St Helena was a different prospect to Elba – where before he had the run of the island, here Napoleon was watched at all times
The miles 1,200 was the isle place once from miles of St described “further England Helena, from West away 4,500 as and Africa, being from anywhere else in all the world”. So when, in 1815, the British government was looking for somewhere secure to house Napoleon Bonaparte – who not long before had abdicated as Emperor of France and surrendered to them – St Helena seemed the ideal place.
This was the second time Napoleon had abdicated. He did so for the first on 6 April 1814; Paris had fallen to the European coalition formed against him, the Duke of Wellington had crossed the Pyrenees and invaded the south of France, and Napoleon’s marshals were no longer prepared to fight on.