7. An Emperor’s Hubris Led to One of History’s Most Stunning Defeats
In 1812, France’s Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte made what turned out to be one of history’s worst decisions. At the start of that year, Napoleon bestrode Europe like a Colossus, and was at the height of his power. Then he invaded Russia with about 658,000 men – at the time, the biggest army ever assembled.
By the end of 1812, Napoleon had endured a catastrophic defeat. He lost most of his army, and began the downward slide that would culminate two years later in his exile to St. Helena. The disaster can be traced back directly to Napoleon’s own hubris and wishful thinking.