Echlipse Blogs

One of the bravest military commanders in the world, widely recognized as the most powerful monarch in Europe. Napoleon was Bonaparte. However, he remains one of the most controversial figures in history, with some praising his talent while others criticizing his hunger for power. Questions remain about the enormous loss of life attributed to it: What is the truth? Was he the hero of the people or the worst villain?

Napoleon was born on August 15, 1769, on the island of Corsica. Look at the map, it is an island located between France and Italy.

Republic of Genoa This was the flag of the Republic of Genoa. Many areas that are now part of Italy and Greece were under the control of this country. One such area was Corsica, but the Corsicans were fed up with Genoa's rule. They were fueled by a growing sense of nationalism and a desire to live in a free country.

By the 1960s, Corsica found itself embroiled in war, while the Republic of Genoa, burdened by debt and war, decided to literally sell the island of Corsica to France in 1768.

This decision caused consternation among Corsican libertarians, but there was nothing they could do. France's imperial power proved difficult to resist. The turning point came in 1769 when the French army clashed with the Corsican forces. During the Battle of Ponte Novo. After a quick victory, France claimed Corsica as its territory.

Had to escape. And Carlo swore allegiance. The change was remarkable, as Carlo became an ardent supporter of French royalty.

He used the connections to advance his career. He attained the status of nobility. By 1777, he became the representative of Corsica at the court of the new King of France, Louis XVI. This change disturbed Napoleon. He had no attachment to his father. He considered his father a coward and coward.

Surrounded by children, he faced ridicule at school because of his distinctive accent. Apathetic, he avoided mingling with his peers, seeing the French as colonists.

His dream was to witness the independence of his country, Corsica. Napoleon's loneliness led him to seek solace in books, particularly drawn to the Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, primarily because Rousseau wrote about Corsican independence, and in his writings the Corsican inhabitants were considered brave.

Apart from philosophy, Napoleon showed a keen interest in mathematics, history, and geography, mastering these subjects. Among his favorite writings was Plutarch's 'Parallel Lives', a collection of 45 biographies of historical figures such as Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.

Napoleon found inspiration in Caesar, making frequent comparisons. After finishing school, Napoleon joined a military academy in Paris, specializing in artillery. After graduating from the French army as a second lieutenant of the Royal Artillery, during all this, he often returned to Corsica to pay homage to Pascal Paoli.

However, the scene changed with the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789. I made a separate video on the French Revolution, if you haven't seen it, you can watch it later. During this period, Corsica came under the jurisdiction of the new French National Assembly, which resulted in Pasquale Pauly being pardoned.

Seen to be president. Despite the passing of Napoleon's 'traitor' father and Napoleon holding Pauli in high regard, Pauli resented Napoleon's family, consequently, Pauli declared that such traitorous families could not live in Corsica, forcing Napoleon and his family to emigrate from Corsica to France.

In June 1793. Subsequently, Pauli severed ties with the French Revolutionary Assembly, aligning himself with his enemy, the British. This is why, in 1794, the Anglo-Corsican Empire was established, which expelled France from Corsica and made it a puppet state under British control. However, this arrangement lasted only for two years.

In 1796, France launched an invasion, recapturing Corsica from British rule. Meanwhile, France was embroiled in a civil war, marked by various factions of French revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries. People divided into different groups were fighting each other. In 1793, a political group called the Jacobins came to power and established the government of France.
This group was led by Maximilien Robespierre. During this turbulent period, Napoleon expressed his support for the Jacobin government in a political pamphlet. This attracted the attention of Robespierre's brother, greatly impressing him. This boosted Napoleon's career prospects. In September 1793, an event occurred that further boosted Napoleon's popularity.

Toulon, a French naval base, witnessed a group mutiny and subsequent attacks by British forces. The French army sent Napoleon to take command at this point. Napoleon was serving as senior gunner and artillery commander at the time. Napoleon proposed a strategic plan to win the conflict and shared it with his commanders.

The plan included capturing a fort, securing a hill for artillery dominance, and attacking British ships. His plan was foiled by Napoleon, fighting with remarkable gallantry, and suffering significant wounds. But after three months of struggle, the French army was victorious. The French army general, Dugomery, said of Napoleon, 'I have no words to describe the merits of Bonaparte: so much technical skill, so much genius, and so much bravery. Napoleon is a wonderful man.

In recognition of his contributions, Napoleon was promoted to brigadier general at the tender age of 24. During this period, France was engulfed in civil war, and Maximilian Robespierre attempted to implement reforms. Such as universal male suffrage, and giving voting rights to all men over the age of 18.

While women were not given political rights, important reforms were made for them, including the right to divorce which was previously unavailable to women. Additionally, women gained access to education and work opportunities. Robespierre's influence extended to the abolition of slavery in France and the French colonies, a lasting influence reflected in the numerous streets and metro stations in France named after him.

However, Robespierre's reign was marred by controversy, particularly due to the Reign of Terror. In an attempt to suppress opposition to the French Revolution, thousands were executed on suspicion alone, resulting in the deaths of at least 20,000 French citizens. At the same time, the government began to eradicate Catholic Christianity in France.

Confiscating church properties and promoting a single supreme God, to be worshiped through the service of the people. Amidst these challenges and instability, in July 1794 a revolt broke out against the Jacobin government, leading to its complete overthrow and the execution of Robespierre. In August 1794, because Napoleon supported the overthrown government, he was imprisoned.

He defended himself vigorously, only to be released after a few weeks. The orchestrator of this coup was the well-known Paul Barras, who had known Napoleon since the siege of Toulon and had gradually developed a favorable opinion of him. In October 1795, with the French army outnumbered 1 to 6, Napoleon was tasked with stopping the revolution.

Using 40 cannons and limited infantry, Napoleon successfully crushed the rebellion within 2 hours, pleasing Paul Berras, who promoted him to general. Napoleon became a national hero. At just 27, he assumed the role of general in the French army. Soon after, he took command of the Army of Italy, not the Italian army, but the French forces operating in Italy.

They were known as the Army of Italy. The troops lacked motivation, discipline, and equipment. Napoleon made powerful speeches, emphasizing the importance of discipline to victory and condemning looting and looting in conquered territories, saying that such acts were committed only by cowards.

Napoleon's armies neither plundered nor plundered the territories. Nevertheless, Napoleon added one form of appropriation - art. It's fine. His passion for art stemmed from his desire to establish a universal museum in Paris, displaying a vast collection of works of art from around the world. In later years, he also renamed the Louvre Museum, naming the museum after himself.

Returning to the Army of Italy, Napoleon led them in a famous battle against the Austrians, the Battle of Arcole. This famous painting depicts this battle. Napoleon's tactics included rapid army movement, various formations, and surprise attacks on the enemy. Using them, Napoleon's forces won the Battle of Arcol.

When France thought of attacking the British Isles in 1798, Napoleon refused to fight in the war on his return to Paris. He argued that the British navy was strong and made any attack impractical. He proposed an alternative campaign in the Mediterranean. Advancing south to capture Egypt and block the British route to India.

After that, Napoleon planned to help Tipu Sultan of Mysore in his struggle against the British. Beginning his Mediterranean campaign with 40,000 men, Napoleon and his soldiers sailed for Toulon aboard several ships. In addition to soldiers, he brought with him more than 160 scientists, scholars, and artists, whose goal was to document the valuable knowledge gained in the new territories.

The army advanced south and captured the island of Malta before landing on the Egyptian coast at Alexandria. Battles like the Battle of Alexandria and the Battle of the Pyramids ensued.

Check out these photos of present-day Egypt with the French flag flying over the Citadel of Qaytbe. Napoleon established the Institute of Egypt to systematically study Egypt's history, culture, and resources, as well as to promote Enlightenment ideas in Egypt. However, the success of Napoleon's plan was short-lived.

Within weeks, in August 1798, a strong British fleet attacked the French, resulting in the destruction of several French ships and the destruction of a French admiral's death at the Battle of the Nile. Historical paintings show that many have been destroyed. French ships. A year later, in August 1799, Napoleon secretly abandoned his army and fled to Egypt after a series of defeats.

Although Napoleon's military campaign was largely unsuccessful, let alone reaching India and helping Tipu Sultan, Napoleon also lost his grip on Egypt. and Malta, which had previously been occupied, was recaptured by the British. You may be wondering why I am mentioning this failure. For two reasons. First, despite its military failures, the expedition was scientifically successful.

In particular, the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, a slab inscribed with the same message in three different languages, is the key to our understanding of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Rosetta Stone was previously discussed in a video on the Indus Valley Civilization. For more insight into this remarkable specimen, you can refer to this video.

Additionally, French scientists made important discoveries about Egypt's indigenous tree and plant species. They explored the topography of Egypt, studied architectural design, and documented the use of Egyptian jars for food preservation. Another reason why this apparently unsuccessful campaign is significant lies in the reception Napoleon received upon his return to France.

He was welcomed as a hero, you wonder how Napoleon, who had lost territory, and abandoned his army, was welcomed as a hero? This was due to the extensive pro-Napoleonic propaganda that had been going on for years. From newspapers to paintings, official bulletins, songs, and poems, Napoleon was admired throughout France.

At that time there were 6 newspapers in France, some of which were founded by Napoleon himself, while Napoleon took control of the others. Various battles were printed in these newspapers. Napoleon himself set the narrative in the newspapers. Napoleon presented himself as a wise man.

Many positive paintings and sketches were used to depict his heroic battles. When he selected the scientists for his Mediterranean expedition, the newspapers covered every minute of the meeting for seven pages. Napoleon's speeches to his soldiers were widely published, along with stories from his childhood, both factual and fictional, creating fictional accounts of Napoleon's childhood, of the great deeds he never did.

An interesting narrative emerged around Napoleon's love for Josephine, a romantic relationship that is explored in depth in the film. Director Ridley Scott claims that Napoleon conquered the world to win Josephine's love. But when he could not, he conquered the world to destroy it.

Self-destruction in the process. I will not talk much about the plot of this movie in this video, you can watch the movie to know more. Returning to the propaganda discussion, let's examine these propaganda paintings. A notable piece, commissioned by Napoleon himself, depicts his Mediterranean campaign, depicting him helping the sick in Jaffa and a parallel to Jesus Christ.

Another example is this painting depicting the Battle of Marengo between the French and Austrian armies in 1800, where Napoleon is shown crossing the Alps on horseback. Inspired by the statue of But why is this a propaganda painting? Because Napoleon didn't cross the Alps that way.

Check out this painting from 1850, this is how he crossed the Alps. On a mule guided by a farmer. These propaganda paintings served a specific purpose: to portray Napoleon as a hero crossing the Alps on horseback. Propaganda was intended to further Napoleon's ultimate goal, his last wish. To be on the throne.

When Napoleon returned to France from Egypt, there were reports of widespread strife and corruption in France. Napoleon planned a coup in November 1799. This resulted in the overthrow of the existing government and the establishment of a new consular government, with Napoleon as the first consul of the new government.

Two men were appointed as assistant consuls, and a new constitution was introduced into France. Most French citizens disliked him because of the widespread influence of propaganda, portraying Napoleon as a figure above politics, acting entirely in the French national interest, and promoting the ideas of the Enlightenment.

To consolidate public approval of the new constitution, a referendum was held in France, and the results were announced by Napoleon's brother Lucien, the French Minister of the Interior, showing that 99.9% of the 3,013,000 voters supported the new constitution. It shows that 99.9% of French citizens supported Napoleon.

Was it true? Absolutely not. In reality, about 1.5 million votes were cast for Napoleon. French historian Claude Langlois presented evidence in 1972 revealing that the referendum of 1800 was a complete fraud, with slightly more than 50 percent of the votes cast in favor of Napoleon. Two years later, in 1802, another referendum was held, where Napoleon posed the question to the public: should he be appointed consul for life? Again, the public voted with “99.

7% of the electorate" favor Napoleon in power for life. After two fraudulent referendums, Napoleon sought further confirmation. A third referendum was held in 1804, asking whether Napoleon should become King of France. The result of the referendum was that "99.9% of the electorate" voted for Napoleon to be king.
Napoleon was not greedy for power but became king to satisfy the people. I'm kidding, it didn't. Napoleon was not one to hide his greed for power. He openly embraced his love for power, famously declaring, 'Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard to win it to not allow anyone to take it away from me.

This hunger for power was an accepted trait among the kings and nobles of the time. Over the next decade, Napoleon's love of power led him to engage in a series of wars across Europe, interspersed with peace treaties, such as the one signed with Great Britain in 1802. However, a resumption of wars was inevitable as both Napoleon and the British thirsted for power

Many European nations were engaged in wars with Napoleon not only for power but also for their survival. Many European monarchs and monarchs felt threatened by French revolutionary ideology. They considered Napoleon a threat to their empire. In the French Revolution video, I explained that the idea of ??nationalism was introduced by Enlightenment thinkers.

Like Rousseau and Voltaire. These were the ideals of the left-wing revolutionaries. While the right wing maintained the existing system by supporting the monarchy and social hierarchy. Leftist ideology supported aspirations for equality, freedom, and national independence, which developed into the foundation of republicanism.

During this period, this nationalist fervor was spreading rapidly in other European countries, resulting in the emergence of revolutionaries challenging the ruling monarchies. In response, these monarchies formed a coalition, which began a series of allied wars between 1792 and 1815, where the monarchies collectively waged war against France.

In this context, Napoleon's role can be seen as a liberator, who spread the slogans of freedom and revolution throughout Europe. When Napoleon's armies entered Italy, he announced to the Italian people that the French army had come to break their chains. He told them that he had no ill will against the people, but was there to free them from the kings and emperors who had oppressed them.

This is why Napoleon was seen as a hero in Milan, Italy. to free them from Austrian rule under King Francis II. The Italian revolutionary and poet Ugo Foscolo said of him in 1802: “Therefore I will name you Bonaparte, who was not remembered as the liberator of the people and the founder of the republic.

Furthermore, in 1803, among the most famous music composers, Beethoven named his Symphony No. 3 after Napoleon as a tribute. He named Symphony No. 3 the Bona Part. Beethoven considered Napoleon a hero for promoting democratic ideals and opposing monarchy. In Europe. However, how can he be a hero when he crowns himself king and holds a fraudulent referendum? When Beethoven learns of Napoleon's self-proclaimed king, he angrily declares that Napoleon only was a man, not a god.

Sensitive to the lure of power and capable of oppressing people. Beethoven later removed Napoleon's name from his symphonies. In fact, Napoleon's decisions deviated from the principles of the French Revolution. In 1802, he enacted two laws that restored the practices of slavery. Furthermore, his views on women were regressive, emphasizing the importance of women based on the number of children they bore.

Napoleon revoked many of the rights granted to women during the French Revolution, restoring the preference given to men in divorce laws. Although the French Revolution supported free speech, Napoleon gradually restricted it. Dissidents who spoke out against him were exiled and independent newspapers were systematically shut down.

Despite bringing stability to France, Napoleon's rule retained an authoritarian character. If he really wanted to carry forward the ideals of the French Revolution, he could have restored democracy in France. I started this video by talking about Corsica. How Corsican independence was Napoleon's childhood dream.

Yet as a king, he never sought the independence of Corsica. Instead of bringing democracy to France, Napoleon installed his brothers as kings in the conquered territories. In May 1808, France went to war with Spain, resulting in the abdication of the Spanish king Carlos IV, and Napoleon appointing his brother Joseph as the new ruler.

Joseph had previously been king of Naples and Sicily. Napoleon's younger brother Jerome was crowned King of Westphalia, a region in present-day Germany. Furthermore, when the Kingdom of Holland came under Napoleon's control in 1806, Louis, another of Napoleon's brothers, was made king of the region.

However, amid this hunger for power, one positive legacy left by Napoleon is worth noting. Many of his decisions had far-reaching benefits for the future of France and Europe. The Napoleonic Code of 1804 stands as a landmark legal framework, providing France with a comprehensive and written set of laws.

Another achievement was the establishment of equality for men under the law, despite restrictions on women's rights and the re-introduction of slavery. The equal rights granted to male citizens by law are still intact. Additionally, Napoleon's reign marked the end of feudalism in France, with the same laws still in force in the territories he conquered.

Third, secularism. During the reign of Napoleon, the French government adopted a secular stance. In France there was religious freedom, people were allowed to practice their chosen religion. Christianity returned to France in 1801 when Napoleon signed a treaty with the Pope. But the relationship between church and government never fully returned to what it once was.

The balance of power shifted more favorably towards the government. While the traditional positions of the Catholic clergy were restored in the Church, the government retained control over the election of bishops and oversaw the Church's finances, significantly reducing the Church's influence in European affairs.

Fourth, the establishment of a banking system. The Bank of France, founded by Napoleon in 1800, controlled inflation and stabilized the currency. Fifth, he introduced a modern and efficient tax system, which eliminated the exemptions previously granted to the nobility and kings, ensuring that everyone contributed to the tax base.

Sixth, in the educational system, Napoleon established primary, secondary, and high schools, as well as the University of France. Uniformity was introduced into the education system, teachers were trained, and a centralized recruitment process for teachers was introduced. The government also regulated technical schools, civil service schools, and military schools, rapidly improving the overall quality of education.

Seventh, distribution of water. In 1808, Napoleon modernized Paris' water distribution system by upgrading old pumps, building a new canal to bring water directly to the city, and building 15 water fountains. He ensured that the people of Paris would never starve. Warehouses and granaries were modernized, and eight new markets were built, wine market, wheat market, everything was organized.

Finally, despite Napoleon's hunger for power, he was not a clueless ruler. Napoleon emerged as a highly intelligent and efficient administrator, implementing many positive reforms for the French people. Some people make a comparison between Napoleon and Hitler, which I think is completely wrong because Napoleon did not promote hatred against any religion or community, nor did he adopt a strategy of divide and rule.

While Napoleon's actions resulted in millions of deaths, he was driven by his thirst for war and power. Finally, let's talk about Napoleon! Despite his numerous victories, he also faced defeats. As with Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, as discussed earlier, Napoleon installed the Continental System, a comprehensive economic blockade against Great Britain by all French allies.

In 1812, when Russia violated this continental system, Napoleon invaded Russia. Russian forces refused to fight. They would retreat and set the battlefield on fire, leaving nothing as supplies for Napoleon's armies. Despite this, Napoleon's army reached Moscow but the city was empty and after a month of waiting for the Russians to surrender to no avail, Napoleon's starving army had to retreat from the barren city.

The following year in 1813, a coalition consisting of Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Sweden, and other countries attacked Napoleon collectively at the Battle of Leipzig, dealing a major blow to France. This led to Napoleon being exiled to the island of Elba in 1814. However, in 1815, he made a dramatic comeback, marching his soldiers to Paris.

Despite briefly reclaiming the throne with popular support, his rule lasted only three months. Britain and its allies waged another war against Napoleon, culminating in Napoleon's last battle, the Battle of Waterloo. After this defeat, Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena, where he died six years later in 1821, ending Napoleon's epic saga.

What about Napoleon? Comment below now that you know the full story. I hope this video has given you a basic understanding of Napoleon, it will make the movie more interesting, as you will recognize the characters portrayed in it. Consider seeing this movie in theaters. That sounds pretty appealing to me.