Napoleon and the Invasion of Britain

Twice in five years, the threat of a Napoleonic invasion caused real fear in Britain. In 1798, the country was racked by internal divisions, a fiscal crisis, and widespread social unrest—factors that the French invaders hoped would transform an act of aggression into a welcome war of liberation. The invasion never materialized, but in 1803, the renewal of the invasion threat led to an unprecedented mobilization of the British population and an outpouring of patriotic literature and images. Through a rich collection of satirical cartoons, medals, pamphlets, and broadsides, this book shows the transformation of British politics during the wars against Revolutionary France.