1. Stick to the plan
By 1812 Napoleon has spread french rule across most of western Europe. The only real threat remaining is Great Britain the continual thorn in Napoleon's side. Unable to contend with Britain by sea or break the naval blockade of Europe, Napoleon has enacted the Blocus Continental. It is an ambitious large scale trade embargo against British trade since 1806.
It seems to be working against the British as it should, but it has its negative effects on other European powers. In particular Russia under Alexander I was feeling the strain. Russia was effectively blocked from naval trading through the Baltic sea where British ships lay waiting or through the Dardanelles controlled by Russia's enemy the Ottoman Empire.
Joseph Bonaparte king of Spain, although his claim is tenuous, is the one to inadvertently suggest a solution to his younger brother the Emperor. In a letter he writes his brother:
"... indeed if we were campaigning for Alexander of Russia we might push the ottomans to the Mediterranean so that we might make ports in Greece. Regrettably control of the strait accessing the sea remains with enemy naval commanders..."
The strait to which Joseph had referred was the strait of Gibraltar that was hounded by British ships but to Napoleon it meant the Dardanelles and the Bosphoros. Joseph had given his brother the idea of how to break British naval superiority, if just for a while. The letter inspired Napoleon to impose the Treaty of Bucharest 1811. Napoleon convinced Mahmud II to open his ports and for Alexander would be given Bessarabia but have to cede territory in Transcaucasia.
This was only the first half of the solution, Napoleon still needed proper control in Spain to ensure the opening of Gibraltar and to do that he needed the British out of Iberia. Gathering up forces from all over the empire and with his allies, Francis of Austria, Frederick William III of Prussia and Alexander of Russia, Napoleon assembled the Grande Armée. The force was composed of 725,000 men, the largest standing force ever assembled in Europe up to that point. Napoleon directed his forces at Lisbon. The Anglo-Portuguese forces and the Spanish resistance would harass him no more.
People would write that the buildings shook as the Grande Armée marched through Spain. The siege of Cadiz was broken in two days, the Spanish resistance was broken. Portugal began to fall to the Napoleon as his army finally pushed into the lines of Torres Vedras, a series of 126 forts and redoubts under the command of Arthur Wellesly. Upon his arrival Napoleon realized the sheer magnitude of his task, Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's marshals of the empire, had even been pushed back in 1811. The logistical strain was beginning to show as the Portuguese had employed a scorched earth policy.
Using the grand mortars that had enjoyed some success at the siege of Cadiz, Napoleon endeavored to test the forts and the resolve of the Anglo-Portuguese army. After a month of solid bombardment with mortar and cannon the Grande Armée broke the first line. The city of Lisbon fell three weeks after, most of the defending army retreated to London on British ships
Iberia was securely under french rule and the trade embargo against the UK was now complete. European ships could access the trade routes through the Mediterranean but still had to contend with a vastly powerful British navy. Napoleon had been unable to compete at sea for far too long and had devised a counter strategy. Since the treaty of Bucharest 1812 Napoleon commissioned his allies for ships, building ships, buying existing ships, pressing a merchant navy into service. Napoleon was determined to have a Navy to push through the British lines.
He got his wish in the waning months of 1813 when James Madison, the president of the United States, made two important deliveries. Six frigates to the French and A declaration of war to the British. The frigates, four newly constructed and two already afloat, joined the french allied fleet with contributions from Russia, Austria, Prussia and even Ottoman vessels. Meanwhile the Grande Armée had made its way into Boulogne, Bruges and Montreuil to make preperations to cross the channel on the Flottille de Boulogne a large fleet of small gunboats designed for this purpose early in the french revolution.
As the French made preparations to sail on Great Britain so did the Americans make preparations to march on British North America.
By 1812 Napoleon has spread french rule across most of western Europe. The only real threat remaining is Great Britain the continual thorn in Napoleon's side. Unable to contend with Britain by sea or break the naval blockade of Europe, Napoleon has enacted the Blocus Continental. It is an ambitious large scale trade embargo against British trade since 1806.
It seems to be working against the British as it should, but it has its negative effects on other European powers. In particular Russia under Alexander I was feeling the strain. Russia was effectively blocked from naval trading through the Baltic sea where British ships lay waiting or through the Dardanelles controlled by Russia's enemy the Ottoman Empire.
Joseph Bonaparte king of Spain, although his claim is tenuous, is the one to inadvertently suggest a solution to his younger brother the Emperor. In a letter he writes his brother:
"... indeed if we were campaigning for Alexander of Russia we might push the ottomans to the Mediterranean so that we might make ports in Greece. Regrettably control of the strait accessing the sea remains with enemy naval commanders..."
The strait to which Joseph had referred was the strait of Gibraltar that was hounded by British ships but to Napoleon it meant the Dardanelles and the Bosphoros. Joseph had given his brother the idea of how to break British naval superiority, if just for a while. The letter inspired Napoleon to impose the Treaty of Bucharest 1811. Napoleon convinced Mahmud II to open his ports and for Alexander would be given Bessarabia but have to cede territory in Transcaucasia.
This was only the first half of the solution, Napoleon still needed proper control in Spain to ensure the opening of Gibraltar and to do that he needed the British out of Iberia. Gathering up forces from all over the empire and with his allies, Francis of Austria, Frederick William III of Prussia and Alexander of Russia, Napoleon assembled the Grande Armée. The force was composed of 725,000 men, the largest standing force ever assembled in Europe up to that point. Napoleon directed his forces at Lisbon. The Anglo-Portuguese forces and the Spanish resistance would harass him no more.
People would write that the buildings shook as the Grande Armée marched through Spain. The siege of Cadiz was broken in two days, the Spanish resistance was broken. Portugal began to fall to the Napoleon as his army finally pushed into the lines of Torres Vedras, a series of 126 forts and redoubts under the command of Arthur Wellesly. Upon his arrival Napoleon realized the sheer magnitude of his task, Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's marshals of the empire, had even been pushed back in 1811. The logistical strain was beginning to show as the Portuguese had employed a scorched earth policy.
Using the grand mortars that had enjoyed some success at the siege of Cadiz, Napoleon endeavored to test the forts and the resolve of the Anglo-Portuguese army. After a month of solid bombardment with mortar and cannon the Grande Armée broke the first line. The city of Lisbon fell three weeks after, most of the defending army retreated to London on British ships
Iberia was securely under french rule and the trade embargo against the UK was now complete. European ships could access the trade routes through the Mediterranean but still had to contend with a vastly powerful British navy. Napoleon had been unable to compete at sea for far too long and had devised a counter strategy. Since the treaty of Bucharest 1812 Napoleon commissioned his allies for ships, building ships, buying existing ships, pressing a merchant navy into service. Napoleon was determined to have a Navy to push through the British lines.
He got his wish in the waning months of 1813 when James Madison, the president of the United States, made two important deliveries. Six frigates to the French and A declaration of war to the British. The frigates, four newly constructed and two already afloat, joined the french allied fleet with contributions from Russia, Austria, Prussia and even Ottoman vessels. Meanwhile the Grande Armée had made its way into Boulogne, Bruges and Montreuil to make preperations to cross the channel on the Flottille de Boulogne a large fleet of small gunboats designed for this purpose early in the french revolution.
As the French made preparations to sail on Great Britain so did the Americans make preparations to march on British North America.