Who composed the Eroica Symphony?

In 1803, Ludwig van Beethoven composed his third symphony (now known as the Sinfonia Eroica) in Heiligenstadt, a village about one and a half hours from Vienna.

Now, the Eroica Symphony has forever become connected to Napoleon Bonaparte. The two have become inseparable. The Bonaparte connection originates from Ferdinand Ries, a friend and student of Beethoven.

Ries wrote that in 1803 when Beethoven composed his third symphony (Eroica Symphony), he was thinking of Bonaparte. At that time, Beethoven had the highest esteem for him and compared him to the greatest consuls of ancient Rome. To honor Bonaparte, Beethoven had written a draft copy of the third symphony in manuscript with the word "Bonaparte" inscribed at the very top of the title page and "Luigi van Beethoven" at the very bottom. Later, after Beethoven learned that Bonaparte had declared himself Emperor, the third symphony received the title 'Sinfonia Eroica.'