Napoleon III. Born in 1808. The third son of Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, and Hortense de Beauharnais. Became head of the house after the death of his elder brothers and of the king of Rome. In 1836, made a first attempt to assert his claims, the result of which was exile to the United States. In 1840, he made another attempt, for which he was imprisoned in the castle of Ham, whence he escaped to England in May, 1846. He was elected to the Assembly in 1848, and soon after became president of the republic. After the coup d'etat of December, 1851, his term of office was prolonged to 10 years, and less than a year later a plebiscite was held, and Louis Napoleon became emperor of the French. He joined England in the Crimean War, and in 1859 (the year after his life was attempted by Orsini), helped Sardinia against the Austrians, and also took part in the operations against China (1858-60), and Mehemet Ali (1860-61), but he failed in Mexico in 1861. His government became increasingly unpopular in France, and he sought a remedy in the quarrel with Prussia. The result was his defeat and capture at Sedan (September 1-2, 1870), after which he was deposed. On his release, he lived in England until his death. Napoleon III was the author of several works, the chief of which are "La Vie de Cesar," and "Des Idees Napoleonmennes." Died 1874.

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