Lonely winds are blowing on the island
St. Helena, so far from all he knew
The waves softly crash against the shoreline
Where once a mighty emperor’s dreams fell through
His empire lies in ruins, far away
No army, no glory, just endless night
He thinks of battles won in brighter days
But all that’s left is power’s fading light
Napoleon, on this island you will stay
Until you leave the 5th of may
Of the year of 1821
Until you become undone
Oh you fallen emperor
Rest now on St. Helena
Defeated foes like Austria
But not Britain or Russia
So sleep forever here so far
Form your throne, oh emperor!
He gazes out upon the endless sea
Hope fading fast as the day turns gray
His dreams dissolve like smoke into the air
The fire in his soul slowly burns away
No friend, no foe, just shadows in the dark
His only company, the haunting breeze
The crown he wore, it weighs upon his heart
A king dethroned by fate’s cruel disease
Napoleon, on this island you will stay
Until you leave the 5th of may
Of the year of 1821
Until you become undone
Oh you fallen emperor
Rest now on St. Helena
Defeated foes like Austria
But not Britain or russia
So sleep forever here so far
Form your throne, oh emperor!
The echoes of the past, they whisper low
Of victories and glories long ago
But time, it takes its toll on every man
And leaves him stranded in the shifting sand
Napoleon, on this island you will stay
Until you leave the 5th of may
Of the year of 1821
Until you become undone
Oh you fallen emperor
Rest now on St. Helena
Defeated foes like Austria
But not Britain or russia
So sleep forever here so far
Form your throne, oh emperor!
And as the night falls on that lonely shore
His legacy lives, but he remains no more
Historical Background
The song is about Napoleon’s Exile and his Death on the Island St. Helena.
Napoleon’s Final Exile – The Fall of an Emperor
Some rulers die in battle. Others fade into exile.
St. Helena became Napoleon Bonaparte’s final prison, a remote island where the once-great emperor spent his last days.
This is the story of how Europe’s most feared conqueror ended his life alone, surrounded by the sea, far from his throne.
The Road to St. Helena
“Napoleon, on this island you will stay, until you leave the 5th of May.”
After his defeat at Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon surrendered to the British, hoping for leniency.
Instead, they exiled him to St. Helena, an island deep in the South Atlantic, 2,000 km from the nearest land.
- A British garrison watched him constantly.
- His movements were severely restricted.
- His dreams of escape were crushed by Royal Navy patrols.
“His empire lies in ruins, far away, no army, no glory, just endless night.”
A Fallen Emperor in Exile
“No friend, no foe, just shadows in the dark, his only company, the haunting breeze.”
Napoleon spent six years on St. Helena, writing memoirs, walking in his small garden, and dreaming of past glories.
- He lived in Longwood House, a damp, windswept estate.
- He suffered from stomach pain, possibly poisoning or cancer.
- His once-mighty empire was now divided among his enemies.
“The echoes of the past, they whisper low, of victories and glories long ago.”
On May 5, 1821, Napoleon died, reportedly whispering “France… army… head of the army…” as his final words.
His Legacy Lives On
“Oh, you fallen emperor, rest now on St. Helena.”
Napoleon was initially buried on St. Helena, but in 1840, France returned his body to Paris in a grand ceremony.
Today, his tomb lies in Les Invalides, where millions visit the man who once ruled Europe.
“And as the night falls on that lonely shore, his legacy lives, but he remains no more.”
Want to Learn More?
- 🎥 The Island Napoleon was send to die (YouTube) – A short Documentary about the island.
- 🎥 Ending Scene of the Movie Napoleon (YouTube) – A scene of Napoleon on the island St. Helena.
- 📖 St. Helena (Wikipedia) – The island where Napoleon spent his last days.
- 📖 Napoleon’s Death (Wikipedia) – Theories and mysteries surrounding his final moments.
- 📖 Battle of Waterloo (Wikipedia) – The battle that sealed his fate.
The Lesson?
Some conquerors die on the battlefield. Others are swallowed by time.
And in 1821, on a lonely island in the Atlantic, Napoleon—once the master of Europe—became a prisoner of history.
