Napoleon is often quoted as saying of Champagne: “In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it.”
The French emperor was imprisoned for life on the island of St Helena after being defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Documents sold at auction in Salisbury this month show the food and drink provisions of 1820 for the exiled French emperor and his staff while imprisoned on St Helena.
Handwritten notes show that Napoleon and his staff had a daily allowance of 50 bottles of wine and spirits as well as a monthly allowance of 34 bottles of wines and spirits all from France, Spain, Portugal and South Africa. As part of this, he received a bottle of Champagne every day while imprisoned on St Helena, so confirming that in defeat you need Champagne!
