Ajaccio
Steven Dutch
University of Wisconsin – Green Bay
Corsica
• Continuously Occupied for more than 10,000
Years
• Ruled by Genoa 1347-1755
• Ruled by France since 1769
• Corsican Language is More Similar to Italian
than French
– Everyone Understands French
• Much Resistance Activity in World War II but
Little Large Scale Fighting
Napoleon
• An Intriguer from the Get-Go
• Complex Political Maneuvering during the
French Revolution
– Drove English out of Toulon, 1793
– Invaded Northern Italy, 1797
– Invaded Egypt, 1798
• Staged Coup, 1799, and Became Ruler of
France
Ruler of France
• Short-Lived Peace With England 1801-03
• Realized North American Colonies Were
Indefensible, Abandoned Haiti, Sold Louisiana
• A Series of Coalitions Formed Against
Napoleon (Think Risk) and were Defeated
1803-07
Napoleon’s Napoleonic Complex
• Peninsular War 1807-1814
– "That unfortunate war destroyed me”
• Invasion of Russia, 1812
• Forced to Abdicate to Elba, 1814
• “How Ya Gonna Keep ‘Em Down on the
Farm?”
– Re-Enters France in Triumph
– Defeated at Waterloo, 1815
• Exiled to St. Helena
What Napoleon Accomplished
• Who is the Greatest General?
– "In this age, in past ages, in any age, Napoleon.“ –
Wellington
• Instituted the Metric System
• Created Confederation of the Rhine
• Napoleonic Code
– Forbade Privileges Based on Birth,
– Freedom of Religion
– Government jobs Should go to the Most Qualified
Napoleon’s
Most
Enduring
Legacy
Ajaccio
Ajaccio Setting
Central Ajaccio
The “Citadel”
Cathedral
Beaches
Fortifications
Fortifications
Fortifications
Home Town Boy Makes Good
The Martello
Corsica’s Coast
Wild Corsica
Iles Sanguinaires