Napoleon's Handwritten Testament on Display at French National Archives

An exhibition at the Archives Nationales in Paris presents Napoleon Bonaparte's original handwritten testament, written during his final days in captivity on Saint Helena in April 1821. The 58-page document, which had been stored in the institution's secure 'Armoire de fer' since 1860, is being shown publicly in an exceptional display. The testament serves as a political statement, dynastic will, and historical reckoning, in which Napoleon pardons those who betrayed him, advises his son against fighting France, and accuses the English oligarchy of orchestrating his death. The exhibition is structured around three themes: the circumstances and strategies behind its creation, the hopes placed on his son who never ruled, and Napoleon's efforts to cement his military legacy from captivity. It also contextualizes the four political regimes that succeeded him before his succession was settled decades after his death. The modestly scaled but content-rich presentation offers a rare glimpse into the writing of a figure aware his words would endure through centuries. The exhibition runs until June 29, 2026, with free admission at 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois in Paris's 3rd arrondissement, open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and weekends from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., closed Tuesdays.