This song is a very interesting song it talks about history...Well, most people seem to think that the song depicts the reign of Napoleon I of France. I'm inclined to believe that as well, for several reasons:
Album cover depicts the French flag, and what appears to be a sort of uprising for the French people (probably pointing to the fact that Napoleon was overthrown and exiled to St. Helena)
The lyrics of the song strongly point to Napoleon and his reign over France in lines such as:
+ "I used to rule the world"
+ "Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead, long live the king!"
+ "Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate"
+ "People couldn't believe what I'd become "
And although certain parts of the song don't seem to immediately correspond with the time-line of Napoleon's reign I did a little digging and found out some interesting things.
+ The line "I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing" most likely refers to St. Mary's Church in Lübeck, Germany, the most prominent church of it's kind in Germany. It was under Napoleonic rule, but after he was overthrown, that area of Napoleonic Germany became part of Prussia (known adversaries of Napoleon)
+ "I know Saint Peter won't call my name" Saint Peter is the the guardian of the gates of Heaven in the Bible. It makes sense that Napoleon wouldn't be granted passage into heaven because of the atrocities he committed and because of the simple fact he wasn't at all religious.
+ "Roman calvary choirs are singing" most people think this refers to the ancient Roman Empire, however, I believe it refers to the Holy Roman Empire, which was dissolved after the Napoleonic Wars in 1806.
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Because of all the research I've done, I can safely say that the song Viva La Vida most likely refers to the life and reign of Napoleon Bonaparte of France. Hope that's what you were looking for
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