Why was Napoleon exiled instead of being executed?
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Date: 2023-11-30
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Comments and reviews: 20
alex_zetsu
It should be noted Napoleon as guaranteed a pension in exchange for renouncing his claim to the throne of France by the coalition and they didn't pay him. I modern contract law between individuals, when one party fails to deliver, the other side is almost always free from their obligations in the contract. Heck even in _British law at the time_ this was the case domestically. The right way this would be solved is OK, back to Elba you go, or maybe as a free man in England. We're mad at you for causing trouble but we did pinky swear to give you money and we were a bit late. Of course this isn't pragmatic given that Elba and England are way too close for France. I'm not going to say Napoleon was a saint to the old world order, but unlike some people rather than claiming his exile representing some justice, I can recognize it for what is it: A victor gets to dictate their terms on the loser.
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It should be noted Napoleon as guaranteed a pension in exchange for renouncing his claim to the throne of France by the coalition and they didn't pay him. I modern contract law between individuals, when one party fails to deliver, the other side is almost always free from their obligations in the contract. Heck even in _British law at the time_ this was the case domestically. The right way this would be solved is OK, back to Elba you go, or maybe as a free man in England. We're mad at you for causing trouble but we did pinky swear to give you money and we were a bit late. Of course this isn't pragmatic given that Elba and England are way too close for France. I'm not going to say Napoleon was a saint to the old world order, but unlike some people rather than claiming his exile representing some justice, I can recognize it for what is it: A victor gets to dictate their terms on the loser.
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paultapner2769
In 2015 I went on a tour of a place called Smedmore House. In Dorset, Britain. In one room there is a chair that belonged to Napoleon when he was on St. Helena. A member of the family who have always owned the house was one of the guards there. When Napoleon died they were allowed to take what they wanted as souvenirs. He took the chair. Which is purple. The same colour as Napoleon's imperial livery. One of the few things he was allowed to keep.
The tour guide said he knows someone who has been to St. Helena, and this person said it's the most miserable and depressing place you can imagine. The moment you get off the boat there, you feel like you're in a prison.
If memory serves, the British occupied one nearby island to St. Helena, just so no french forces could ever use it a staging place to mount a rescue.
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In 2015 I went on a tour of a place called Smedmore House. In Dorset, Britain. In one room there is a chair that belonged to Napoleon when he was on St. Helena. A member of the family who have always owned the house was one of the guards there. When Napoleon died they were allowed to take what they wanted as souvenirs. He took the chair. Which is purple. The same colour as Napoleon's imperial livery. One of the few things he was allowed to keep.
The tour guide said he knows someone who has been to St. Helena, and this person said it's the most miserable and depressing place you can imagine. The moment you get off the boat there, you feel like you're in a prison.
If memory serves, the British occupied one nearby island to St. Helena, just so no french forces could ever use it a staging place to mount a rescue.
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giacomoromano8842
Poor Napoleon, i always felt lot of sympathy for him. Half the wars he fought were pushed on him, many of his reforms were conservatives, but understandable considering the utter chaos of the revolutionary period and he was a competent general and a smart tacticians, who blundered and paid for it. I truly wished he spent his days ruling Elba and not trying his luck again in France. It was bold, but it didn't pay off.
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Poor Napoleon, i always felt lot of sympathy for him. Half the wars he fought were pushed on him, many of his reforms were conservatives, but understandable considering the utter chaos of the revolutionary period and he was a competent general and a smart tacticians, who blundered and paid for it. I truly wished he spent his days ruling Elba and not trying his luck again in France. It was bold, but it didn't pay off.
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calebwilliams7659
Yes he was exiled to St. Helena, but it's pretty well established now he was being slowly poisoned to death w/arsenic while imprisoned there. So while no one was willing to kill him openly, they were certainly willing to end his life quietly. People say he died from stomach cancer. Give you one guess as to a known side-effect to low dose but frequent ingestion of arsenic causes.
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Yes he was exiled to St. Helena, but it's pretty well established now he was being slowly poisoned to death w/arsenic while imprisoned there. So while no one was willing to kill him openly, they were certainly willing to end his life quietly. People say he died from stomach cancer. Give you one guess as to a known side-effect to low dose but frequent ingestion of arsenic causes.
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mlc4495
I always assumed, sorta rightly I suppose, that it was because of the 18th century belief in different rules for rulers versus the ordinary man. Captured generals tended to be given lavish privileges, even by their enemies. The conduct of gentlemen and all that. Killing each others leaders might have also started a custom that could come back to bite them on the arse.
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I always assumed, sorta rightly I suppose, that it was because of the 18th century belief in different rules for rulers versus the ordinary man. Captured generals tended to be given lavish privileges, even by their enemies. The conduct of gentlemen and all that. Killing each others leaders might have also started a custom that could come back to bite them on the arse.
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familygash7500
It's pretty ironic that The British were the most lenient towards Napoleon following his defeat, despite the fact that they were the most determined to get rid of him throughout the entire course of his rule over France.
ALSO, VIDEO SUGGESTION:
Why wasn't Greece's monarchy restored after the deposition of their military regime in 1974?
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It's pretty ironic that The British were the most lenient towards Napoleon following his defeat, despite the fact that they were the most determined to get rid of him throughout the entire course of his rule over France.
ALSO, VIDEO SUGGESTION:
Why wasn't Greece's monarchy restored after the deposition of their military regime in 1974?
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Paintchk218
If I remember correctly Tzar Alexandar I got to Paris first and was mostly in charge how things were going to go for France. Another thing that wasn't mentioned is Alex and Napoleon, though enemy's still like one another he didn't which too see his old friend get killed and pushed for exile instead of execution.
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If I remember correctly Tzar Alexandar I got to Paris first and was mostly in charge how things were going to go for France. Another thing that wasn't mentioned is Alex and Napoleon, though enemy's still like one another he didn't which too see his old friend get killed and pushed for exile instead of execution.
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marioreds7826
the way i see it, it's also because he married a member of the royal family of the Holy Roman Emperor, thus becoming member of the family himself, and the bunch of royals deciding on his fate didn't want to remind the people, only a few years after the French revolution, that beheading nobles was an option.
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the way i see it, it's also because he married a member of the royal family of the Holy Roman Emperor, thus becoming member of the family himself, and the bunch of royals deciding on his fate didn't want to remind the people, only a few years after the French revolution, that beheading nobles was an option.
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richdobbs6595
They weren't clever enough to invent a good legal fiction to differentiate executing self appointed royalty (Napolean - should execute) vs executing traditional royalty (Charlie and Louie - shouldn't have been executed, per perceived wisdom. Now days, you could go with Initiating a war of aggression.
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They weren't clever enough to invent a good legal fiction to differentiate executing self appointed royalty (Napolean - should execute) vs executing traditional royalty (Charlie and Louie - shouldn't have been executed, per perceived wisdom. Now days, you could go with Initiating a war of aggression.
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rennor3498
This 3 minute video gives greater historical insight into why Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helena better than Ridley Scott's film where Napoleon has a conversation with Wellington about where he is heading after Waterloo.
Hope I didn't give any unwanted spoilers to those who haven't watched it.
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This 3 minute video gives greater historical insight into why Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helena better than Ridley Scott's film where Napoleon has a conversation with Wellington about where he is heading after Waterloo.
Hope I didn't give any unwanted spoilers to those who haven't watched it.
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history_matters
The answer should be plainly obvious. Denigrate so as not make a matyr so thus allowing other French to make France a true republic again. Given that then honour was a matter of life & death to execute Napoleon would have been a catastrophic error of judgement
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The answer should be plainly obvious. Denigrate so as not make a matyr so thus allowing other French to make France a true republic again. Given that then honour was a matter of life & death to execute Napoleon would have been a catastrophic error of judgement
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Nimish204
Why did the US begin supporting Israel?
Why did the US oppose British and French intervention in Egypt during the Suez crisis?
Why did France handover Pondicherry to India willingly?
How did a militarist State like Japan agree to pacifism after WW2?
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Why did the US begin supporting Israel?
Why did the US oppose British and French intervention in Egypt during the Suez crisis?
Why did France handover Pondicherry to India willingly?
How did a militarist State like Japan agree to pacifism after WW2?
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staffan-
Considering that pretty much all the monarchs of Europe had used the abhorrence over the execution of the French king as a reason for declearing war upon the First French Republic, it would have been a bit awkard to then promptly execute the next French monarch.
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Considering that pretty much all the monarchs of Europe had used the abhorrence over the execution of the French king as a reason for declearing war upon the First French Republic, it would have been a bit awkard to then promptly execute the next French monarch.
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history_matters
Fascinating topic! We recently covered Napoleon s Empire in Exile on Elba, so be sure to come on over after you finish watching this huge thank you to History Matters for giving some attention to this often overlooked piece of Napoleonic history!
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Fascinating topic! We recently covered Napoleon s Empire in Exile on Elba, so be sure to come on over after you finish watching this huge thank you to History Matters for giving some attention to this often overlooked piece of Napoleonic history!
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mahfuzali643
I'm commenting this before watching. I'm gonna guess it was to not make him a martyr of the French Revolution and if he was murdered he would inspire more movements. Hopefully I'm right
EDIT: I guess I was slightly right?
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I'm commenting this before watching. I'm gonna guess it was to not make him a martyr of the French Revolution and if he was murdered he would inspire more movements. Hopefully I'm right
EDIT: I guess I was slightly right?
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amilalegion3544
The British kept Napoleon for one qnd only one reason: to piss the French gov't. The moment some borbon did something against britain, napoleon would land again in France and shit would start all over again.
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The British kept Napoleon for one qnd only one reason: to piss the French gov't. The moment some borbon did something against britain, napoleon would land again in France and shit would start all over again.
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Geertt
Fun fact: There is a tortoise living on Sint Helena still alive who just missed meeting Napoleon by 10 years.
The tortoise's name is Jonathan and he's currently the oldest known living land animal (190 years.
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Fun fact: There is a tortoise living on Sint Helena still alive who just missed meeting Napoleon by 10 years.
The tortoise's name is Jonathan and he's currently the oldest known living land animal (190 years.
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TheLoneSniperPro
Napoleon: Who should I hand myself over to? Everyone is pissed at me but some are pissed at me and want to kill me. So I ll go surrender to the those who are pissed at me but don t want to kill me.
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Napoleon: Who should I hand myself over to? Everyone is pissed at me but some are pissed at me and want to kill me. So I ll go surrender to the those who are pissed at me but don t want to kill me.
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joen0411
I just assumed that killing another imprisoned French monarch might give the common people some ideas about killing their own monarchs. By letting him live it was a message to the people, no killing kings.
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I just assumed that killing another imprisoned French monarch might give the common people some ideas about killing their own monarchs. By letting him live it was a message to the people, no killing kings.
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ayhanraifaydin5716
If i was the King of an empire, i would save Napoleon from the Island and promote him to be leader of the army with his experience and knowledge i help my empire modernize from millitary wise.
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If i was the King of an empire, i would save Napoleon from the Island and promote him to be leader of the army with his experience and knowledge i help my empire modernize from millitary wise.
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