, bad and dangerous to know'

[@kylieebrook]

the page flip sound effects might be my favorite thing in the world

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you like it - it's a new one.

[@kylieebrook]

@@professorgraemeyorston ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@waverider8549]

They are rather calming, aren't they?

[@deborahdorosz3220]

Napoleon's ability to attract and inspire large armies with such loyalty to him is hard to fathom. His intense competitiveness and unwavering strategic pursuit of his objectives made the world his stage. I think many billionaires, CEOs, Hedge Fund Managers, and a lot of politicians have such qualities. I now need to read Napoleon's book on Caesar as that would have quite a relevant point of view.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I think there is something about being able to communicate promises of a better life, glory, riches etc, convincingly to people even though there is no real substance to what they are saying.

[@SofaKingShit]

Self confidence. Chicks and armies love it. Perhaps because seen from an evolutionary perspective a really self confident leader probably have at least _some_ reason for that self assuredness and as such is probably worth taking a chance on following that individual on order to increase the chances of one's own survival as well as possibly also inflating the chances of successfully getting a chick.

[@Jenn_80]

​@@professorgraemeyorstonThis is literally how Hitler got his followers

[@Bee-hf3fc]

On the bright side, we got Tolstoy's War and Peace.

[@redandblackpill]

What books

[@camoensdecervantes4029]

As for those who defend Napoleon for his Napoleonic Code, his social reforms, I answer them that these were demands of the French bourgeoisie - it was the price that Napoleon paid to have the financial support of this class for his imperialist and bloody wars. To believe that he simply gave these laws to the French because he was a great statesman, a born-again Justinian, is to completely ignore history.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I agree, he was a power obsessed narcissist.

[@capablemachine]

So what's the contrary, not granting them rights? Would that make him a non-narcissist? When Alexander I went back to Russia and put the serfs and Cossacks back into the same Russian service without giving them bourgeoisie concessions that made him a non-narcissistic character?

[@claudiabothma]

Richard Burton acting Napoleon was inspired casting! Thank you for an informative documentary, I had never heard of him selling at 3c an acre and think your point of him not being able to look ahead and predict the future consequences of his actions, is very succinct.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@tip0019]

Napoleon looked always ahead. He was a genius in organisation, delegation and embrazed the enlightenment with implementation of sweeping policies. You can not have these trades without having a grasp of the future and adjust. And of course he made many mistakes but not in this particulary case. Louisiana was not rich, 90% controlled by natives and only under France since 1800 for exchange of Tuscany with Spain. Instead of creating grounds for war with Britain they diplomatically sold it to the US and side-stepped Britain. It was just pelts in the day, not the rich modern plains 😉

[@Nevergiveup-jt1tb]

He was undoubtedly a great military Strategist and commander but don't hide the negative side of his character. So many people talk about the positive side of his character but they try to hide the negative side of his character; that was he was a narci ssist.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

That's why I called the video - the ultimate narcissist!

[@capablemachine]

People that hate themselves and ruminant rarely become emperor of the French.

[@hayekfriedman9078]

I've been listening to this channel for two days. Normally I'm not that interested in celeb bios, but your evidence-based approach makes for compelling listening.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you're enjoying them.

[@danieladeutsch1708]

Dear Professor Yorston, thank you so much for this documentary about Napoleon. I am fascinated since years with his persona. Collecting books, watching documents, lectures about him and his family. I have also a notebook, where I have drawn his family tree and making notes from the lectures I am watching :) I love your videos, your intellect and your library. I myself am a fan of (auto)biographies (too). Thank you so much for your hard work, that is always up to the point and accurate. Daniela XX

[@richardshiggins704]

Very interesting and very apposite given the forthcoming release of the Ridley Scott film , Napoleon . In my opinion he was an egocentric megalomaniac within the geopolitical confines of the era . I feel it was a misjudgement that his remains were released to France to lie in Glory at the Invalides . Strangely the French are particularly indifferent to him as a historical figure and tend to honour his achievements by naming Metro and railway stations after successful campaigns , Wagram , Austerlitz , Magenta etc . There is no Waterloo on the Paris Metro system , quelle surprise !

[@professorgraemeyorston]

He was obviously very popular in the Second Empire period, but I would like to know how he is regarded in modern France.

[@Nevergiveup-jt1tb]

He was undoubtedly a narcissist.

[@Adelink_lol]

You feed my obsession of studying dictators, thank you sir

[@professorgraemeyorston]

There is something fascinating about them.

[@Adelink_lol]

@@professorgraemeyorston yes, I think you should try and look into Xi Jinping; he’s always struck me as someone who tried to one-up Mao in terms of being remembered in influence, considering Xi’s circumstances during the Cultural Revolution, in which he suffered a great deal despite him calling it one of the best times of his life

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting

[@gastonbouchard9330]

I like your delivery.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I appreciate that!

[@theeaselrider4032]

Thanks, I found that quite interesting. My only question i -, why do you have a sliced bagel on two sticks on the bookshelf behind you? I look forward to more of your videos.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

They are Rai Stones - ceremonial gifts from the Pacific Caroline Islands.

[@theeaselrider4032]

That makes much more sense than what I thought. They sure look like bagels from here though.@@professorgraemeyorston

[@markholland5810]

Throughly wonderful video. The images and your comments were very entertaining! Also your closing comments were spot on. Thank you very much

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@poetryjones7946]

Ooo, good choice, saving this for tonight! I’ll be curious to hear if you address the “Napoleon complex” cliche 😸❤️

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I didn't go into his height at all as it is such a contentious issue - I'll do a separate video on the Napoleon complex.

[@poetryjones7946]

@@professorgraemeyorston agreed 👏🏽 Wonderful breakdown, I really dig your videos.

[@rktsnail]

Nice video thanks

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@rhobot75]

Thanks, Doc! Another great video. Love how you picked up the really really old movie clips! As a tangent, I lived in Madrid for a while and had an apartment in the Plaze Dos De Mayo area. There is a plaque there about the rebellion of the Spanish against Bonaparte. My tiny participation. : ) Oh, and yes, there's also a Bonaparte-adjacent fictional historical novel by Jeanette Winterson called The Passion. Mostly I remember her descriptions of Venice, but it's interesting in its depiction of Bonaparte as a bit of a glutton.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it. He was a bit paunchy in later life. The day after dos de mayo was when all the reprisals took place, depicted in Goya's famous painting.

[@rhobot75]

Yes, I took an art history class whilst at the Complutense, and we studied it. And half the classes were held at the Prado, very nice to have access to the musuem in a learning setting. To this day there are art history terms I only know in Spanish. And the Prado, which also houses the Hieronymous Bosch tryptich, Garden of Earthly Delights. More tangents! Thank you, again. @@professorgraemeyorston

[@tiadiad]

There is a word in the Russian language: "шаромыжник". It essentially means "beggar". It actually originates from two French words: "cher ami", which is what the retreating French soldiers would say, as they would beg for food and shelter.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting! I don't have much sympathy for Napoleon, but I feel pity for his poor soldiers who froze and starved to death on that campaign.

[@blvckmzt8709]

You

[@susieschlotzhauer9924]

Another beautiful Documentary thanks Doc! 😅 Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Napoleon

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks, great quote!

[@peterboyd7149]

Would Napoleon be classed as someone with a personality disorder today? He seems indifferent to the loss of his soldiers. My grandfather served in world war 2 and saw many friends killed he always told me crying wasn't weakness it is a safety value those that don't cry go mad. I love the quote attributed to the Duke of Wellington after Waterloo. When he looked at carnage on the battlefield. He said the only thing worse than a battle lost is a battle won.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Yes, I think you could say he probably had a narcissistic personality disorder.

[@Derm1991]

Surely to meet the criteria for personality disorder there must be an “impairment in functioning” to some extent. It is possible to argue his narcissism served him well, and was therefore “functional”. We certainly wouldn’t be discussing a competent yet unambitious artillery officer otherwise. Would it not the fairer to say he was very functional in some ways but dysfunctional in others. The huge amounts of death and suffering were also due to a militaristic society present in all European counties and to blame it all on Napoleon lets the state of France off the hook somewhat? I would be interested in your thoughts on application of PD diagnosis in politicians and leaders in general.

[@angelounson2175]

Napoleon reminds me of the 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece commemorates Russia's successful defense of the French invasion of the country by Napoleon in 1812.

[@Tolstoy111]

They didn’t successfully defend it. The French won the Battle of Borodino and took Moscow. They just didn’t take account of the distances involved for supplies.

[@joseenoel8093]

I'm back from Corse to freezing cold here Montreal! I b-fed each kid for 2.5 yrs and they're 2 yrs apart so all through my second pregnancy, they're very close and I never returned to work! So Corse was great. I liked Bastia best, was there on the 11th whereas they did have a small Remembrance Day Ceremony. It was warm and sunny (for me), I walked around the troops letting them know that I was Canadian (both granpaws were vets, step dad served too, mom's from Halifax, her mom survived Halifax Explosion) should they wish to thank me (they nodded their thanks)... Hubby likes to hike and I go to the pool, they hate Napoleon there, he brought taxes to them.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Interesting, I'd love to go to Corsica.

[@annwilliams6438]

Love your summary of Napoleon but would love to hear quite a bit more of your own views on him vs the ‘he wasn’t mad in the psychiatric sense’ line at the end. We can find out about N from a lot of spaces on YT, but there is only one ‘you’ out there and I love to have you add your expert insight. That is after all your USP versus other history or literature channels….

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you...I'm feeling all narcissistic now! I didn't go into too much detail into his personality as any judgments about personality depend on accurate biographical information and the problem with historical figures, even more than artists and writers is that there are so many different accounts and interpretations that he could have met criteria for any one of the personality disorders.

[@DougClark-qb1qd]

Thanks!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thanks Doug, much appreciated.

[@elloco6544]

Napoléon Bonaparte. Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde. He never knew, where to draw the lines...

[@johnlynch-kv8mz]

14:01 wow! How considerate of Him?!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

But what always fascinates me more is that people voted to confirm his powers.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

Thank you.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

You're welcome!

[@IMSHAKINGBABY]

The British still mad over 200 years later. Great informative video

[@professorgraemeyorston]

More than any other nation?

[@anythingbut...]

Napoleons war in current Haiti was more neuanced. He was desperate for cheap cannon fodder and went recruiting polish soilders of all ranks (who lost their country completely to partition) in return of promise helping getting Poland back on the map. When polish divisions arrived in Haiti and saw slavery which reminded them serfdom in their country (which they were trying to eradicate, and were most of the Napoleon's polish shoilders came from) they quickly switched sides and helped Hatian to run him out of the island. Quite big chunks of Poles stayed on the island contributing to the blue eyed or blond black person phenomenon there ;-) Some run to fight America wars and some retuned to fight get Poland back on map, which eventually happened without Napoleon's help.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, I wasn't aware of that.

[@capablemachine]

Napoleon also reasoned that defending Louisiana was impossible because it was across the ocean and would soon lose it to the British anyway, as they had done in India, Sri Lanka and French Canada. Selling it the US meant that the British would have to fight the infant United States for it, much more likely a French ally. The British had lost the revolutionary war and they would fight the US again in 1812. Napoleon once remarked that wherever he wasn't his subordinates committed folly after folly, especially in Spain. He wasn't defeated for the first time at Aspern-Essling that was 10 years earlier by Alvinci at the Battle of Caldiero in 1796. He was offered terms several times in 1813, not just the Frankfurt proposals, but he judged them to be in bad faith because of the coalition's constant enmity and plots. He once remarked that all the other leaders of nations could lose 100 battles and retire to their country estates, this was something he could not do. Indeed this did happen to many of his adversaries, Archduke Charles never held command again, despite being the most talented Austrian commander.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

He was offered retirement on Elba, but chose to have another crack at absolute power.

[@capablemachine]

@@professorgraemeyorston You said yourself in the video that the British were planning on sending him to St. Helena and weren't providing the agreed stipend. He wasn't even allowed to see his son or wife ever again. Once he did return to France he asked for peace with the allies. They refused and sent half a million men at him. For what? The French people rejecting their imposed Bourbon monarch? They acted in bad faith because any ruling political class that enriches itself hate an upstart more than anything, especially if they're a capable one.

[@capoislamort100]

The brits did a great job making sure this warlord, with an insatiable appetite for war, spent the rest of his life locked up on that island.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

It required the whole of Europe to defeat him, Britain just acted as his jailer!

[@capoislamort100]

@@professorgraemeyorston absolutely, but his #1 enemy was England. They degraded him to the title of ‘general’, and refused him proper medical care when he was dying of stomach cancer. That man did not go to his grave like Alexander or Caesar.

[@cassinhacarvalho5015]

Great!!

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you.

[@grapeshot]

I'll give that new movie about him a look.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing their take on such a complex character.

[@azouitinesaad3856]

​@@professorgraemeyorston oh boy they did a worst job than a British propagandists at the time would've done.

[@fatalisticbunny]

Napoleon would have made a successful CEO on Wall Street.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I agree, those ruthless personality traits would have made him successful in whatever he had tried to do.

[@Krullmatic]

Hey Prof. Yorston! Thank you for another grand documentary! Happy Thanksgiving and may God bring you many blessings to you and your family!🙏❤️❤️🙏

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, and the same to you.

[@oar-N-oasis]

May future glory kaya na naghihintay para sa kanya?

[@louisepotier2784]

Jeez whiz, to die at such a young age and to have thoughtlessly killed so many people. Thank-you for this war bio and as for no pictures at the end hahahha - good one! And as someone mentioned in the comments, I also enjoy the sound effects of your videos and the other visual treats. Thank-you and have a nice day! 🙂

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@Tolstoy111]

Napoleon didn’t instigate most of the wars he was involved with.

[@bobtaylor170]

I would be interested in a topic you didn't really delve into: how did he do it? History is crowded with accounts of pretenders to this or that authority, whether in organized crime or in government ( there occasionally is a distinction ), who are intercepted before they get there. Occasionally, you get a Lucky Luciano, or a Napoleon. Just how is it that these men succeed where thousands of others have failed, usually fatally?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Good question, I think luck has a lot to do with it. Napoleon could have died in the siege of Toulon if the bayonet that went through his thigh had clipped his artery and we would never have heard of him.

[@johnlynch-kv8mz]

21:23 Stress killed Him, He who murdered millions. Reconciled. Amen.

[@seandobson499]

I bet he wished he had stayed on Elbe after Waterloo and exile on St. Helena?

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I think that is the narcissist in him, he couldn't imagine that he would lose again.

[@tchrisou812]

I think he had NPD

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Yes, very probably.

[@voyaristika5673]

Hmm. I'm trying to think...when are the sands NOT shifting? 🤔 I enjoyed another video here, of course. Napoleon is impossible to categorize. I never found a mental file for him, except maybe under "miscellaneous." He seems like he could be a murderous tyrant or a strong leader of fairly high moral standing, all depending on the historical context he's plopped down in. Should I love him or not? I'll never know. 😮 (I got a kick out of his "mother's description" of her 2 year old, though. I'm thinking it would have had him potty trained at 4 or 5 months?)

[@professorgraemeyorston]

That's the problem with political figures - how you appraise their behaviour depends on how you view their politics!

[@kathybrascher1910]

I find it interesting that you’re a historian and a neuropsychologist.

[@zayedshebani6366]

What most accurate napoleon painting

[@camoensdecervantes4029]

Napoleon is closer to Xerxes and Genghis Khan than he is to Pericles and George Washington.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Good analogy, the Grande Armee wasn't so different to the Mongol horde.

[@AdrienneReneau-ky4sc]

Great Info FAMILIAR WITH military lifestyle DAD was in Coast Guard

[@katblack7625]

He certainly wrote some hot love letters. 😅

[@professorgraemeyorston]

But he wasn't so ardent that he spent much time with his wives.

[@user-ov9qe8wk9s]

Whatever he wanted , he got or took ---- BECAUSE HE WASN`T BREASTFED ---- ? YES , that makes me think . THANK YOU PROFESSOR .

[@professorgraemeyorston]

Freudianism taken to the extreme!

[@user-ov9qe8wk9s]

Yes , nothing happens without a deep reason behind it (...). I thank you for your answers , dear Professor .@@professorgraemeyorston

[@allisonhogg5131]

Thank you. Looking forward to the film. He had short man syndrome.

[@professorgraemeyorston]

And he probably wasn't that short!

[@richardshiggins704]

I think about 5'6"- 5'7" which was not too short for the period .@@professorgraemeyorston

[@johnlynch-kv8mz]

15:00 Deafening silence. Shame it is.

[@jeannedouglas9912]

Maybe Napoleon was conditioned to fight and she'd blood and become numb to being a cruel control freak. With the narcissistic win win mindset at all cost? False imprinting from early childhood. The breast feeding is quite Freudian with its oedipus and Electra complex theory. Still, an interesting documentary. Thanks

[@abdullahkarim4678]

Hati Fighting He Married Jesrfirnd African Father French Plantation Eygpt He worked for British Never Left Eygpt Invieted White Arabs In Suliman as His son stop from looting Destroying Pire Mids

[@seandobson499]

Thankfully for the world, invading Russia was the beginning of the end for Napoleon and Hitler.

[@deafviolinist]

mommy why?

[@Peter-id5fb]

N a comedian pope was r8

[@missingpiece2071]

Trumpoleon

[@professorgraemeyorston]

I'm saying nothing!

[@missingpiece2071]

Napoelon@@professorgraemeyorston

[@JustAllinOneResource]

I don't think Bonaparte has a chance against Trump. I would have to say Trump is the leading candidate.