Hanging with History

1798 France, the Neighbor from Hell


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We take a look at 1798, a year when Clausewitz defines 5 French outrages that would have led to a general European war.

1. The occupation of the Papal States, followed by the kidnapping and death of the Pope.

2. The conquest of Malta, from the Order of Saint John of the Hospital.  A clear violation of international law, as it stood at the time.  It drew Tsar Paul into the war.

3.  The invasion of Switzerland and formation of the Helvetic Republic.  The eastern cantons asked for Austrian occupation.  This fundamentally upset the balance of power and the assumptions of strategic defense.

4.  The invasion and conquest of Naples.  We actually spend a lot of time on Maria Carolina and explore the political situation there.  The usual criticisms of Austrian and British cynicism and exploitation are brought into a wider context.

5. The annexation of the Piedmont and packing away the House of Savoy to Sardinia.

For added joy, the French invasion of Egypt brought the Ottoman empire into the anti-French coalition.

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Hanging with HistoryBy Harald Hansen

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