Where is the Valley of the Tomb located?
The Valley of the Tomb sits on Saint Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the south Atlantic Ocean. Napoleon died there on the 5th of May 1821 after years of exile.
Questions about Valley of the Tomb
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What did Napoleon name the valley before he died?
Napoleon named the place the Valley of the Geraniums instead of the local name Sane Valley. He walked through it often and chose this new name for himself.
Why was Napoleon's tomb slab left blank during his burial on Saint Helena?
An impasse developed between French general Tristan de Montholon and Governor Sir Hudson Lowe over the wording on the tomb slab. As a result of their disagreement, the tomb slab remained blank without any engraved text.
When were Napoleon's remains exhumed from the Valley of the Tomb?
On the 15th of October 1840, workers exhumed his body from the valley floor. The event became known as the Retour des cendres or Return of the Ashes.
Who currently owns the Valley of the Tomb site today?
Ownership officially transferred to France when the transaction completed in 1858. Today the site remains French property administered by a French representative under the authority of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.