Napoleon exiled to Vienna

[chornedsnorkack]

Several proposals were considered (and for various reasons rejected) as options for Napoleon's exile in April 1814.

What would have happened if Napoleon I, instead of Elba, government and a tiny army, had been exiled to Viennese court in April 1814, as the househusband of his wife?

 

[Lalli]

Napoleon would try coup d'etat.

 

[MrGreyOwl]

The British quickly realize their mistake as Napoleon stir things up in Vienna, get hired to advise the Austrian army, then lead a coup, then come back to France, then lead an French-Austrian alliance against Britain, then...

Seriously. There is a reason they choose that isolated tiny island in the end.

 

[chornedsnorkack]

Napoleon would try coup d'etat.

Who in Austria in 1814 are inclined to rally to him?
British are not in position to object. Austrian army was in Paris in April 1814. If Napoleon surrenders to Austrians and joins his wife and son, what can the British do about it?

 

[Tibi088]

Who in Austria in 1814 are inclined to rally to him?
British are not in position to object. Austrian army was in Paris in April 1814. If Napoleon surrenders to Austrians and joins his wife and son, what can the British do about it?

Complain?

More seriously: back prussian claims on the conference instead of opposing them (together with Austria)?

 

[Clandango]

Who gets Elba in this case? And we mustn't forever his wife having gotten the Duchies of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla for her life. I see these being traded around as part of the deals where major noblemen were shifted around Europe. If I recall correctly, the Grand Duke of Tuscany had been moved from the area during the Napoleonic Wars, given Salzburg, and then traded it for Wurburg, before finally returning to Tuscany. On a side note, if Napoleon doesn't manage to stir things up then France will be retaining areas that went to the Netherlands, Prussia, and Bavaria after the Hundred Days. Also going to be the King of Naples to consider. Might keep his throne here. Ahhh, and we can't expect Napoleon to be able to be called Emperor here. Being Emperor of Elba was one thing. It in Vienna? No, I don't think they would very much allow that.

 

[Byzantion]

Several proposals were considered (and for various reasons rejected) as options for Napoleon's exile in April 1814.

What would have happened if Napoleon I, instead of Elba, government and a tiny army, had been exiled to Viennese court in April 1814, as the househusband of his wife?

Not sure If Francis would like to have his disliked former son in law hanging around.

 

[FillyofDelphi]

Not sure If Francis would like to have his disliked former son in law hanging around.

It's not exactly unprecidented to "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer". It was quite common, for example, for the Ottomans to take their dishonored/untrustworthy local vassals and transfer them to a "house arrest" in Constantinople, so Austria might decide keeping the Little Emperor in an comfortable retirement with his family would be more likely to keep him out of trouble and get his mind/passions into some other pursuit that politics (which being a monarch, even if its just of a tiny island, would have a chance of doing). Perhaps they could try to get him to take up a hobby.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Perhaps they could try to get him to take up a hobby.

Writing a treatise on what to do in the army. Or teaching maths (the latter was Napoléon's personal dream IIRC)

 

[chornedsnorkack]

Writing a treatise on what to do in the army. Or teaching maths (the latter was Napoléon's personal dream IIRC)

So how about the Emperor teaching in Austrian military school, but not actually in command of any unit in active service?

 

[Eivind]

Who in Austria in 1814 are inclined to rally to him?
British are not in position to object. Austrian army was in Paris in April 1814. If Napoleon surrenders to Austrians and joins his wife and son, what can the British do about it?

Why would Austria want Napoleon to stay in Vienna?

 

[chornedsnorkack]

Why would Austria want Napoleon to stay in Vienna?

On the principle of keep enemies closer. Comfortable captivity available to be closely watched.

 

[Ahab]

I think I once read on this site that when Napoleon surrendered after the 100 days he thought that the british will allow him to retire in London, and was supprised when they sent him to St. Helen.
Was it really a strech for him to be sent to london or vienna the first time around?

 

[FillyofDelphi]

So how about the Emperor teaching in Austrian military school, but not actually in command of any unit in active service?

And filling the officer corps' heads with potentially revolutionary ideals/philosophies? No dice

 

[isabella]

I think I once read on this site that when Napoleon surrendered after the 100 days he thought that the british will allow him to retire in London, and was supprised when they sent him to St. Helen.
Was it really a strech for him to be sent to london or vienna the first time around?

Napoleon wanted go in the USA not London after the 100 days

 

[chornedsnorkack]

And filling the officer corps' heads with potentially revolutionary ideals/philosophies? No dice

How far does Napoleon's own founding of Empire distance him from revolutionary ideas?

The Austrian officer corps knew Napoleon was a brilliant general.
They also knew they had fought him for reasons, and were proud to have won.

How would the Theresian Military Academy cadets relate to him as their teacher?

 

[FillyofDelphi]

How far does Napoleon's own founding of Empire distance him from revolutionary ideas?

The Austrian officer corps knew Napoleon was a brilliant general.
They also knew they had fought him for reasons, and were proud to have won.

How would the Theresian Military Academy cadets relate to him as their teacher?

He still took a rather large hammer to the Divine Right of Kings, Powers and legitimacy of the church, nobility,local traditional law codes, ect.; principals on which the dynastic polyglot Habsburg domains were built out of? Hense why I was careful to use small-r revolutionary.

 

[catalfalque]

Well, he'd be able to be with his son, that would be nice!