In July 1798 Napoleon invaded Egypt, landing an army in the stifling heat of a North African summer. His invasion came as a shock to the Egyptians but also as a surprise to the soldiers onboard his armada, for they had not been briefed on a mission designed to win glory for their general and, or so it appeared, untold riches for their government. For these soldiers who followed in Napoleon-s wake, the campaign which followed promised neither fame nor wealth. What it did offer was forced marches, endless battles against fearsome warriors and the occupation of a land which mesmerised and repelled them in equal measure. Thousands of Frenchmen were to die in battle and as many again from disease ? including the plague.Somehow, Napoleon managed to parley this costly adventure into a triumph and soon he would become emperor. Though the butcher-s bill was high, the campaign did shake the Ottoman Empire and began Europe-s love affair with Egypt. Jonathan North presents an astonishing history o
