Aside from being described as a man who admired Egypt’s ancient culture and symbolism, there are no official records of the attack. “I don’t know if he did it,” Scott told The Times. “But it was a quick way to show that he had conquered Egypt,” the director concluded, justifying his creative freedom.
Josefina wasn’t the only one who was unfaithful
Played in the film by Vanessa Kirby, Napoleon’s first wife, Josephine de Beauharnais, really lived surrounded by lovers. Xavier RocaFerrer, translator of the book “The Private Wars of the Bonaparte Clan,” which recounts the memories of Madame de Reìmusat, the Empress’s companion, explains that the discovery of the extramarital affairs made Napoleon angry, just as in the film shown:
“One day in July 1798, as they were on their way to Cairo under a scorching sun, his friend and then Brigadier Junot Bonaparte revealed his lover’s public infidelity and told him about Hippolyte Charles,” RocaFerrer told BBC.
According to him, Bourrienne, Napoleon’s private secretary, reported that the general was outraged by the news: “His features contorted, a wild expression appeared in his eyes and he began to beat himself on the head with his fists,” he described.
Although Ridley Scott left it out of his version, Napoleon was also not faithful to Josephine during their marriage. In the film, Bonaparte even confesses to some of his affairs, although the lack of scenes showing such betrayals raises doubts in the audience. However, according to historian Alistair Horne’s book The Age of Napoleon, the disloyalists were not an isolated incident.