Le rêve d'un Corse: A Napoleonic TL

[Deleted member 143920]

"Ever since Napoleon had replied to the would-be Louis XVIII explaining the impossibility of a Bourbon restoration, there had been plots of differing degrees of seriousness against his life" - Napoleon: A Life (Andrew Roberts) [1]

Napoleon Bonaparte, now First Consul, had become far greater than was imagined of him at the Brienne military academy in the early 1780s. But almost two decades later, it had seemed as though his extraordinary career would already be over. Just after 8pm on Wednesday, December 24th, 1800, Napoleon and Josephine, whom had taken separate carriages for the Opera, had passed the corner of the rue Saint-Nicaise, when suddenly Napoleon awoke from his dream to a loud explosion. Realising that it was an attempt on his life, he readily rushed out of the carriage to inspect that of behind, which had included his wife Josephine, her daughter Hortense and his youngest sister Caroline. While not the intended target, they were severely affected; In particular, his now deceased wife. Rapp, whom had only been his Aide-de-camp since Marengo accounted the event from their perspective:

"Your drunken lead carriage appears to have saved you First Consul. Our driver attempted to keep pace, unknowingly causing us to become the unintended victims of such foolishness of a crime. Josephine however, could not keep calm nor rationalise and upon the explosion she became cold and silent. She died moments ago."

Meanwhile, War Minister Berthier, General Lannes and Colonel Lauriston, who had accompanied Napoleon in his carriage, soothed him, and urged him to take care of his pregnant sister who would've been the most affected had it not been for Josephine. Napoleon had lost his beloved wife, but such was life in revolutionary France. How many had once been guillotined? As he grieved, he vowed that such an event would never occur again, describing to Lannes, "Liberty is such a virtue that you only realise you had it when it has been taken".

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[1] I'll try to include quotations and references from books and other sources whenever I can; I think they add a nice touch, otherwise, a simple quotation from a character will do.

 

[Deleted member 143920]

"Although everything pointed to the Chouan royalists, the incident was too good of an opportunity for Napoleon to waste" - Napoleon: A life (Andrew Roberts)

Upon learning of her death, Eugene wept. Napoleon however, while having loved his wife, was now willing to find another without remorse. A week had passed before he wrote to the Bourbon pretender offering his hand in marriage to that of his niece. Understandably, the self-proclaimed Louis 18th demanded that should Bonaparte be committed in marrying the daughter of his ill-accused and executed brother, the previous king of France, then he would restore the 'rightful monarchy', offering in return to make him Grand Constable of France, just as he had offered previously. Disgusted by their* unrealistic and blind behaviour, Napoleon concluded that a reconciliation would be impossible, and sought a new wife elsewhere, briefly considering Hortense to be such a match.

Meanwhile, the Austrian defeat at Hohenlinden reassured him that an immediate peace with Austria would be concluded soon; while his younger brother [Lucien], having arrived as the new French ambassador to Spain, continued the overtures to a country whose alliance would prove valuable. The First Consul had also given himself the aforementioned position for life, so as to ensure 'The safety of the people' and 'The stability of the Republic' [1]. He subsequently persecuted Royalists and Jacobins alike. Within the anniversary of his father's birth, it has seemed as though he had become a King without a crown.

As Napoleon's will became the law, and himself the embodiment of the French Republic, he continued the search for not only a new wife, but one of royalty. He hoped to find that wife in the Bourbons of Spain.

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[1] Josephine's death would accelerate Napoleon's consolidation of power.

 

[Deleted member 143920]

The Spanish court grew suspicious upon learning of the First Consul's debacle with the French Bourbons, but nevertheless continued their negotiations. As for Austria, her recent treaty of Luneville, concluded in early February [1], ensured that only Britain remained in direct opposition to Napoleon. Thus, to cease the near decade long war with Britain, he offered an alliance to Spain and proposed the following terms:

• Spanish Louisiana is to be ceded to France
• Spanish Florida is to be ceded to France
• Ferdinand, Duke of Parma is to abdicate and cede his territory to the Subalpine Republic [Piedmont]
• Spain is to provide six ships of war in good condition built for seventy-four guns
• Infanta Maria Isabella is to marry First Consul Bonaparte upon her twelfth anniversary by proxy, and subsequently sent to France.
• Louis of Bourbon-Parma, son of Ferdinand, is to be crowned King of Etruria, consisting of the previous Grand Duchy of Tuscany, Republic of Lucca, and Principality of Piombino.
• Following a joint invasion of Portugal, the Portuguese nephew of Charles 4th, Peter Charles of Bourbon-Braganza is to be installed as King of Portugal

Upon consulting his King, Chief minister Manuel Godoy unenthusiastically agreed to the overture. Wanting to end the war, Napoleon hoped that a Spanish alliance and an invasion of Britain's oldest ally would force her into negotiations. However, as the treaty of Aranjuez was concluded, Napoleon seemingly ignored the fatal calculation that the ill-prepared nation of the decadent Spanish Bourbons would be unable to commit to the promise of a Portuguese invasion; the debacle that subsequently ensued would either bring total victory, or a humiliating defeat for the soon-to-be Emperor of the French.

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[1] This is exactly the same as IOTL

 

[Deleted member 143920]

"I had expected nothing less of a total victory" - Napoleon

Napoleon had demanded that an expeditionary force be prepared for the 14th of June, coinciding with his victory at Marengo; subsequently, headed by his brother in law Leclerc, it invaded Portugal the following day. He'd planned for a joint assault, the French following the Douro and capturing Porto, while Godoy and the Spanish would use the Tagus and capture Evora. However, news arrived at French headquarters that Spain was unable to assemble a field army in due time because of lack of coordination and desertion and so a change of plan would be made: Leclerc would follow the Tagus and capture Lisbon immediately.

As the advance began, the Portuguese burnt all that could be useful, evacuated it's citizens, including the royal family onboard a ship headed towards Brazil and allowed for militia to wreck havoc on the French supply lines. The army itself retreated, awaiting promised British support. In London meanwhile, the new theatre brought hope and anger. The invasion was a clear provocation, but neither could Britain assemble an effective army able to resist the French. Thus, with rumours of an non-existent Spanish army, a diversionary landing would be made at Corunna to cut the French supply lines and force a retreat, while the Portuguese were expected to give battle outside Lisbon.

However, Leclerc's rapid advance into Portugal meant that he'd outflanked, and routed their entire army before the month was out, just as the British had landed. On July 2nd, Lisbon had fallen following a brief siege, and Portugal sued for peace. Napoleon had achieved his desired goal, but it would not bring the immediate peace he had arrogantly hoped for; only after intense negotiations, some major concessions and the possibility of a stalemate would each side finally accept peace.

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[Author's note] Sorry for the lack of in-depth military analysation, but I'm not a military genius

 

[Deleted member 143920]

"I disprove of his judgement, but it brought peace to Europe to which I am forever grateful." - Napoleon

Leclerc, however loyal to his brother-in-law, was prepared to use initiative. Upon the Portugal's capitulation, he demanded that not only she end her historic alliance with England and install Pedro-Carlos on the throne as had been described to him, but he also threatened to abolish her nation altogether if she refused to cede all the territory south of the Tagus to Spain. His reasoning was to punish Portugal for 'insubordination' and promise Spain that the First Consul was not to be betrayed should that scenario ever occur [1].

Meanwhile, the hopeless British expedition was all but doomed had it not been for the subsequent negotiations. In Holland, the British agreed to recognize all previous French treaties, end her hostilities, withdraw it's forces from Egypt and return Cape Colony to the Batavian Republic and all previous French colonial possessions to France. Napoleon was to recognise the sovereignty of (the remaining territory of-) Portugal, agree to cession of all British occupied colonial territory other than Cape Colony and France's returned colonial Empire, withdraw French forces from the Papacy and Naples, agree to the definition of the borders of French Guiana and the exchange of prisoners and Hostages [2]. The treaty was to prove turbulent at best.

The Habsburgs were unable to react to a peace that they viewed with contempt. Having been defeated in battle, they now sought to isolate Bonaparte diplomatically; beginning with the deposed French Bourbons. Marie Therese, to her reluctance, was to finally marry Archduke Charles (after some previous attempts had failed) and the Bourbon court was moved to Vienna for their safety, after growing collaboration between Tsar Paul and the First Consul was exposed.

Europe was finally at peace, but already the great powers were preparing for the next 'inevitable' war. Napoleon meanwhile, would enjoy the peace for reforming and stabilising France; his own ambitions, would also soon be realised.

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[1] I decided to cede southern Portugal to Spain as it would weaken the country and provide Spain with the sense that Napoleon is a reliable ally, especially after I harshened the terms of the treaty between them from OTL. Also, it is an example to them that their country will be partitioned if they betray him.
[2] I only included the major terms of this peace as everything minor shouldn't have much of an impact. Also, the treaty itself is mostly the same.

 

[Deleted member 143920]

"I admit, he is difficult to follow" - Talleyrand

News of the Habsburg marriage with the [French] Bourbons was not received well within Paris, and it reminded Napoleon that he could never be too safe from another war. Meanwhile, his own marriage was assured when as promised, Maria Isabella was married by proxy on her anniversary and subsequently sent to France. His first glance of her was that of disappointment, as he described her to Talleyrand as short and "rounded like a canon ball" while her childish persona reminded him of how young she was; her disinterest in almost everything only worsened his opinion.

Napoleon sought to cancel the marriage, but Talleyrand reminded him of his desire for a royal bride, and that cancelling the marriage would cause an unnecessary diplomatic disaster with now allied Spain, describing that "diplomacy is a battlefield of words, not guns". Moreover, negotiations began with the Papacy to restore Catholicism within France while the new Portuguese Bourbons provided the First Consul with another, albeit reluctant ally.

By contrast, London and Vienna were unsettled: The recent 'assassination' of Russia's Tsar a few months earlier, Bonaparte's consolidation of power and frequent overtures, Prussia's continued neutrality and Spain's alliance with France all encouraged them to believe that the status quo was unsustainable. Meanwhile, Napoleon's ambition sought new glory elsewhere - beginning with Saint-Domingue [1].

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[1] Haiti is the next chapter