Napoleon and Love is a British television miniseries produced by Thames Television for ITV, lasting for nine episodes from 5 March to 30 April 1974. The series stars Ian Holm in the title role as Napoleon and depicts his relationships with the women who featured in his life as a backdrop to his rise and fall.
CreatorPhilip Mackie
Rose
Mar 5, 1974
Marseilles, 1795: Broke and unemployed, 25-year-old Napoleon seeks the hand of Désirée, a relative of his sister-in-law, who possesses a substantial dowry. When her parents reject him, he leaves for Paris, where he secures an important position and meets the beautiful Josephine.
Josephine
Mar 12, 1974
While Napoleon wages a brilliant campaign in Italy, Josephine conducts an affair with a handsome captain in Paris. When Napoleon demands that she join him in Milan, she replies that she can't travel, but Napoleon's passion for her grows greater each day.
Pauline
Mar 19, 1974
Campaigning in Egypt, Napoleon learns of Josephine's infidelity. Heartbroken, he embarks on an affair of his own with Pauline, the wife of a French lieutenant, and promises to marry her after divorcing Josephine.
Georgina
Mar 26, 1974
Now first consul of France and on the brink of becoming emperor, Napoleon takes a series of mistresses. The greatest threat to Josephine is an ambitious young actress, Mademoiselle George, whom Napoleon calls Georgina.
Eleanore
Apr 2, 1974
Now Emperor of France, Napoleon still has no heir. Is he infertile, or is Josephine too old? Napoleon's sister Caroline arranges a new mistress for him, Eleonore, who soon becomes pregnant. But is the child really his?
Maria Walewska
Apr 9, 1974
The Emperor frees Warsaw from the Russians and falls in love with Marie Walewska, who spurns his advances until Polish patriots convince her otherwise. If she becomes Napoleon's mistress, perhaps she can curry favor for Poland.
Maria Luisa
Apr 16, 1974
Napoleon needs a son and knows that Josephine can never give him one. Josephine's final desperate ploy—spreading rumors of Napoleon's impotence—fails. Napoleon divorces her and demands the hand of the Austrian emperor's daughter.
Louise
Apr 23, 1974
Napoleon weds Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, a young woman with large sexual appetites. Before long, she's pregnant. Following a difficult labour, she delivers a son and immediately wants another, but Napoleon has world domination on his mind.
The End of Love
Apr 30, 1974
When Napoleon's Russian expedition fails, he's forced to abdicate and retreat to Elba. Josephine takes ill and remains faithful to the end. Napoleon returns to France in triumph, but soon faces Waterloo and his ultimate destiny.
