It was the romance that changed the...

It was the romance that changed the destiny of Western Europe. Napoleon Bonaparte, the power-hungry soldier who stopped at nothing to conquer Europe and the woman he loved, Josephine Beauharnais, a beautiful aristocrat who barely escaped the guillotine during France’s Reign of Terror.

Thus does ABC describe “Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story,” a six-hour David L. Wolper miniseries that will unfold over three nights this week (Tuesday through Thursday, 9-11 p.m.). Filmed in and around Paris and Morocco, the production stars Armand Assante and Jacqueline Bisset in the title roles.

Anthony Perkins, Stephanie Beacham, William Lucking, Anthony Higgins, Patrick Cassidy, Ione Skye, Jane Lapotaire, Leigh Taylor Young and John Vickery also star.

The story begins with Josephine’s release from prison with her two children and Napoleon’s promotion to general, and follows their relationship through his exile to the island of Elba.