As Befits a Legend: Building a Tomb for Napoleon, 1840-1861

One of the most important funerary monuments in Europe is the tomb of Napoleon, built in the Church of the Invalides in Paris between 1840 and 1861. As Befits a Legend is the first comprehensive examination of its construction process, historical context, and political and social meanings. It also is the only work published in English about this unique structure.

Michael Paul Driskel’s study, based on extensive archival research in France, documents the problems inherent in build…