In the spring of 1814, the French Empire came to an end: Allied forces captured Paris, Napoleon abdicated the throne, and the Bourbons returned to power in France. Bonaparte was exiled to rule the small Mediterranean island of Elba. Traveling to the southern coast of France, the deposed emperor rode in a simple carriage accompanied by a small convoy and several emissaries assigned by the Allies. Tsar Alexander I sent Lieutenant General Pavel Shuvalov to accompany Bonaparte. At first, crowds greeted Napoleon’s entourage with cheers. However, as they traveled further south, admiration turned to silence, and eventually to open hostility. In Provence, crowds began to hurl insults and curses at Bonaparte, and real danger awaited him in the town of Orgon. An enraged crowd surged toward his carriage, overwhelmed the small convoy, and attempted to drag Napoleon out. Then, Count Shuvalov came to the rescue — he withstood the crowd's assault, shouting and pushing them away with his fists. The general bought precious time and ordered the driver to leave Orgon as fast as possible. After missing Bonaparte, the crowd turned on Shuvalov. However, when they realized he was a Russian general, their fury gave way to joyful cheers: "Long live our liberators!" An astonished Napoleon later asked Shuvalov why he had taken such a risk. Shuvalov replied, "My Emperor Alexander entrusted me with bringing you to your place of exile safe and unharmed. I consider it my duty of honor to fulfill my emperor’s command." In gratitude for saving his life, Bonaparte presented the general with a luxurious Damascus steel saber that he had received years ago for the Egyptian campaign.