British Corsica

[Cuāuhtemōc]

How interesting would it be if the British accepted the offer of Pasquale Paoli to make the island of Corisca into an autonomous realm, with the British monarch as the head of state? It would had been modeled on the Kingdom of Ireland, or at least that's what Paoli would had wanted. Sorry for the lack of details but I just wanted to know the perspective of the guys in AH.com?

[Enigmajones]

Permanent British base in the Mediterranean, basically Super Malta. In fact, they may never need to get Malta, as Napoleon will never invade and capture it from the Knights Hospitaller.

[Dupplin Muir]

Doesn't this imply that Napoleon is now British (in theory at least). If so, would he be able to hold a commission in the French army? I guess what happens depends on the date: Nappy was quite the Corsican nationalist as a teenager and might have been happy to join the British army...

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Originally Posted by Dupplin Muir

Doesn't this imply that Napoleon is now British (in theory at least). If so, would he be able to hold a commission in the French army? I guess what happens depends on the date: Nappy was quite the Corsican nationalist as a teenager and might have been happy to join the British army...

Well some in the British government did consider intervening in the French invasion of the Corsican Republic in 1768. They didn't. I'm talking about a possible British annexation during the 1790s but feel free to discuss that if you want. I like to know of the possibilities that might exist.

[DuQuense]

The British occupied Corsica in the 1790's but gave it back in the 1803 Treat of Ameins.
No Treat of Ameins, and Britian would have held it for 20 years at the time of the Congress of Vienna.

[miguelrj]

Originally Posted by DuQuense

The British occupied Corsica in the 1790's but gave it back in the 1803 Treat of Ameins.
No Treat of Ameins, and Britian would have held it for 20 years at the time of the Congress of Vienna.

They actually left Corsica earlier in 1796.
But the PoD for a British Corsica can be as late as 1814.

[Enigmajones]

Originally Posted by miguelrj

They actually left Corsica earlier in 1796.
But the PoD for a British Corsica can be as late as 1814.

British Corsica would undoubtedly affect British policies in regards to the Mediterranean.

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Cuāuhtemōc

It would had been modeled on the Kingdom of Ireland, or at least that's what Paoli would had wanted.

I know he meant Ireland when it had the Grattan constitutional parliamentary powers in the 1780s, but that still sounds really weird out of context...

And yeah, as said above, basically super-Malta.

[Enigmajones]

Originally Posted by Thande

I know he meant Ireland when it had the Grattan constitutional parliamentary powers in the 1780s, but that still sounds really weird out of context...

And yeah, as said above, basically super-Malta.

And if they took it early on, Malta would probably remain under the Knights Hospitaller.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights...moil_in_Europe

[Cuāuhtemōc]

I wanted to bump this and expand upon this little idea. The British seemed to have had the opportunity to gain more real estate in the Mediterranean. I think it would a good idea if the British decide to not abandon Corsica in 1796. It would had been nice for King George III to be crowned George I of Corisca. The British also had Minorca and briefly gained control of Sicily for a while: in the case of the latter Lord William Bentinck was sympathetic to the cause of the local Sicilian population to their distaste to continued Bourbon rule and pleaded for the annexation of the island to the British Empire.

[Emperor-of-New-Zealand]

How would Corsica change linguistically? Would it become something of a Mediterranean Quebec, retaining its culture and language? I can certainly imagine culture remaining, but would English become widespread?

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Originally Posted by Emperor-of-New-Zealand

How would Corsica change linguistically? Would it become something of a Mediterranean Quebec, retaining its culture and language? I can certainly imagine culture remaining, but would English become widespread?

I'm not too sure. The Corsicans from OTL tend to consider themselves a distinct group of people with its own history and languages within the French Republic and the same might be said with British administration of the island. English will quickly become the language of government in Corsica and you would expect all, if not the vast majority of Corsicans learning how to have a casual conversation in English though I don't see the Corsican language being replaced at all. There would be a degree of bilingualism. But those are my thoughts.

[Fabilius]

I think Corsica would very likely start fighting for independence in 19th century and probably get it at a similar time as Ireland. If not then, at least at the same time as India. (Well butterflies fuck up the whole WWII scenario, I´m pretty sure there´ll be a great war between european powers in the early 20th century no matter what but...)

With a british Corsica Napoleon might be pretty pissed. He´d maybe invade out of pride.

If it happens in 1814, we don´t need to think of that.

But we should wonder what British stance on a united Italy would be. Also, France wouldn´t like this at all. Expect french support for independant Corsica, maybe as part of Italy, who knows.

[mrmandias]

Depending on the degree of local autonomy, I wouldn't expect a strong movement for independence in the 19th. Britain's rule is likely to be light and Britain makes a convenient shield against all the large aggressive neighbors one has.

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Originally Posted by mrmandias

Depending on the degree of local autonomy, I wouldn't expect a strong movement for independence in the 19th. Britain's rule is likely to be light and Britain makes a convenient shield against all the large aggressive neighbors one has.

This is also true. British presence is likely to be primarily in the form of soldiers garrisoning key areas of the island, keeping them safe from attack by foreign powers.

[eliphas8]

What would happen durring Italian unification though? I think thats a pretty big deal with this too.

[CandyDragon]

Originally Posted by eliphas8

What would happen durring Italian unification though? I think thats a pretty big deal with this too.

Could there be largescale British opposition to this, in the hopes of ensuring that Corsica has few powerful neighbors?

[corditeman]

...I imagine a Peninsular War with Napoleon defeating Marmont and Soult whilst Wellington designs a boot and does well as a 'Sepoy General'.

Marshal Bernardotte for Emperor of France - and his wife as Empress Desiree!

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Originally Posted by CandyDragon

Could there be largescale British opposition to this, in the hopes of ensuring that Corsica has few powerful neighbors?

Italy's military was quite frankly a big, fat joke. As long as the British navy is protecting Corsica, there won't be much of anything in terms of a credible threat to British control.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by corditeman

...I imagine a Peninsular War with Napoleon defeating Marmont and Soult whilst Wellington designs a boot and does well as a 'Sepoy General'.

Even in OTL, Wellington was nothing more than a Sepoy General. If Napoleon, (or any other competant general like Suvorov and the Archduke Charles) had been in Wellington's shoes and enjoyed the advantages of fighting in the Pennisular War with the Spanish guerillas, he would have destroyed the French army in Spain in 6 months rather than 5 years that it took Wellington.