Napoleon's Marshals Part 2 (Epic History TV) CG Reaction

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[robertcapet]

People also need to understand the political dynamics between Napoleon and Bernadotte. Bernadotte was Napoleon's greatest rival for several reasons. And it was extremely politic for Napoleon to greatly overemphasize Bernadotte's failures, to set him up for failure, and dismiss his contributions. Ultimately, Bernadotte's failures have been so magnified that present day readers only know him by those failures. Few know about Bernadotte's great skill as a general, and ever greater skill as a ruler.

[LightxHeaven]

Marshal Bernadotte was a highly efficient administrator and proven general. Considering that Napoleon dominated the continent at the time Swedish politicians wanted a new Crown Prince that Napoleon would accept. He wasn't the first choice though, but the Danish Prince choosen to succeed Charles XIII died in an accident. So a Swedish noble, without approval from the government, approached Bernadotte with the offer to become Crown Prince of Sweden. It's a pretty crazy story once you dig into the details lol.

[FeszVelry]

That's what we want, please react to part 3!

[christinelavoie]

I'm watching your comments with interest. So many different opinions! And this is what makes reactions such as yours interesting.

So far I've only listened to your comments about Bernadotte. It is true that Napoleon and Bernadotte were in competition. It is true also that Napoleon would have gone harder against Bernadotte if there had not been a family link, but it is also true that Napoleon went hard against anybody who might have been a rival to him, and in the late 1790s Bernadotte was such a person. Consider for example what Napoleon did to General Moreau whose participation in a plot against Napoleon was very, very dubious - but General Moreau was a threat to Napoleon's popularity, so he had to be disposed of somehow. Napoleon even penalized those who defended Moreau against unjust accusations, such as MacDonald and Gouvion Saint-Cyr.

I have read the instructions transmitted to Bernadotte before the battle of Auerstadt, and they were extremely unclear. Certainly they seem to direct him AWAY from where Davout was.
I have read a great deal about Napoleon's marshals. Now it is true that there were two other candidates for the throne of Sweden (apart from other marshals), but they were rejected by the Swedes. On the other hand, Bernadotte had created an extremely favourable impression among Swedish army officers; certainly the reinging Swedish king would pay attention to his army's opinion and advice. In addition, the Swedish were very, but very interested in someone who had proven military talent and experience. Bernadotte also had proven administrative talent, in addition to diplomatic experience. In addition, it was believed that Bernadotte's links to Napoleon would prove useful; nobody at the time foresaw the collapse of the French Empire. What more could anybody want?

As for Bernadotte exchanging sharp words with Napoleon, why would he not if he thought Napoleon was greatly mistaken or unjust? He was not the only one to do so, I can assure you. Augereau did it, Lannes did it, even Berthier did it on occasion, others too I'm sure. But in this respect let me relate an anecdote I absolutely love concerning an exchange with a cavalry general (nothing to do with Bernadotte!): during a battle, this general (Montbrun?) was given an order to do I can't remember what. Shortly afterward, the order was countermanded by Murat, the general's immediate superior, so he obeyed Murat. After the battle, Napoleon summoned the general and ripped him to shreds, in the presence of Murat, about disobeying his order. The general tried to object, but Napoleon would not let him speak and Murat stood there saying nothing. The general, infuriated, drew his sword, threw it several yards away, exclaimed "F**k you both!", got on his horse and galloped away. As for the outcome of all this, Napoleon and Murat seemed to be struck with amnesia: the general was too important to them for any retaliation. It was as if the episode had never happened. The next day everything was as before, there were no consequences.

All in all, Bernadotte was chosen to be the heir to the Swedish throne, and thereafter his loyalty rightly lay with what was in the interest of Sweden. There was o betrayal of Napoleon, as some believe. And Bernadotte turned out to be a very good king, during the 30 years or so that he reigned.

[ognjenlazarevic]

Lefebrevs son was his last surviving child, of fourteen. Yikes

[LightxHeaven]

30 years later when Marmont was an old man living in Venice, little children in the street would point and say: “There goes the man who betrayed Napoleon." Despite his long friendship with Napoleon, by this time the verb "raguser"—derived from his title, the Duke of Ragusa—was a household word in France that meant "to betray". Certainly not the glorious legacy that one would expect from one of Napoleon’s marshals.

[LightxHeaven]

Marshal Marmont was a skilled artillery officer who certainly helped Napoleon in reforming and developing the French artillery. But Napoleon always remained the true mastermind behind that. Marmont would've made an excellent artillery general, but he was a rather poor independent commander. He was more effective when under Napoleon's close supervision though as seen in 1813 German campaign and the 1814 campaign.

[crownprincesebastianjohano]

What the video did not mention is that Bernadotte only joined the Coalition after France attacked and occupied Swedish Pomerania in early 1812 just prior to the invasion of Russia. No ruler could let such an attack go. Sweden was forced into war with the French by Napoleon. It was a very stupid move on Napoleon's part as Swedish Pomerania was neutral territory at the time, and of no real strategic value. Sweden joining the Coalition was a decisive event born of an emotional decision of Napoleon. One cannot understate the contribution of Bernadotte to the Coalition, in 1) building it, he brought Russian and the UK together when they had been at war with one another, 2) he wrote the Trachenberg Plan without which the Allies don't win, and 3) It was his proclamations and popularity that led to the French Allies in Germany abandoning France. Bernadotte was very popular with the Saxons and his victory at Dennewitz was the signal that the Bavarians needed to switch sides.

[LightxHeaven]

A shame we never got any reactions of the rest of this series..l

[robertcapet]

My friend, you are really, really underestimating Bernadotte. People need to stop buying everything hostile writers have sold them over the past century. Bernadotte's relations with the Bonapartes was only a small part of why he was chosen. The Swedes chose Bernadotte because he was the best administrator of the Marshals and a proven governor. He was also popular with the Swedish Army. And he was willing to convert to Lutheranism. He also paid off the Swedish national debt. And he proved the Swedes right. He literally saved Sweden from partition and made a strong, powerful and peaceful nation within five years. No one could have done a better job.

[boss]

26 mins they counted those 100 000 who left moscow

[kristoffer-]

Yeeeaaah!! The one with Bernadotte! ( *happy Swedish noises* )

[robertcapet]

No, Bernadotte wasn't courtmartialed because a courts martial would reveal that Bernadotte followed Napoleon's orders to seize the heights of Apolda as a blocking force. And that Napoleon had miscalculated where the Prussians were, thus Davout was left unsupported... by Napoleon. Bernadotte did absolutely nothing wrong.

In any event, a glance at the map would also clearly explode the myth of Bernadotte leaving Davout to rot: I Corps couldn't have helped Davout in time if they had wanted to.

[robertcapet]

No, Bernadotte did not jump at the chance to declare war on France. He had tried to work with Napoleon, and in 1810 even declared war on Britain because Napoleon wanted it, and wrecked the Swedish economy in the process. It was only after France invaded Swedish Pomerania in early 1812, with no warning or provocation, that Bernadotte broke with France. And even then he sent feelers to Napoleon through out 1812. Bernadotte was forced to act because no nation simply allows an invasion of its territory to go unanswered. Ultimately, Napoleon treated Bernadotte poorly for years and attacked Sweden for petty personal reasons and it cost him. People are not just play things for Napoleon to treat as he pleased. People have agency and pride and we shouldn't vilify them for acting in their best interests when treated poorly by Napoleon.

[bernarddidier]

the more you advance in this series, the better it is because the more their destinies are exceptional