News History Society Welcomes Historian and Author, Dr Edward Shawcross 01.10.2026

At the end of September, we had the pleasure of welcoming historian and author Dr Edward Shawcross to the school, to give a fascinating and highly entertaining talk for our History Society on his critically-acclaimed book ‘The People’s Emperor: The Unlikely Rise and Spectacular Fall of Napoleon III’. Leading us through the extraordinary trajectory of the life of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, Dr Shawcross examined how tenacious ambition, popular appeal, and sheer historical circumstance converged to extricate him from the shadows of his uncle’s infamy and to become the world’s first populist Emperor, laying the foundations of modern France as we know it today.

The talk was made particularly memorable however, by the wit and erudition with which it was delivered. Dr Shawcross contended with historical critiques of Napoleon’s rule as one of ‘grotesque mediocrity’ through illuminating the bizarre, tumultuous personal life of the emperor and consequently invited students to consider the macrocosmic impacts of a leader’s private life on the political sphere. Shrewd, satirical humour punctuated this sharp historical analysis to produce a truly unique presentation of an incredible part of French history and an amusingly resilient leader. The result was a talk that was as intellectually stimulating as it was enjoyable. Dr Shawcross left us with a renewed appreciation of both an often neglected period and of the occasional incredulity of history, for which we are very grateful.