Napoleon Part 3: The Egyptian Campaign
Napoleon, the Hero of Italy, has returned from his incredible triumph over the Austrians and finds himself without a command. But fate, as it always will with the young Corsican general, was about to come knocking. While war on the European mainland may have come to an end, France still had an enemy in Perfidious Albion whose island nation seemed impenetrable. Britain, likewise, was unable to land forces on the mainland without the overwhelming numbers of the French Revolutionary Army sending them back home on more than one occasion.Another way of subduing Britain had to be considered, and it would come as a suggestion from Napoleon himself in August 1797. Much of Britain's income came from their trade with the east, and cutting off that vital trade route would seriously hurt their merchant class. And so it was agreed, France's next endeavour would send Napoleon to the golden sands of Egypt.Join Arron this week as he dives into Napoleon's first and only non-European campaign as the Hero of Italy takes on the Ottoman Empire and Mamluk forces of Egypt. See how western and eastern armies clash and the resulting bloodbath as French discipline and musketry takes on Mamluk bravery and cold steel at the Battle of the Pyramids. Witness Napoleon acting as ruler of Cairo and begin to introduce domestic policies aimed at improving the everyday lives of the average citizen, and how those very same citizens would rebel against their French occupiers. And be shocked as Napoleon's darkest moments come to the fore in his treatment of prisoners of war, - and his own men. You do not want to miss this one.This episode was hosted by Arron Keegan and joined by Hayley O'Connor and Conor Daly. The intro and outro music - Strollin' Along - was recorded by David Renda. Join our Discord server and follow us on social media by following the links below!Discord: https://discord.gg/ZScNqT8mP2 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatsoldnewspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsoldnewspodcast/ Twitter/X: x.com/oldnewscast ========Sources & Further Reading:Broers, Michael, "Napoleon: Soldier of Destiny", (2014).- Davies, David, "A Brief History of Fighting Ships: Ships of the Line and Napoleonic sea battles 1793-1815", (2002).- Dodge, Theodore A., "Warfare in the Age of Napoleon Volume 2: The Egyptian and Syrian Campaigns & the Wars of the Second and Third Coalitions, 1798-1805", (2011).- Esdaile, Charles J., "The Wars of the French Revolution, 1792-1801", (2019).- Harvey, Robert, "The War of Wars: The Epic Struggle Between Britain and France, 1789-1815", (2007).- Johnson, Paul, "Napoleon", (2003).- Mikaberidze, Alexander, "The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History", (2020).- North, Jonathan, "Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt: An Eyewitness History", (2023).- Phipps, Ramsay Weston, "Armies of the First French Republic and the Rise of the Marshals of Napoleon Volume 5: The Armies on the Rhine, in Switzerland, Holland, Italy, Egypt, and the Coup d'Etat of Brumaire 1797-1799".- Roberts, Andrew, "Napoleon the Great", (2015).- Strathern, Paul, "Napoleon in Egypt", (2008).- Zamoyski, Adam, "Napoleon: The Man Behind the Myth", (2019).========Chapters: (00:00) Intro(03:35) Episode Start(07:59) Recap(10:35) France and Britain at a Stalemate(16:41) Why Egypt?(18:50) Departure(33:36) The Battle of the Pyramids and Securing Cairo(52:30) The Battle of the Nile and Trapping Napoleon(01:07:00) Cairo and Napoleon's Domestic Reforms(01:16:37) The Syrian Campaign, The Siege of Jaffa, and the Failure at Acre(01:38:10) Napoleon's Last Battle in Egypt - The Battle of Aboukir(01:41:23) Napoleon Leaves Egypt(01:44:43) The French Scientific Expedition(02:00:52) Post Show Banter
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