Luis Bonaparte, hermano menor de Napoleón Bonaparte, reinó como Rey del estado cliente francés de Holanda desde 1806 hasta 1810. Mientras Napoleón pretendía que Holanda fuera un mero estado títere, Luis estaba decidido a afirmar la mayor independencia posible. Sus esfuerzos concluyeron finalmente en 1810, cuando Napoleón reanexó Holanda al Imperio Francés. Luis huyó entonces al exilio en Austria, donde pasó el resto de su vida.
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This anthology brings together a collection of important historical documents related to the government of Holland, accompanied by insightful reflections from Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland from 1806-1810.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.