Napoleon the Explorer

Tony Jones

La Pérouse was a French Navy officer and explorer. In 1785 he was appointed to lead an expedition to the Pacific. One of the men who applied for the voyage was 16-year-old Napoleon Bonaparte, then a second lieutenant from Paris's military academy. He made the preliminary list but he was ultimately not chosen for the voyage. Among other things La Pérouse arrived in Australia just after the British. He vanished in the Pacific after this.

What if Napoleon had been accepted for the voyage? Obviously one possibility is that he vanishes along with La Pérouse and so we have a 'no Napoleon' ATL.

On the other hand, what if, with his presence, La Pérouse's expedition survives, or at least Napoleon does, but as a naval rather than an army commander? What might be the impact of this?

Or as an even more extreme case, what if Napoleon catches the exploring bug, and devotes himself to this rather than a military career? Where might we go from here? French Australia perhaps? Or what?
 
Thande

Thande

Donor
Interesting idea. Unless he really does shift his priorities, I don't see Boney getting too enthused about Australia. But La Perouse went to other places, too, including Japan...perhaps Napoleon could become a warlord in East Asia or the East Indies?
 

Tony Jones

Sounds do-able perhaps. And La Perouse also went up the west coast of North and South America too, so I imagine there might be some opportunities for him somewhere there too. Perhaps some conflict with the Spanish?
 

Iñaki

Hmm, but France and Spain was traditionally allies and La Perouse have to act under orders of the king of France, so I don´t see the possibility of a conflict with the Spanish Empire.

Napoleon not following the military career would have a lot of butterflies once that the French Revolution begins, Napoleon IIRC have some important paper since 1792 and his actuations had an important effect in the french victory against the Allies in Toulon in 1793, although I personally think that although with more difficulties the French Republic could survive well in the politics scenario of Europe, could be even the death of Hoche is butterflied and he assumes the role that Napoleon assumed in OTL (although Hoche was it seems a true republican so in any case it could be a coup to restablish a true republic against the corruption of the Directorate).
 

Tony Jones

Napoleon the Samurai

One hopefully not entirely ASB thought that occurs is, what if Napoleon, with La Perouse, is shipwrecked in Japan (perhaps when the expedition is lost). Young, fit, clever and skilled, Napoleon adapts, learns Japanese and becomes a Samurai (as at least one other shipwrecked European has done before him). In time he works his way up through the Japanese system to the top, or close to it, becoming de facto leader of Japan. In the process triggering the earlier opening of Japan to the world, its industrialisation, and a Japanese empire in the east. Perhaps as part of this his activities annoy the Dutch in Japan, who try to get rid of him and he is able to turn this to his advantage to strengthen his position and his ideas on opening up and modernising Japan.

I don't currently know enough about late eighteenth century Japan to be able to judge how possible any of the above is, but I like the sound of it. Emperor Napoleon ... of Japan! :eek:
 

Tony Jones

Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy said:
Shogun, not emperor. He'd probably go by his last name too. I'm not sure how the Japanese would pronounce it, probably something like "Bonaparu".
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Well yes, fair point.

One other thought, assuming the French Revolution happens much as in OTL, perhaps Napoleon could recruit some French exiles to Japan to help him there...
 

Nivek

And i Think i saw a lot of thing in AH but not... that shock me... A Shogun Bonarparte... that demands a timeline
 
Hapsburg

Hapsburg

Banned
Gustavus Adolphus said:
I'll create a tl about Shogun Napoleon anyone interested....:):)
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It would be interesting, if done well. Trouble is, at the time, Japan had been a basket case for about a hundred and eighty years. And it wouldn't be until the 1840's that the basket would be forcibly taken off.
 

Gustavus Adolphus

Polish Eagle said:
Hell yeah! Have him forcibly upgrade Japan to flintlock guns, and make them build up a strong navy for conquest, so that he can grab up islands and prepare for the Napoleonic Conquest of China!
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However I need help, anyone have any background history or site where I can find this expedition on would greatly appreciate it.....:):):)
 

SRT

Polish Eagle said:
Hell yeah! Have him forcibly upgrade Japan to flintlock guns, and make them build up a strong navy for conquest, so that he can grab up islands and prepare for the Napoleonic Conquest of China!
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Wasn't this during the period when they just killed shipwrecked sailors, though?

EDIT: Although I don't want to sound like a nitpicker, I think it's a great idea for a scenario.
 
A.M. Turtle

A.M. Turtle

A samurai Napoleon. If it would be done right it has possibilities. Obviously the start would be ASB-ish but after that you're home free.
 
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