This symphony was originally written for Napoleon Bonaparte, as he was some what of a fine man through the eyes of Beethoven. He later changed the title of the piece to Sinfonia eroica, composta per festeggiare il sovvenire d'un grand'uomo (heroic symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man) This just drives the point that Beethoven was rather fond of the short French military and political leader. Though this onesided love afair was not all lovehearts and daisies, it is rumored that Beethoven became disillusioned by Napoleon and so say decided to dedicate the song to someone else, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who later became Charles XIV of Sweden.