The dramatic, untold saga of Eugénie de Montijo, the defiant wife of Napoleon III, cultural tastemaker, and fierce early activist for female equality

Many historians regard Eugenie de Montijo as little more than a footnote during the reign of her husband, Napoleon III -- a Spanish-born empress with a personality almost as fiery as her red hair. But the real story of her life has rarely been told: a career filled with glamor, achievement, and tragedy, as well as contributions that transformed the nation she ruled unlike any other royal noblewoman in Europe.

When the rest of the world was nostalgically looking backward, Eugenie was always looking forward. She was a feminist long before such a term existed: she railed against misogynistic codes and laws of the Napoleonic era. She spearheaded movements in health and education to help transform France into a modern country. Far from being a mere figurehead, Eugenie wielded a degree of political power that was rare for a royal woman in her era and ran the country when her husband was away.

Yet despite all her achievements, she is often forgotten or dismissed by scholars. In the first definitive English biography of Empress Eugenie, The Last Empress of France will correct the narrative and aim to restore her true incomparable life and legacy.