History, B.C. It tells that in 332 BC, Alexander the Great came to Egypt under Persian rule. It is said that the Conqueror and his enormous ego entered the interior of the temple of Amun to gain the favor of the gods. It is difficult to understand how far the Magno legend goes, but in the case of Napoleon the references are closer. What really happened when Bonaparte arrived in Egypt and took with him the so-called great secret?

Imitating adults. Let’s start with the obvious. Historians have always remembered that Napoleon was, among other things, an ardent admirer of other great conquerors, such as Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great himself. In fact, when Bonaparte arrived in Egypt in 1798, he recalled the oft-repeated anecdote of Magnus entering the temple and eventually convincing everyone that the oracle had declared him a son of Amun. Napoleon was no less than that.

As Peter Tompkins explains in his work Secrets of the Great Pyramid, he intended to emulate two other great military strategists who decided to experience the discovery themselves.

The mystery he took to his bed. Thus, it is said that Napoleon returned to Cairo in the middle of a campaign in Egypt and Syria to spend a night inside the Great Pyramid. Moreover, he wanted to be alone in the final resting place of the great Pharaoh Khufu. He entered, accompanied by his entourage and a Muslim cleric. The group walked through narrow corridors until they reached the king’s chamber, the heart of the only one of the seven wonders of antiquity still standing, and left him there. For an entire night.

Seven hours later, with the sun already illuminating the burial plateau of Giza, Napoleon emerged, pale and dazed. His men demanded to know what had happened to him, to which the general replied simply: “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.” He never wanted to talk about it again. The secret between him and the ancient stones was never known.

As with so many stories and tales of the past, it is difficult to distinguish whether we are dealing with a historical and fascinating fact of great value (that Napoleon left the Great Pyramid visibly affected, uttering these words and refusing to explain what happened in life). ) or a story that becomes bigger than it is. Although the story has become engrained in popular culture, its veracity remains a matter of debate among historians and academics.

This is real. Contrary to those who claim that the story was fabricated or embellished to enhance the conqueror’s image and align him with the pharaohs, others affirm that there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. One of the most important and frequently cited of these are the accounts provided by the artist Dominique Vivant Denon, who accompanied Napoleon’s expedition.

Denon’s memoirs describe a night spent inside the Great Pyramid and mention Napoleon’s presence with a number of trusted figures, but skeptics suggest that Denon’s narrative may have been influenced by a desire to glorify Napoleon’s greatness.

The magnificent and intriguing Grand Gallery, circa 1799, as depicted in the Description de l’Egypte

Despite the skepticism, other accounts and records from the same period provide additional support for the claim. One such account comes from Colonel Ségur, who served in Napoleon’s army and confirms the general details of the story. However, due to the limited evidence available, the exact details of Napoleon’s alleged night in the Great Pyramid remain a mystery.

In his novel The Immortal Pyramid, author Javier Sierra also claims in the epilogue and introduction that Napoleon spent a night in the pyramid, although the article is a product of imagination.

This is a myth. On the contrary, there is enough information to suggest otherwise, compared to those who think the story is entirely true. In the biography of Bonaparte written by his personal secretary, Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne, he does not say that he entered the pyramid or spent a night in its rooms (though he is said to have sent several people to report his impressions).

In this sense, Bourrienne said that Bonaparte set out from Cairo towards the pyramids. He had planned to spend three or four days examining the ruins of the ancient Necropolis of Memphis, but suddenly had to change his plan. The trip in question, made due to the course of the war, provided the opportunity for the invention of many legends, according to his personal secretary:

Bonaparte before the Sphinx, painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme, c. 1868

“Bonaparte did not even enter the great pyramid. He never thought of going there. If he had, I would certainly have accompanied him, because I never left his side in the desert for a moment. ‘While he was out, he took some people into one of the great pyramids, and when he came back he told them what he had seen,’ he explained.

Writer and historian Shannon Selin, author of Napoleon in America, said on her personal blog that there are many legends around Bonaparte, but very few are true. In the case at hand, the author explains that the problem was that no one who was with Napoleon in Egypt reported that they had entered a pyramid.

The legend of the Sphinx’s nose. Selin also echoes a widespread myth originating in the recent Ridley Scott film, in which he seems to explicitly state in his diary that Napoleon’s troops did not fire cannons at the pyramids, or that the military man who ordered his soldiers to use the cannons for target practice was responsible for the destruction of the Sphinx’s nose.

In fact, the historian recalls that the nose of the Sphinx disappeared long before Napoleon and his troops arrived in Egypt. It is also thought that the statue crumbled due to erosion, so its facial feature naturally collapsed.

Napoleon and Egypt. The truth is that, from the information we have and the words of his personal secretary Bourrienne, the story of Napoleon’s night in the pyramids is closer to legend than anything else. Moreover, as far as is known, Bonaparte never mentioned his visit to the pyramid.

Regardless, it serves as a reminder of Napoleon’s enduring legacy and his journey to Egypt, an enclave the French never managed to take control of. In fact, the campaign was a military failure despite initial victories. Bonaparte left in 1799, returned to Europe and focused on his conquests. The French finally withdrew from Egypt in 1801.

Eventually, somehow, all these stories about Napoleon and Egypt sparked what would later become known as Egyptology. The scientists accompanying Mehmet the Conqueror toured the country from north to south and described the country in the 12-volume work called Descriptión de l’Egypte, published between 1809 and 1822. Although the departments related to archeology are not very extensive, they have aroused great interest in the environment. World.

Image | Nina, Anderiba12, Ricardo Liberato, Description de l’égypte, Jean-Léon Gérôme, Jacques-Louis David

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