It was May 25th: the escape of Louis-Napoleon from the fort of Ham

On May 25, 1846, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I and future Napoleon III, escaped from the Fort of Ham in the Somme region after nearly six years of imprisonment. Sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting a coup d'état against the monarchy of Louis-Philippe, he managed to leave the fortress disguised as a laborer, carrying a wooden plank over his shoulder, passing undetected through military checkpoints. This spectacular escape, meticulously planned, quickly became a famous episode in French political history and a turning point in the destiny of the man who would become, a few years later, President of the Republic and then Emperor of the French.

A political prisoner in the heart of the Somme

On August 5, 1840, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte attempted a coup in Boulogne-sur-Mer with a few dozen men, hoping to rally the army and overthrow Louis-Philippe. The operation failed immediately, and the prince was arrested. Tried by the Chamber of Peers, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and transferred to the Fort of Ham, an imposing 15th-century fortress converted into a political prison.

In this relatively comfortable captivity for a prisoner of his rank, he had a room, a library, and a certain degree of freedom of movement within the fort's walls. He received visitors, maintained intellectual and political relationships, and used these years to write and reflect on his political project. But as time passed, the confinement became oppressive, and the idea of ​​escape gradually took hold.

An inspired and meticulously planned escape

Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte studied several famous escapes before taking action, particularly those achieved through disguises and inside help. The Fort of Ham, under construction in the spring of 1846, offered him a decisive opportunity: workers moved freely within the fortifications, and security checks were less strict.

On May 25, 1846, he put his plan into action. Clean-shaven, dressed in a worker's smock, and carrying a plank over his shoulder to simulate moving equipment, he calmly descended from his quarters and crossed the inner courtyard. Accompanied by carefully positioned accomplices, he passed through the various guard posts without arousing suspicion. Outside the fort, a carriage was waiting to take him to Saint-Quentin, and then on to Belgium.

The alert was given too late: by the time the authorities realized that the prisoner had escaped, he had already left French territory.

From Exile to Empire

After his escape, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte went to Belgium and then settled in London. Far from being discredited by his attempted coups and his escape, he gradually built a new political image, fueled by his writings and his professed interest in social issues. The 1848 revolution then opened the doors to his return to France.

Elected President of the Republic in December 1848 with a large majority, he used his position to consolidate his power. On December 2, 1851, he staged a coup d'état and, a year later, restored the Empire under the name Napoleon III. His escape from the Fort of Ham, long ridiculed, then became legendary as one of the pivotal episodes in his rise to power.