The painting depicts the pivotal Battle of the Pyramids, fought between the French Armée d'Orient under Napoleon Bonaparte and an army of Malmuk-controlled Egypt. The battle, fought on 21 July 1798, resulted in the near-destruction of the Mamluk army and the surrender of Cairo to the French. The victory caused elation in France, compounding the interest in Egypt (often referred to as first wave of "Egyptomania") that Napoleon's campaign in Egypt had already generated. This interest was in turn reflected in the art of turn of the century France, producing a number of works of art centered around Napoleon's military triumphs. The outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars ensured that this focus continued, as Napoleon's continued military success into the early 19th century ensured that French artists maintained their interest in depicting French martial glory.