Napoleon’s Secret Weapon: The Lavish 1802 Sword Expected to Shatter Auction Records at $1 Million
Two years later, Napoleon was crowned emperor. He spent the early 19th century conquering much of Europe, but was stymied during his failed 1812 invasion of Russia and subsequently exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba. After briefly returning from exile, Napoleon gifted his prized sword to an ally, Emmanuel de Grouchy, but was then defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in present-day Belgium in 1815. After then being exiled again, this time to the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, Napoleon died in 1821 at age 51.
The sword, however, remained in the Grouchy family for generations thereafter.
GiquelloAfter Napoleon gifted the sword to his loyal ally, Emmanuel de Grouchy, it remained in the Grouchy family for decades.
Napoleon has remained a figure of fascination ever since (as has his height), and a number of Napoleon-related artifacts have fetched high prices at auctions in recent years.
In 2024, for instance, two pistols that Napoleon had planned to use to take his own life in 1814 after a military defeat sold at auction for $1.8 million.
Now, Napoleon’s sword is expected to fetch a similarly high price. Not only is it an incredibly ornate artifact, but it belongs to a crucial moment in Napoleon’s life, and thus a crucial moment in the history of Europe itself.
After reading about Napoleon’s sword, which is set to sell at auction for up to $1.1 million, see how Napoleon’s penis became a collector’s item. Then, read about Toussaint Louverture, the ex-slave who defeated Napoleon during the Haitian Revolution.
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