A Lesson in Power

In 1815, there was an intriguing editorial shift as Napoleon returned to France following his exile on Elba.

Le Moniteur Universel, which was the official government newspaper, reported:

• March 9: "The Anthropophagus has quitted his den."
• March 10: "The Corsican Ogre has landed."
• March 11: "The Tiger has arrived at Gap."
• March 13: "The Tyrant has passed through Lyons."
• March 18: "Bonaparte is only sixty leagues from the capital."
• March 19: "Bonaparte is advancing with rapid steps, but he will never enter Paris."
• March 20: "Napoleon will, tomorrow, be under our ramparts."
• March 21–22: "The Emperor has arrived at Fontainebleau" and "His Majesty the Emperor made his public entry. Nothing can exceed the universal joy." 

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Andrew Roberts, in his massive biography of Napoleon, notes:

"On March 21, the Moniteur, which once again changed its editorial policy the moment he returned to power, printed the name NAPOLEON in capital letters no fewer than twenty-six times in the course of four pages, telling the news of his triumphal return."

[Photo by Nicolas HIPPERT at Unsplash]