When Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on St. Helena in 1821, he left behind much more than a military legacy and a political legend. In her will, she directed that her hair be preserved and fashioned into a bracelet, with the hair sent to her family members, including her mother, siblings, and son. That request reflects a widespread 19th-century practice of keeping hair as a personal memorial after death. Napoleon’s hair was cut off before the autopsy, and the hair that remained became some of the most interesting relics associated with him.
Napoleon Bonaparte’s last wish written in his will
Napoleon’s will makes the request unusually clear. It stated that her servant Marchand should preserve her hair and make it into a bracelet, pieces of which would be sent to close family members and other members of her inner circle, including Queen Marie-Louise, her mother, and her brothers and sisters, with a larger bracelet for her son. In other words, this was not some wild legend that developed later; This was a documented instruction in the emperor’s own testament.To modern readers, the idea of preserving hair may seem untenable. In the Napoleonic world, this was a familiar act of mourning. Hair was often turned into souvenirs and “memento mori” items, a way to physically hold on to someone after death. Museums and historical collections still preserve hair remains belonging to Napoleon, including mourning rings and locks given to admirers shortly after his death.The request mattered so soon after his death. A 2004 medical history article states that because Napoleon wanted his hair distributed among family members, his head was shaved just before dissection so that the hair could be saved. This decision is one reason why so many authentic or purportedly authentic specimens survived into later centuries.
Napoleon’s hair, taken from the battlefield of Waterloo. Image: Royal Collection Trust
Hair later revealed a big secret
Napoleon’s preserved hair became important for another reason: it added to the long-running debate about how he died. Some researchers have argued that the arsenic levels in the hair samples point to poisoning, while others have said that the evidence does not support that conclusion and is consistent with environmental exposure in the early 19th century. The extensive historical record still leans toward stomach cancer as the most likely cause of death, although the poisoning theory remains part of the public’s fascination.
a small remnant of a much larger life
Napoleon’s request was probably not about vanity or immortality. This fits in very well with the mourning habits of that era: a fallen emperor wants to leave one last, physical connection to those closest to him. That’s why her hair continues to exist as both a sentimental memento and a historical artefact, bearing a strangely intimate trace of one of the most powerful figures in history.