Napoleon dies in exile on Saint Helena. His doctors find a stomach ulcer and tumor, but later arsenic tests on his hair spark a lasting poisoning theory.
Contested history
Consensus: Napoleon died on Saint Helena in May 1821, and his autopsy found a large stomach ulcer with signs of cancer.
Stomach cancerEstablished
The autopsy report and a 2007 clinicopathologic study both point to advanced gastric cancer, which also killed his father.
Deliberate arsenic poisoningUnsupported
High arsenic in his hair is real, but later studies found similar levels in samples from his childhood and from his family, pointing to environmental exposure.
Arsenic from wallpaper or medical treatment hastened deathSpeculation
Arsenic dyes and harsh medicines were common, but no evidence shows they caused his death.