Never mind the famous battles, who was the real Napoleon? Where did he come from? What events conspired to turn him from a young Corsican officer to one of history’s greatest figures? How intense was his relationship with his wife Josephine? What part of his body was recreated in plaster, and how much was somebody willing to pay for it?

And just how did one man manufacture his own hype way before the days of social media?

Greg Jenner is joined by comedian Dan Schreiber and historian Dr Laura O’Brien. It’s history for people who don’t like history!

Produced by Dan Morelle
Script and research by Emma Nagouse

A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4