Napoleon and Egypt

History of the invasion of Napoleon in Egypt

From time to time, in the study of the history, one meets an episode in a strange way nonordinary which it collects the attention and imagination. Perhaps just when you think you intended all to teach you something from so attractive, you wonder: “Why I did not hear of that front?” The Egyptian countryside is an example. Sometimes, it seems as a book, filled with famous places, coloured and vicious characters and strange action. However, all that is true. Between its European conquests, and before becoming Empereur of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte conducted a campaign of Egypt in a way whimsical, if deprived of true military objective to be chimerical. In its youth, it was fascinated by the East, and there it always wanted to go. When it had its chance, it took a whole army. I think that he sees itself while following the traces of Alexandre the Large one, in an empire in the east of the country. Perhaps only one ego as large as that of Bonaparte, in a time so confused as that of the French revolution, could something of also single in its kind never occurring. What follows is an account and of reflection over these 12 months that Napoleon passed between the combustion of sands of North Africa. The French government of 1798 was dangerously close to political upheavals. However, the star of Napoleon Bonaparte was with the rise. Napoleon had disappeared in Italy in 1796 as a commander-in-chief from the French Army. In the one year space, it gained its reputation on the battle field with an astonishing procession of victories. The official number given had sixty three. Its achievements included to recover Corsica from English, both to overcome the Austrian Empire and of the Kingdom of Sardinia, gains Savoy and of Nice for France, and the plundering of the treasures of arts and Italy. It was of course enormously success near the French. At this time, France was controlled by the five year old Directory. Corrupted and ineffective, the repertory was extremely unpopular. Napoleon described like the “ready one to only piss on.” (Fregosi, 114) Even in this case, it realized that the moment was not yet right with its coup d'etat of the Directory of the Five. To keep the inactivity from there, it thus began the preparations for the project of the invasion of England. In that, desires of both Napoleon and the coincided Repertory. Bonaparte necessary of measurements to prevent its reputation of indication. In the same way, the members of the directory feared army in general, and the popularity of Bonaparte in particular. For this reason, the Repertory was haste of the ambitious general further possible from Paris and the government that possible. As, they realized as their emergency capacities in time of war would not last a day of peace, and thus asked a continuation of the hostilities. As Napoleon said: “The directory was dominated by its own weakness, to exist it just like needs a perpetual state of war of other governments need peace.” (Chandler, 208) But Napoleon thought are not of England. Any reasonable person can see that the British naval superiority made an invasion of these islands insane of the race. But does the question arise then, if a strike in England is not possible, where the French should direct their efforts? According to Fregosi (p. 113), Napoleon design of the idea of an Egyptian forwarding during the countryside of Italy (he was even seen Mémoires reading on Turkey, Tatars and modern Egypt). With the assistance of the Talleyrand Foreign Minister, Bonaparte persuaded the repertory to delay the project of invasion of England and leave him the head of an army in Egypt. April 12th, the Army of England was officially renamed Armée with Egypt, Napoleon and was named commander-in-chief. Why Egypt? First of all, a strong French Army in the east of the country which threatens to disturb England rich person of Asia. Secondly, the thought of Egypt as a French colony was a tempting idea (although the idea was nothing again, the plan was proposed once in Louis XIV in 1672, in order to sap the capacity of Holland, but not realized (Bonaparte of the life, 92)). Thirdly, Egyptian forwarding would be infinitely less expensive and less risky than the invasion of British Isles. Finally there was a moral justification, but perhaps manufactured one. Egypt was, with a name, part of the Ottoman Empire and, consequently, its leader was the sultan of Constantinople. In fact, the real capacity lengthened with the Marmeluke caste during the 500 year old last. There were probably 100.000 of these people living in Egypt at the time, including some 10.000 made up Marmeluke the cavalry which was constantly to badger the French troops during their stay in Egypt. Their occupation was the aggravated theft and of the oppression of the Egyptian peasants, or fellahin, and they imposed their outrageusement. They lived in residences amends assisted by tens of slaves. (Fregosi, 121). According to Chandler, (p. 221) in the republican spirit of France at the time, there was a true will to improve the fate of the fellahin. It seems convenient Directory that France, being more the company civilized in the world, should help to improve and to light the people of the cradle of civilization. These considerations, a “amalgam of reason, realistic and visionary, and true problem” finally convinced the repertory to undertake forwarding. The objectives of the company were imposing with a fault. Bonaparte the orders of capture were in Malta, on the way of Egypt. Once there, its objective was to dislodge the English of their Eastern possessions, to build a channel through the isthmus of Suez, to improve the situation of the Egyptian population and to establish a permanent French colony. It would be only in one of these objectives. It is clear that Napoleon was thought initially and above all of its own glory and of the situation. He once said to his friend and secretary Bourrienne, “Europe is not that a taupinière - all the large ones have the reputation come from Asia”. (Bourrienne, 68) Certainly, he knew an invasion of England would end in the event of catastrophe, and with his own forever soiled name. In addition, a short adventure in the East of perhaps six months or can thus improve its own regard of oneself, and at the same time the repertory enough of time “to block themselves on their own cord”, after which it could return to France and to seize the power. Napoleon threw himself in the preparations of forwarding with a real heat. Thanks to its energy and its devotion, the whole of the army of Egypt is ready to leave in two months and half. Put at veil the wearing of Toulon forms one of best French armed ever was joined together. Bonaparte required of thirty half-brigades, an army of 40000 men and the near total of them was former members of the army of Italy. They had experience of the war veterans, and they were right-hand men of Napoleon. (Chandler, 212) the fleet of transport met for the army is quite as large, sailors some 10.000 out of 400 ships. That included/understood 13 battleships 42 frigates and 130 transport under the command of an admiral Brueys. (Fregosi, 116) This enormous collection of ships must have been impressive seen, which the witnesses speak about the “forest of masts” that it created in the sea. A single characteristic of this curious countryside was the great number of civilians. As before him Alexandre, Bonaparte itself surrounded scientists and Article Among these scientists notable was the French mathematician Gaspard Monge. Another chapter was the chemist Jacques Conte, who, during British blockade which was to be come, invented the mixture of graphite and clay to replace lead in the mineral pencils. The result it was badly named “leader” of pencils still of use today. At summer also a man of the name of Mathieu de Lesseps. Years later, he would say to his son Ferdinand the project of Napoleon had often thought, a channel connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Suez Canal was built by Ferdinand de Lesseps one half-century later. (Fregosi, 117) There were even women who marked length. Some of the officers of lower row were accompanied by their wives (or of the mistresses, like the case of May). One of them, lieutenant Fourès, made a serious error while carrying its beautiful, Leggy marries Pauline long. Among sands of the desert, Napoleon came to be very fond of delicacies of the Pauline blonde, and before a long time the lieutenant was on board a ship towards Europe, without woman, by order of Bonaparte. Row has its privileges, I suppose. The generals chosen by Bonaparte were same variety of colors, and a great number of Marshals the future of France. It was fringant it officer of cavalry Joachim Murat, which carried “beautiful” of the uniforms of pink pants, feathers, Ruffles, yellow and a jacket. There was not to say what this man would be to carry to the battle. Bonaparte as a chief of the engineers was cut down by a leg, but merry Louis Caffarelli, who was known for his spirit and of pleasant conversation provision. Then, there was Louis Berthier, of Bonaparte chief of staff. Incredibly obsessed by an Italian woman whom it left behind, it brought with him a small sanctuary to it and candles, and each night, he to join together in his tent and to kneel in front of it. Bonaparte found this practice more pathetic. Also two of old Bonaparte superiors, the brilliance of the Desaix generals and Kléber. Kléber was a former architect and Alsatian, who had distinguished itself from the engagements against the Austrians and the Germans in Germany. Desaix was a former aristocrat (although very ugly one, it had malicious Saber bars oblique through its face seldom represented in photograph) who had refused to leave France during the Revolution. It seems that the French have an aversion for salt water, because when he was returned to the soldiers whom they were intended for “service overseas” (the exact destination is still a jealously kept secrecy), they started to desert and from recriminations. To rejoin the spirits of his men, Napoleon made a speech in which he promised of “any soldier, who on his return in France, he must have sufficient to buy itself six acres of ground.” (Chandler, 214) That was to prove a hollow promise, and nearly a third of its men of the ground that they never received would be a place of rest of less than six feet of Egyptian sand. Even thus, the French sailed convoy at dawn the May 19th day. During this time, all of this activity in Toulon the attention of the British retained. To inquire into, they sent the untameable-admiral Sir Horatio Nelson with a squadron of battleships and frigates. Nelson was a little rough by the research project 1798, having at this time lost a Corsica œ it of and an arm in the Canary islands, but it regards the French as compatriots E devil and it drives out them without slackening. The French are completely unconscious attentions of the fleet of Nelson, and it is only by chance that these slipped wearing of Toulon, without being found. May 21st a strong strong gale démâté its headlight HMS Vanguard, dispersed and its ships. (Chandler, 215) By time, they rectified and reached Toulon, the French had disappeared. On an intuition, sailed Nelson is (correctly), but it was not until June 14, which received information according to which the French fleet was located off the coasts of Sicily. Like Nelson flailed on Med uncertainty, Napoleon arrived at the island of Malta. The island of Malta strategically is placed, located between Tunisia and Sicily, and thus all the East-West ones of transport through the Mediterranean can be worried of this island. As such, no European great power wanted another power to control on the island. For this reason, Malta was governed by the Chevaliers crusaders of Midsummer's Day since 1530, which is given to them by the emperor Habsbourg Charles V at this time. (Fregosi, 119) Once a formidable force, by Knights 1798 was transformed into a heap of software-life womanizers (not having been on the crusade for a couple hundred years or SO). Moreover, nearly 200 to 300 + French knights were, and are not very inclined to resist their compatriots. Consequently, when Napoleon arrived the June 9 and required the transfer of the island, it was abandoned without fighting. The island has always considerable fortification, and if there had been resistance to its capture would have been a difficult company. In the words of the Caffarelli general, “it is lucky it ya somebody in the town of open the doors for us”. (Bourrienne, 70) Bonaparte spent the next week to Malta, by organizing things like it considers it convenient, including Malta, declaring part of France and the installation of a garrison of 3500 men under the Voubois general. That made, it embarks for Alexandria the June 18. In July with one 2nd hours, after six weeks of sea, the Army of Egypt began the unloading of some miles in the west of Alexandria. The seas were heavy, and a certain number of soldiers drowned to try to obtain with ground. Exhausted, wet and poor wretch of the men crumbled and I slept on the beach. Current events of the conquest of Malta has created sensation in Alexandria and the two principal Beys, and Murad Ibrahim called the men with their weapons. Thus, when the French troops caused the next morning and started at their March on the city, Marmelukes were ready for them. Bedouin warriors with horse essaimé along their sides and the back. Carriage, including the women were made prisoners. Their written Castelot experiments; When the prisoners were returned a few days later, the stories they have says are propagated by the whole of the Army crushed, and any desire length on the continuation of the steps. The prisoners of male sex, with their soft white skin, caused the admiration of their kidnappers, thin but vigorous, which had violated on several occasions them. The women are only blows. The taste of people who remain with milk of camel to the length of the year are unforeseeable. (Castelot, 106) After five hours without March of water, French troops in Alexandria of attack by thirst. Menou general of attack the Fort triangular to the periphery of the city, while Kléber and attacked Good Pompey and Rosetta doors of the city. Resistance is low, and by the afternoon, the city was entirely in the hands of the French. (Chandler, 220) During the day, the troops distributed of the leaflets containing of the proclamation of Napoleon to the population of Egypt. In this document, he proclaims the advent of French to the will of Allah, to restore their rights and to release them from the tyranny of Marmelukes. (Bourrienne, 71) Moreover, he declares: “That wisdom, which talents, which distinguishes the Marmelukes virtues, so that they have the exclusive possession of all that makes the life soft and pleasant? Does there exist a fine small holding? It belongs to Marmelukes. Does there exist a beautiful young girl slave, a beautiful horse, a beautiful house? These things belong to Marmelukes. If Egypt is their farm, that they show us the lease that God their gave on it! ” Of course, that was but much hot air, any republican spirit on side. Bonaparte was procuring with the fellahin to be rejoined around him, or at least to tolerate its presence in their country. I do not believe that they bought it for one minute. How it to admit later, “It is necessary to be a charlatan! It is the way of succeeding!” (Castelot, 106) nearest Alexandria under control, Bonaparte series on its Cairo sites, capital of Egypt. Like the light van of the army, the major general Desaix was sent at the same time for the villages of Palaiseau and Rahmaniya, at the same time some 45 miles in the south of Alexandria. Good major general Desaix of the follow-up on 5th. During this March, most of the army of Bonaparte arrived at close to mutiny. At the same time for the men and the officers, the 72 hours of excursion became nearest to the hell as one can find it on the Earth. The men were charged with doors, heat the equipment and uniforms, badly adapted for a campaign of North Africa. Only food available is dry cookies, and water was not to be made. The native of the tribe of Bedouins, with the approach of French, is poison or to fill of sand with some wells what could be found. Mirages of water often seems with the temptation of the tired men. Under these conditions, certain men left their spirit, and some killed themselves. Many was struck by the ophthalmia, which because temporary blindness. The men wondered whether it were not perhaps where the six arpents of Bonaparte ground had promised was to be found. It was the joke of the whole of the army. When the soldiers arrived at Palaiseau in July 9, they could not take more. Bonaparte was presented with an ultimatum of the mutineers men and officers. It rejected it with contempt, and a general leader Mireur was found died the next morning in the desert, seem-T-suicide. A threat to shoot at its compatriot, the Dumas general quickly calmed the things still. (Chandler, 222) the troops were implied in a certain number of small fixings with Marmeluke cavalry, but they would have always to flee in the desert before French could gather enough soldiers for a true battle. When they reached finally the Nile, the soldiers were happy that they had water. There were also water melons which grew in abundance along the banks. Certain men on themselves the spectacle and, in fact, died of too much water. Many others contracted the water melon dysentery. Three days later, the fixings paroxysm when a flotilla of Marmeluke drain-holes attacked the French ships used to bring the supplies and the scientists to the river. After a little four hours of battle between the boats, Bonaparte ordered with some of artillery of edge of the water, which quickly made jump the Moslems headlight of bits. Discouragement, withdrawn Marmelukes, but they are far from being overcome. The victory of Aboukir is the last exploit of the general-in-chief in Egypt; another phase of its astonishing career starts: considering that there remained to him nothing any more to make in Egypt which was worthy of its ambition, waited that the forces of which he could still lay out were not, with much near, sufficient to undertake a forwarding of some importance beyond the borders of its conquest, which was well shown to him by the failure of the seat of Acre; expecting that its army, always going weakening by the combat and the diseases, it would be seen early or late in the need for signing a capitulation and to go captive to its enemies; that a so deplorable event would destroy all the prestige of its many victories; by these various reasons, it takes the resolution spontaneously to return to France. He had learned by his communications with the British fleet, during the exchange of the prisoners of Aboukir and in particular by the Gazette of Frankfurt that Sidney-Smith sends to him, that since its absence, the fatherland had tested reverses, that the enemies had taken again its own conquests, that the humiliated nation, dissatisfied with the dictatorial government, remembered with pain glorious peace that he had signed with the treaty of Campo-Formio; it understands finally that one required for him and that it would be received. It announces its secrecy only to one small number of friends whose discretion and devotion are well-known for him. A voyage in the delta of the Nile is the pretext which it proposes to leave Cairo without waking up the suspicions; the scientists Monge, Berthollet, the painter Denon, the Berthier generals, Murat, Lannes, Marmont, accompany it. The victory of Aboukir is the last exploit of the general-in-chief in Egypt; another phase of its astonishing career starts: considering that there remained to him nothing any more to make in Egypt which was worthy of its ambition, waited that the forces of which he could still lay out were not, with much near, sufficient to undertake a forwarding of some importance beyond the borders of its conquest, which was well shown to him by the failure of the seat of Acre; expecting that its army, always going weakening by the combat and the diseases, it would be seen early or late in the need for signing a capitulation and to go captive to its enemies; that a so deplorable event would destroy all the prestige of its many victories; by these various reasons, it takes the resolution spontaneously to return to France. He had learned by his communications with the British fleet, during the exchange of the prisoners of Aboukir and in particular by the Gazette of Frankfurt that Sidney-Smith sends to him, that since its absence, the fatherland had tested reverses, that the enemies had taken again its own conquests, that the humiliated nation, dissatisfied with the dictatorial government, remembered with pain glorious peace that he had signed with the treaty of Campo-Formio; it understands finally that one required for him and that it would be received. It announces its secrecy only to one small number of friends whose discretion and devotion are well-known for him. A voyage in the delta of the Nile is the pretext which it proposes to leave Cairo without waking up the suspicions; the scientists Monge, Berthollet, the painter Denon, the Berthier generals, Murat, Lannes, Marmont, accompany it.