Your challenge if you choose to accept it is to have Napoleon defeated earlier then he was IOTL with a POD of at the earliest 1799. Bonus points goes for a POD that defeats him during the height of his power. Extra bonus points if someone can change one of Napoleon's great victories into a defeat realistically.
AHC WI: Napolean defeated earlier
- Thread starter Elcheapodeca
- Start date
Marengo (July 14 1800) actually was a defeat that got turned around at the last minute thanks to Desaix force marching his division back - the army under Napoleon's control was already in full retreat at the time. If the Austrians had been a bit faster or Desaix a bit slower then Napoleon's command would have disintegrated completely and his reputation with it. Heck, even if the battle had gone as OTL but Desaix survived instead of being killed in the fighting then Napoleon would not have been able to so shamelessly steal credit for the victory and use it to build his reputation.
Eylau (7/8 February 1807) - it's easiest just to quote wikipedia on this one. Referring to the aftermath of the disastrous first French attack on the second day -
"Bennigsen took full advantage; falling on Saint-Hilaire's division with more cavalry, and bringing up his reserve infantry to attack the devastated French centre. Augereau and the three or four thousand survivors fell back on Eylau, where they were attacked by about 5,000 Russian infantry. At one point Napoléon himself, using the church tower as a command post, was nearly captured but members of his personal staff held the Russians off for just long enough to allow some battalions of the Guard to come up. Counter attacked by the Guard's bayonette charge and Bruyère's cavalry in their rear, the attacking Russian column was nearly destroyed."
My emphasis. Delete "nearly" and the Napoleonic era is over.
Personally, my PoD would be during the Battle of Aspern-Essling.
Give the Austrians a more Decisive Victory, in particular one that results in either the Death or Capture of Napoleon, perhaps by having Lannes die earlier in the battle and thus not be there to cover the French Retreat.
I've considered trying my hand at actually writing a timeline on this but I don't know enough about the period to actually do it justice.
Give the Austrians a more Decisive Victory, in particular one that results in either the Death or Capture of Napoleon, perhaps by having Lannes die earlier in the battle and thus not be there to cover the French Retreat.
I've considered trying my hand at actually writing a timeline on this but I don't know enough about the period to actually do it justice.
if its done before August 1807 it would have the interesting butterfly that Prussia wouldn't get as big, as Denmark wouldn't be forced to join against Britian (following the Bombardment of Copenhagen), hence wouldn't be forced to hand off Norway to Sweden, hence would 'maybe' be able to hold off Prussia long enough in the Schleswig Wars for support or international pressure for a Status Quo Ante Bellum
RodentRevolution
Banned
POD anytime from Ist January 1799 (shortly after Austerlitz if you want to be really mean)
Napoleon had always enjoyed extremely hot baths. It was just unfortunate that this time he decided to have one when feeling just a little bit tipsy.
In the midst of his hot steamy soak it seems that a sudden thought struck him, inspiring him to lunge from the tub and go in search of his secretary to record it. He did not search for long as no sooner did his foot hit the floor than it slid causing the great general to fall and hit his head. By the time servants had summoned the doctors it was all rather messy and sad.
"And so the Great Enemy of Peace, having defied the arms and ingenuity of men, was overcome by that humblest of God's creations, the slippery, wet bath tile."
Klemens von Metternich
Napoleon had always enjoyed extremely hot baths. It was just unfortunate that this time he decided to have one when feeling just a little bit tipsy.
In the midst of his hot steamy soak it seems that a sudden thought struck him, inspiring him to lunge from the tub and go in search of his secretary to record it. He did not search for long as no sooner did his foot hit the floor than it slid causing the great general to fall and hit his head. By the time servants had summoned the doctors it was all rather messy and sad.
"And so the Great Enemy of Peace, having defied the arms and ingenuity of men, was overcome by that humblest of God's creations, the slippery, wet bath tile."
Klemens von Metternich
Would it be at all possible for a more prepared Prussia to defeat Napoleon if they had a better strategy? Or is Prussia to far gone without major reform.