I don't know how many people know this but before he was born. his home island, Corsica, was sold to France by Italy. But wht if it wasn't? What if Italy had kept hold of Corsica and Napoleon was born an Italian? Would he have still become embroiled with the French Revolution? Or woulf he have died unknown on that tiny island? Your thoughts?
What If; Napoleon was an Italian?
- Thread starter DAv
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Max Sinister
Banned
There's one possibility, maybe: The French still conquer Northern Italy including Genua, make it the Cisalpine Republic, the new state needs good officers, Napoleone Buonaparte joins it and rises fast among the ranks as the FRWs (French Revolutionary Wars) go on. France and Italy could become sister republics.
Faeelin I think had a good little TL for this.
Don't know were it is now, but it was pretty cool.
Don't know were it is now, but it was pretty cool.
Max Sinister
Banned
So what? A revolutionary France without Napoleon can always decide to put them together (the Cisalpine Republic was created by merging the Cispadan and the Transpadan republic). And he can decide to leave his country if the Cisalpine republic says that they need Italian-speaking officers from every country.
Wasn't the decision to stay in Italy largely due to Napoleon?
And looking at OTL, the Genoese Republic may flee to Corsica, just as other states with both mainland and island possessions fled to their islands in the French Revolutionary War (Piedmont-Sardinia, Two Sicilies)... And so Napoleon distinguishes himself fighting against France?
And looking at OTL, the Genoese Republic may flee to Corsica, just as other states with both mainland and island possessions fled to their islands in the French Revolutionary War (Piedmont-Sardinia, Two Sicilies)... And so Napoleon distinguishes himself fighting against France?
Max Sinister
Banned
Difficult to tell what the Corses would do in that case. Sardinia and Sicily were guarded by the Royal Navy and thus never conquered by France. The Corses may declare their independence. I think Napoleon would've decided anyway that he's a too big fish for such a small pond like Corsica.
Something else is more important: He learned the tricks of the trade at the officer's school at Toulon (he became an officer with 15!). If Corsica stays Genoese, he can't go to said school.
Something else is more important: He learned the tricks of the trade at the officer's school at Toulon (he became an officer with 15!). If Corsica stays Genoese, he can't go to said school.
Heh. Napoleon Bonaparte in the service of MetternichThe Sandman
Banned
Nah. You want interesting, have Napoleon join the Royal Navy somehow. Now that could be fascinating.
The Sandman said:
Actually, Napoleon did express an interest in the navy when he was young, but was unable to become a midshipman because of his familiy's poverty.
I suspect that Napoleon would have joined the Corsican Independence Movement under Pasquale Paoli, in OTL, they were friend before the Revolution, and secured Corsica's independence. After that? Who knows?
Kidblast said:
I think he was closely linked with Paoli's group in the early days of the revolution and possibly could have swung behind Corsican nationalism. However probably as said that was too small a pool for him so him came down in favour of continued French connection and I think played a big part in crushing the nationalists on Corsica.
Steve