The miniseries covered Napoleon's military successes and failures, including the battles of Austerlitz, Eylau, and Waterloo and the retreat from Russia.

The series received mixed to positive reviews, with praise for Clavier's portrayal of Napoleon and the battle scenes and realism.

Via flashback, Napoleon's life unfolds, with his first meeting the widow Josephine de Beauharnais, and follows his career breakthrough, the suppression of Royalist rioters on 13 Vendémiaire (1795).

Napoleon conducts the French campaign in Egypt and Syria, 1798–1801, the Coup of 18 Brumaire, and avoids the Plot of the rue Saint-Nicaise, 1800.

In the Battle of Eylau, 1807, Napoleon waits desperately for the reinforcements led by Marshal Michel Ney who makes the timely arrival.

Napoleon then concludes a short-lived peace treaty with Alexander at Tilsit as the costly Peninsular War starts and troubles with his family and imperial succession begin to dominate.

Sensing France's weakness, the War of the Sixth Coalition erupts in 1813, and, outnumbered, Napoleon's forces are reduced and Paris is taken in 1814.

Napoleon is exiled to the island of Saint Helena, where his only friend and confidante is a young English girl to whom he relates the story of his life.

[5] In terms of the dispute over whether Napoleon was a visionary, a tyrant, or an imposter, historian Jean Tulard considers the miniseries to be "too soft" on the emperor.

[14] In a 2023 article, in light of the release of the Ridley Scott film, Juilo Bardini compared the miniseries favourably, stating that "it still remains one interpretation of the historical facts".

Italian politician, Umberto Bossi, was angered by the series, stating that it glamorized Napoleon despite the fact that his occupation of Italy resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the looting of many of the country's artistic treasures.

Producer and cast member Gérard Depardieu defended the series, stating that it keeps to the truth and that "perhaps Bossi would have preferred an idiot Napoleon."

In Canada, there is a four-disc DVD (fullscreen) recording, under the REMSTAR label and without the A&E extra features, in both English and French editions.

A Risk-style video game based on the miniseries, titled Napoleon, was released on November 14, 2002 by Atari and Infogrames for Mac and Windows.