Napoleon, the Man and the Myths: Part 3


Now at the peak of his popularity, Napoleon demanded he be made Consular for Life. Another plebiscite, this time a 99.8% outcome. As his grip on absolute power tightened, it sparked off assassination attempts. He used one such attempt to frame a Duke, a link to the erstwhile monarchy, but most importantly: a nobody. So why did Napoleon target a nobody? Rumour said it was because the two men shared a mistress… but who can really say?

Regardless of his reasons, the killing of the Duke evoked panic in the erstwhile royal line. Fearing that they’d all be killed, they sought British help to take back France. And thus started another string of wars between France and Britain. In the meantime, Napoleon brought back hereditary monarchy a decade after the French Revolution! Yet another constitution was framed, this one to declare him the “emperor”. In his coronation ceremony, he placed the crown on his own head. A “gangster move”, the podcast said admiringly.

Emperor Napoleon soon redrew the map of Europe, conquering Spain, Austria, Italy and Germany. He then attacked Russia. Myths blame it on success going to his head, but the reality is that Napoleon headed the largest force that had ever attacked Russia. Yes, he underestimated the Russian winder, but equally, he couldn’t have foreseen that the Russians would scorch the earth, destroying their own cities as they retreated to deprive his troops of any shelter or logistics. In any case, only 1/10th of his army returned home.

The rest of Europe ganged up and attacked the depleted French, who surrendered. They handed Napoleon as a prisoner. The old Bourbons were put back on the throne. To make the transition legitimate, the victors told Napoleon he could live (and rule) in faraway Elba as along as he abdicated the French throne. Napoleon agreed, but no, he certainly didn’t frame the “Able was I ere I saw Elba” palindrome since he barely knew any English.

The Bourbon king, Louis, ruled as if the French Revolution had never happened, and soon alienated the people and the army. Napoleon seized the chance, and returned to France whipping up more and more support. Louis sent his army to attack, but Napoleon flipped them to join him instead. And yes, then are innumerable versions on how he flipped them. Louis fled and Napoleon was emperor again, “one of the most improbable second acts of history”.

This time he only reigned for 3 months, before being defeated at Waterloo. Even then, luck played a role. As per all the war game simulations of that famous battle, had he attacked the British earlier in the day, he would have won. But by starting later in the day, he gave the Prussians a chance to arrive in time to tilt the balance in favour of the British. Of course, the British version won’t say that.

This time, the British exiled him to faraway St.Helena, in the middle of the Atlantic. He died 6 years later, of stomach cancer. Or did he? The myths continued: was he poisoned? A 1960’s autopsy found arsenic in his hair. Then again, arsenic was far more prevalent back then, even used in household paints. In fact, his hair tonic was found to contain arsenic too. Plus, stomach cancer ran in his family, so who can say with surety he was poisoned?

In life and in death, myths surrounded the man. A fascinating man with fascinating stories about him to boot. Who said history has to be boring?

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