Luigi Bonaparte, fratello minore di Napoleone Bonaparte, regnò come Re dello stato cliente francese d'Olanda dal 1806 al 1810. Mentre Napoleone intendeva l'Olanda come un mero stato fantoccio, Luigi era determinato ad affermare la massima indipendenza possibile. I suoi sforzi si conclusero infine nel 1810, quando Napoleone riannetté l'Olanda all'Impero Francese. Luigi fuggì poi in esilio in Austria, dove trascorse il resto della sua vita.
In this response to Sir Walter Scott's biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, defends his family's legacy and provides his own perspective on Napoleon's life and achievements. Louis argues that Napoleon was a great leader and that many of the stories about him are inaccurate or exaggerated.
This anthology brings together a collection of important historical documents related to the government of Holland, accompanied by insightful reflections from Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland from 1806-1810. Addressing issues such as democracy, religious freedom, and the balance of power, it remains relevant to contemporary debates about governance and society.