Arthur Lévy

Born in Nancy on September 1, 1847, Arthur Lévy was a French author and historian whose work focused especially on the era of the First French Empire. Reference sources describe him as a businessman who turned to historical writing out of a deep interest in Napoleon and the world around him.

His best-known book, Napoléon intime, first published in 1893, was based on previously unpublished documents and was successful enough to be reissued many times. He also wrote other works on Napoleonic subjects, including Napoléon et la paix and Histoires intimes du Second Empire, showing his fascination with the personalities, private lives, and political atmosphere behind major events.

Lévy died on December 26, 1931. His books remain part of the long tradition of popular French historical writing: accessible, anecdotal, and closely tied to the enduring appeal of Napoleon in both scholarship and public imagination.