The 1906 caption reads: “NAPOLEON BEFORE THE MUMMY OF PHARAOH.—Many vivid and striking scenes have been furnished to French literature and art by the campaign of Napoleon in Egypt. There the greatest genius of modern energy was face to face with the most wonderful relics of ancient grandeur. "Soldiers," he said to his troops beneath the Pyramids, "forty centuries look down on you." Our picture shows him when he had the mummy of one of the old as unwrapped, and seemed to read from its withered lips a sermon on the folly of his own ambition.” Napoleon (1769-1821) was given the command of the so
The 1906 caption reads: “NAPOLEON BEFORE THE MUMMY OF PHARAOH.—Many vivid and striking scenes have been furnished to French literature and art by the campaign of Napoleon in Egypt. There the greatest genius of modern energy was face to face with the most wonderful relics of ancient grandeur. "Soldiers," he said to his troops beneath the Pyramids, "forty centuries look down on you." Our picture shows him when he had the mummy of one of the old as unwrapped, and seemed to read from its withered lips a sermon on the folly of his own ambition.” Napoleon (1769-1821) was given the command of the so-called Army of England at the end of 1797 by the Directory in France that was set up after the French Revolution. On May 19, 1798, Napoleon sailed for Egypt, arriving in Alexandria on May 30th. He defeated and entered Cairo on July 24th. His fleet, however, was destroyed by Nelson (English commander) on August 1 at Battle of Nile. Napoleon did go on to become emperor of France. When in Egypt, he toured the ancient sites and had his savants note all pertinent facts.
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Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1790s, 18th, ancient, army, battle, bonaparte, century, egypt, egyptian, emperor, french, general, mummy, napoleon, nile, pyramids, ruins, savant, savants, soldiers
