The bizarre and little known story of how a hubristicArchduke became the puppet Emperor of Mexico -with tragic results and pivotal historical consequencesfor Europe and America.

In 1864, a young Austrian archduke by the name of Maximilian crossedthe Atlantic to assume a faraway throne. He had been lured into thevoyage by a duplicitous Napoleon III. Keen to spread his own interests abroad, the French emperor had promised Maximilian a hero's welcome. Instead, he walked into a bloody guerrilla war. With a head full of impracticalideals - and a penchant for pomp and butterflies - the new
'emperor' was singularly ill-equipped for what lay in store.

This is the vivid history of this barely known, barely believable episode- a bloody tragedy of operatic proportions, the effects of which would befelt into the twentieth century and beyond.

'Superbly entertaining.' - Financial Times

'Jaw-dropping.' - Sunday Times

'Fascinating.' - Guardian

'Gripping.' - The Times

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