The Age of Napoleon Podcast Episode 47: A Spectacle of Death
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Apr 5, 2019 Napoleon faces rebellions, war declaration, and a blockade in Egypt. He plans to invade Syria but faces delays. The French army massacres Ottoman garrison and civilians in Jaffa. Napoleon nobly addresses the plague in the Quarantine Ward. The French face a close call but achieve a miraculous victory in the Siege of Acre. They eventually retreat, and Napoleon has a complex relationship with Pauline, his sister-in-law.
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Seizing Initiative And Strategic Intelligence
- Napoleon seized the initiative in Egypt, probing the Sinai and discovering the Canal of the Pharaohs to pursue strategic aims.
- He sought intelligence at Suez to assess Ottoman weakness and Syrian opportunities for a larger eastern empire.
The Butcher And Why Napoleon Invaded
- Jazar Pasha ruled Syria with a reputation for calculated brutality, nicknamed "the Butcher."
- Napoleon invaded Syria to strike before disparate enemies could unite and create a protective buffer for Egypt.
El Arish Miscalculation
- The French expected El Arish to be undefended but found a large garrison and had to besiege it.
- The delay cost Napoleon nearly two weeks of his invasion timetable and weakened his position.