WI Napoleon attacks Gibraltar instead of Egypt in 1798?

I am looking at creating a timeline in which France is able to gain Mediterranean naval supremacy during the Napoleonic wars; such a change would greatly improve the strength of Napoleon’s combined fleet which desperately needed actual sea experience and could aid in the French campaigns ins in Naples, Sicily and eventually Russia.

In 1798 OTL the British and French Med fleets were roughly equal until the disastrous battle of the Nile but what if Napoleon had another target? Strategically the seizing of Malta was clever but what if Napoleon avoided the conquest of Egypt, which was an attempt to strangle trade between Britain and India, but cut off the access to the Med at its source and instead attacked Gibraltar? With Spain supporting Napoleon and supplies by sea not a foregone conclusion for the British could the combined French-Spanish forces take it? Perhaps then Napoleon could move on to conquer Portugal and remove all British naval bases from continental Europe.

So would it be actual possible to take Gibraltar at the time?

Would the successful conquest of Gibraltar and Portugal make the Med an uncontested France and Spain Pond?

And finally would ego-hungry Napoleon agree to a less prestigious task?

Also as a side note attacks on Crimea and Sicily were also considered in OTL, how would those play out?
 
Umm well with the Spanish and French combined fleets the French could beat the British thus allowing Nappy to seize Gib. To take Gib you need naval superioty

Umm no it wouldn't it would help a lot though

Umm give Nappy a controlling revanchistic Spanish wife and you have a low possibility, but regular Nappy is a defiant no

Sicily, victory

Crimea, most likely Nappy would get Turkish support and attack, if Suvorov is alive then Nappy loses, if Suvorov is dead then Nappy wins
 
I am looking at creating a timeline in which France is able to gain Mediterranean naval supremacy during the Napoleonic wars; such a change would greatly improve the strength of Napoleon’s combined fleet which desperately needed actual sea experience and could aid in the French campaigns ins in Naples, Sicily and eventually Russia.

In 1798 OTL the British and French Med fleets were roughly equal until the disastrous battle of the Nile but what if Napoleon had another target? Strategically the seizing of Malta was clever but what if Napoleon avoided the conquest of Egypt, which was an attempt to strangle trade between Britain and India, but cut off the access to the Med at its source and instead attacked Gibraltar? With Spain supporting Napoleon and supplies by sea not a foregone conclusion for the British could the combined French-Spanish forces take it? Perhaps then Napoleon could move on to conquer Portugal and remove all British naval bases from continental Europe.

So would it be actual possible to take Gibraltar at the time?

Would the successful conquest of Gibraltar and Portugal make the Med an uncontested France and Spain Pond?

And finally would ego-hungry Napoleon agree to a less prestigious task?

Also as a side note attacks on Crimea and Sicily were also considered in OTL, how would those play out?

I'd say its a possibility but not likely. Gibraltar was besieged at least three times by the Spanish during the 18th century and never once captured it. Even with French support I can't see it going any differently here. Napoleon was good in true battles, not sieges. Plus the British have tons of experience defending the gateway to the Med.
 
I'd say its a possibility but not likely. Gibraltar was besieged at least three times by the Spanish during the 18th century and never once captured it. Even with French support I can't see it going any differently here. Napoleon was good in true battles, not sieges. Plus the British have tons of experience defending the gateway to the Med.

You have to remember that in those the sieges the biggest being the Great Siege that Britain retained naval superiority. Once naval superiority is lost Gib falls soon after. So maybe give France an amazing naval commanders and the siege will succeed. Maybe John Paul Jones?
 
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