Traces the early life of Napoleon from his boyhood in Corsica to his meteoric rise during the Italian and Egyptian campaigns to his proclamation as Consul for Life in 1802.

Part One. Napoleon and Corsica : 1769-1793. 1. An Italian family in Corsica -- 2. A French upbringing -- 3. The French officer and the Corsican patriot -- 4. The revolutionary of Ajaccio -- 5. Lost illusions -- Part Two. Entry on Stage : 1793-1796. 6. Toulon -- 7. In search of a future -- 8. Happiness -- Part Three. The Italian Campaign : 1796-1797. 9. That beautiful Italy -- 10. An Italian policy? -- 11. On the road to Vienna -- 12. Mombello -- 13. Saving the directory -- 14. Campoformio -- 15. Parisian interlude -- Part Four. The Egyptian Expedition : 1798-1799. 16. The road to the Indies -- 17. The conquest of the Nile -- 18. Governing Egypt -- 19. Jaffa -- 20. The return from the Orient -- Part Five. Crossing the Rubicon : 1799. 21. The conspiracy -- 22. Brumaire -- Part Six. A King for the Revolution : 1799-1802. 23. First consul -- 24. First steps -- 25. From the Tuileries to Marengo -- 26. Works and days -- 27. The turning point of 1801 -- 28. Peace with the church -- 29. The top of the ladder.