Decline and Fall of Napoleon's Empire: How the Emperor Self-Destructed

by Digby Smith

Overview

Until now, there has been no study of the significant errors that Napoleon made himself which, though apparently trivial at the time, proved to be major factors in his downfall. Digby Smith tracks his rise to power, his stewardship of France from 180415, and his exile. He highlights his military mistakes, such as his unwillingness to appoint an effective overall supremo in the Iberian Peninsula, and the decision to invade Russia while the Spanish situation was spiralling out of control.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784380274
Publisher:	Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal, Limited
Publication date:	01/24/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Digby Smith has been writing books on European military history since 1973, concentrating mainly on the armies of continental Europe and in particular the many German states. His main areas of expertise are the Seven Years' War and the Napoleonic period.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations 7

Introduction 9

Chronology 13

1 The Steps to the Throne 23

The Totalitarian Dictator 29

Repression 31

2 Military Blunders 42

1800: Marengo 42

1805: Napoleon and Naval Affairs 46

3 Economic Errors 60

4 1809: The Puppets Fall Short of Expectations 87

The Spanish Ulcer Opens Up 92

5 Napoleon, Centre of the Universe 96

In His Headquarters 96

The Operations of the Headquarters of the Grande Armée: the Flaws 98

6 Corruption 122

Distractions of the Flesh 127

7 1812: Russia - The Great Blunder 131

8 The Errors of 1813 150

9 1813: Leipzig, the Battle of the Nations 160

10 1814: Flashes of Genius, Thoughts of Suicide 170

General Bonaparte Rides Again 173

The Nine Days Campaign 174

After the Lord Mayor's Show 177

The First Abdication 183

11 1815: One Last Throw - The Hundred Days 187

Ligny or Quatre-Bras? 200

Waterloo 203

Epilogue 217

Appendices

A French Exports 1805-1815 218

B The Berlin Decrees 220

C The Milan Decree 223

D The Chappe Telegraph System 225

E Populations and Annies of States in 1800 226

F The Navies in 1790 227

G Naval Supplies 228

H Napoleon's Finances 229

Bibliography 231

Index 233