Napoleon has escaped from Elba... and drowned

Thande

Donor
More or less like your standard "No Hundred Days" scenario, but with some significant differences:

1. This ignominious end means that Napoleon might be less idolised and emulated by future French (and other) political strongmen, and his family are less likely to worm their way back into power.

2. Conversely, it could turn into a 'King in the Mountain' type legend - "When France is threatened, Napoleon will arise out of the sea to defend her" etc.

3. In Britain I could see this becoming almost mythologised - "Napoleon's greatest enemy, the sea, has finally claimed him" (ie in reference to the Royal Navy protecting Britain).

4. What to do with Elba now will be a minor additional issue at the Congress of Vienna.
 

Susano

Banned
1. This ignominious end means that Napoleon might be less idolised and emulated by future French (and other) political strongmen, and his family are less likely to worm their way back into power.
I know of a guy who drunk under even stupider circumstances somewhere in Anatolia. Had a nice, red beard, though already somewhat greyed at the time. And I think that guy is still fairly idolised ;)

2. Conversely, it could turn into a 'King in the Mountain' type legend - "When France is threatened, Napoleon will arise out of the sea to defend her" etc.
Ah, heh, yes, speaking of which. So then one day it comes to the ultimate showdown - Arthur returns from Avalon, Barbarossa rises from beneath the Kyffhäuser, and Napoleon from below the sea!

4. What to do with Elba now will be a minor additional issue at the Congress of Vienna.
Well, where else than Tuscany as IOTL should it go?
 
More or less like your standard "No Hundred Days" scenario, but with some significant differences:

1. This ignominious end means that Napoleon might be less idolised and emulated by future French (and other) political strongmen, and his family are less likely to worm their way back into power.

2. Conversely, it could turn into a 'King in the Mountain' type legend - "When France is threatened, Napoleon will arise out of the sea to defend her" etc.

3. In Britain I could see this becoming almost mythologised - "Napoleon's greatest enemy, the sea, has finally claimed him" (ie in reference to the Royal Navy protecting Britain).

4. What to do with Elba now will be a minor additional issue at the Congress of Vienna.

5. Assuming the corpse gets washed up on some random beach and isn't recognised, no grand tomb and funeral in Paris=cultural butterflies.
 
I think the biggest difference is that the bigshots in Vienna will no longer work in fear of Napoleon. They'll be less concerned with punishing France and less restrained in tripping each other over. I don't know if I got the chronology right, but Murat might manage to survive in Naples.

If they don't find the body, expect Napoleon sightings and False Napoleons in the future, as well as conspiracy theories about how he was lured to that ship and pushed overboard.
 

Thande

Donor
If they don't find the body, expect Napoleon sightings and False Napoleons in the future, as well as conspiracy theories about how he was lured to that ship and pushed overboard.

Good point. Instead of OTL's Ney, maybe a (bigger, more 'Elvis Lives' scale) conspiracy theory about Napoleon living under an alias in the United States.
 
Good point. Instead of OTL's Ney, maybe a (bigger, more 'Elvis Lives' scale) conspiracy theory about Napoleon living under an alias in the United States.

For some reason the name "Perkin Warbeck" spring to mind - it'd be interesting to see how well proper Pretenders work in the modern era.
 
Wait a minute. Does anyone really think that people will buy that Napoleon fell off a ship during a storm all by his lonesome? There will be huge conspiracies about British plots, as there were OTL.

And this story only proves that Dog is a Frenchman.
 
Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy

Good point. From what I remember reading Murat had been accepted as king of Naples. However he felt gulity about deserting Napoleon so when Nappy returned to power Murat came out in support of him and lost his throne as a result. If Napoleon is lost without regaining power in France then for the moment at least Naples and Sicily remain divided. Not sure how popular and secure Murat was but possibly with reforms in his kingdom he might provide an alternative to Piedmont/Sardinia for Italian national opinion?

Steve

I think the biggest difference is that the bigshots in Vienna will no longer work in fear of Napoleon. They'll be less concerned with punishing France and less restrained in tripping each other over. I don't know if I got the chronology right, but Murat might manage to survive in Naples.

If they don't find the body, expect Napoleon sightings and False Napoleons in the future, as well as conspiracy theories about how he was lured to that ship and pushed overboard.
 
Dammm... You butterflied away completion of arc de triumph in Paris, how could you.... Evil heartless person...:mad:

The fact that the supports were complete to the base of the main vault, and the side arches finished makes me severely doubt it won't be finished. Different sculptures may be put in place, but if a mini 'Napoleon-fever' grips France sometime in the early 1800s (quite possible) even that isn't certain.
 
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