Old dictator from North America gets European working (8)

I believe the answer is:

napoleon

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'old dictator' is the definition.
'napoleon' can be an answer for 'dictator' (I've seen this before). I am unsure of the 'old' bit.

'north america gets european working' is the wordplay.
'north america' becomes 'na'.
'gets' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'european' becomes 'Pole' (someone from Poland).
'working' becomes 'on' (e.g. a machine is working or on).
'na'+'pole'+'on'='NAPOLEON'

'from' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for napoleon that I've seen before include "leader in France, once" , "In France, former sovereign" , "Former French gold coin" , "Gold twenty franc piece" , "Solo, perhaps" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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