Napoleon comes back
- Thread starter Alcsentre Calanice
- Start date
Not with all that stomach cancer bubbling in his belly
I know... But we really don't know when this cancer broke out. With the right POD, he can surely live until 1860.
Also, there is a little chance that "stomach cancer" is only another expression for "poisoned by the Britons".
Well if he can survive on the island long enough, a very Tan Napoleon could be brought back to France by Nappy III as an elder statesmen and living legend, which I believe is far more fitting end to a man of his legendary stature.
I doubt taht Nappy III would be emperor if Nappy number one and maybe also Nappy number two are around.
If we're stopping Napoleon having stomach cancer, what about his family? He probably inherited a predisposition to the disease from his father who died of the same thing, as did his brother Lucien and sister Pauline. If we're changing Napoleon having the disease are we also changing his family having it? Cos that'll have a whole other load of butterflies.
More likely poisoned by himself. He used a face-whitening cream that included arsenic.
Nappy III will probably be president-for-life in this event. He may decide to bring Nappy I back as a French hero.
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Right, but Nappy is not the "cochon à engrais". He disliked symbolic funtions and wanted real power.
If Napoleon was still alive by 1848, he'd be almost 80 years old. I think he'd be more than happy to play the elder statesman by then.
More realistically, if he wasn't killed by cancer or poisoned or struck by lightning or killed by a jealous husband, I rather doubt he'd be able to return to power in France once again.
His return in 1815 was largely supported by the army. After Waterloo, the army would have been purged of Bonapartistes. And Napoleon and the French had hoped that his return would be accepted if he made political/diplomatic concessions. That proved a fallacy. France would have to fight and would not be able to defeat the combined powers advantage in numbers. After all, even Napoleon's generalship had failed to do so in 1815 and Napoleon would be even more run down a second time around.
There was speculation about Napoleon perhaps joining the wars of liberation in South America. If sprung from St. Helena, that might well have proven a worthwile continuation of his legacy....
There were several plot to break him out of prison, mostly by some of his former generals exiled in America (like Grouchy and Lallemand). One of the most extravagant was enlisting an Irish smuggler with a prototypical submarine :
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...-rescue-napoleon-by-submarine-1194764/?no-ist
This story may or may not be an invention by said smuggler. There were other plans, but barely less far-fetched.
But in the end, it seems that Napoleon refused all these propositions (when he knew about it) First, he held dearly to his dignity and refused to flee in the dark like a common criminal. Second and more important, he seems to have given up any desire to make a comeback, in France or elsewhere: right after his defeat, he talked about how he hope to be allowed to retire quietly, study science and maybe write a book or two.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...-rescue-napoleon-by-submarine-1194764/?no-ist
This story may or may not be an invention by said smuggler. There were other plans, but barely less far-fetched.
But in the end, it seems that Napoleon refused all these propositions (when he knew about it) First, he held dearly to his dignity and refused to flee in the dark like a common criminal. Second and more important, he seems to have given up any desire to make a comeback, in France or elsewhere: right after his defeat, he talked about how he hope to be allowed to retire quietly, study science and maybe write a book or two.
After residing on that miserable island for so long I imagine he'd just be happy to see France again.
I was under the impression that during Hundred Days,Napoleon did want to play the role of a "constitutional King".
He did - the political system was completly changed by the Acte additionel of 1815 (thouh, officially, the Constitution of 1799 was still in force), and France should, under the dispostitions of the new system, become a constitutional monarchy with the Emperor only holding executive power exerced through a responsible government. In fact, the Empire was becoming not only a Constitutional, but also a parliamentary monarchy.
IMHO, this was a big fault. The elected (first time under Nappy that parliament was directly elected - his old tricameral parliament was based upon the propositions of candidates by the electors) house was composed of a liberal majority, which refused to continue war and just wanted Louis XVIII back, who had enacted a constitution similar to the British one. After Waterloo, they didn't accepted to act like in 1792 and claimed for peace and the (second) abdication of Napoleon.
Indeed. Napoleon's return was not universally popular or widely accepted so he had to placate his political opposition. This was partly done by offering a new constitution which reduced his power (Napoleon had been a de facto dictator during his previous reign) and by offering vital government positions to members of the opposition.
Had he won Waterloo and any subsequent campaign(s), he most likely would have abolished this constitution. Napoleon had never been able to play nice with others or share his toys, let alone power.
The unexpected effect of the constitution was that he was unable to rally support after Waterloo when most of the politicians turned against him (or rather against continued war and calling up more underage conscripts again). He'd have to organise a coup to get rid of the recalcitrant politicians and it was not clear if the army would follow him in that.
Had he won Waterloo and any subsequent campaign(s), he most likely would have abolished this constitution. Napoleon had never been able to play nice with others or share his toys, let alone power.
The unexpected effect of the constitution was that he was unable to rally support after Waterloo when most of the politicians turned against him (or rather against continued war and calling up more underage conscripts again). He'd have to organise a coup to get rid of the recalcitrant politicians and it was not clear if the army would follow him in that.