Nelson and the Nile

The Battle of the Nile, fought on 1 August 1798, was a great victory, dealing a fatal blow to Napoleon Bonaparte’s ambitions in the Middle East and cementing Nelson’s place as a national hero.

But the battle itself was only the decisive event in a campaign of many months, upon the outcome of which depended the domination of the Mediterranean and the whole strategic situation in Europe.

‘Lavery’s work gives us a lively picture of the wider sweep of the war and the changing currents of world politics in this tumultuous era, which makes for fascinating reading.’ Peter Stanford, co-founder of the National Maritime Historical Society.