On 5 May 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte died at Longwood House on Saint Helena, a remote British possession in the South Atlantic where he had been held since his surrender in 1815. The former emperor’s death marked the end of a dramatic political and military career that reshaped Europe during the early 19th century. Background and exile After defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, Napoleon surrendered to the British and was transported to Saint Helena, chosen by the British government because of its isolation and the difficulty of escape. He arrived in October 1815 and lived under British supervision at Longwood, a damp wind-swept residence above the island’s central plateau. The terms of his custody allowed him a household and some visitors, but his movements were strictly controlled. Health and final illness Napoleon’s health declined over the final months of his life. Contemporary accounts describe weight loss, persistent gastric symptoms, and increasing weakness. He kept a small household of loyal companions and retained interest in reading, writing memoirs, and discussing politics and military affairs. British physicians attended him, and a few French doctors were permitted to visit; medical understanding at the time relied on observation and treatments now considered primitive. Cause of death and later debate The official cause of death recorded by his attending physician, François Carlo Antommarchi, was stomach cancer. This diagnosis was consistent with Napoleon’s family history—his father died of gastric disease—and with autopsy observations describing a large gastric lesion. Over subsequent centuries, other theories have been proposed, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and arsenic poisoning. Interest in arsenic arose partly because elevated arsenic levels were later reported in hair samples; however, modern researchers have argued that environmental sources (such as wallpaper or medicines) or contamination could explain such findings. There is no definitive modern consensus overturning the original 1821 diagnosis of stomach cancer. Reactions and funerary arrangements News of Napoleon’s death reverberated across Europe and the Atlantic. Reactions were mixed: monarchies and many political opponents received the news with relief, while Bonapartists and some liberal circles mourned the loss. On Saint Helena, his body was examined and a formal autopsy performed. He was buried on the island in a site on the Sane Valley at his request, under British guard. Legacy and repatriation Napoleon’s exile and death did not end his influence. Over the 19th century, his reputation evolved; he became a figure of fascination and varied interpretation—military genius, authoritarian ruler, reformer, or destroyer of liberties depending on the observer. In 1840, nearly two decades after his death, the French king Louis-Philippe negotiated the return of Napoleon’s remains to France. The repatriation—known as the “retour des cendres”—brought his body to Paris, where he received a state funeral and was entombed at Les Invalides, solidifying his enduring symbolic presence in French national memory. Historical significance Napoleon’s death on Saint Helena closed the final chapter of his direct political career but intensified the mythmaking that followed. Historians continue to study his military innovations, administrative reforms (including the Napoleonic Code), and the long-term impact of his rule on European state systems. Debates about the precise medical cause of his death illustrate how scientific analysis and historical interpretation can intersect, while the circumstances of his exile highlight how 19th-century powers handled high-profile prisoners. Sources and caution This summary is based on contemporary accounts (including physicians’ reports and eyewitness letters) and later historical research. Some medical details and theories proposed after 1821 remain contested; where dispute exists, the 1821 autopsy diagnosis of gastric disease or stomach cancer is the primary contemporaneous medical conclusion.