bicicleur 2
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Today reannactors are playing the battle of Waterloo - which happened exactly 200 years ago - in front of an audiance of 200.000 people.
In that battle, which prevended the comeback of Napoleon, 47000 soldiers lost their life.
I'm not an expert on Napoleon, all I know is from hearsay.
But since a few weeks I've been hearing more and more dissonants.
I suppose what I had heard before was the French historical version.
Belgium wanted to issue a 2 € coin comemorating the battle of Waterloo.
But that was vetoed by the French for whom it seems this is still a painfull memory.
The Belgians were 'creative' again and issued a 2,50 € coin which is not valid as a means of payment but which is a very wanted item.
Anyway, it is since that veto, I heared some alternative voices.
Officially, Napoleon saved the French Revolution. I guess that's correct, as the word 'revolution' was becoming sinonymous to 'guillotine' or 'public execution'.
Further, Napoleon appointed himself as emperor. He did so as 'representative of the people' as opposed to the European monarchs who would - according to Napoleon - still would defend their title and status as 'divine'.
Therefore Napoleon was the one who brought democracy and freedom to Europe.
That was an explanation which was allready more difficult for me to grasp.
Another big accomplishment was the introduction of the 'code Napoleon', a code which Napoleon imposed on all territories he conquered.
I guess this was a code which allready existed in France, just like other law codes existed in other Eruopean countries.
I don't know whether the code Napoleon was any better than the codes which were allready in place before.
This code would have standardised the continental European law system.
Well, a Belgian lawyer can represent me before the Belgian court, but in Germany I would seek a German lawyer and in France a French lawyer.
3.250.000 Europeans would have died during the Napoleonitic wars.
Many Belgians have starved from hunger and cold in Russia because they were forced to join Napoleons army.
That is true, Napoleon was 'actively recruiting' in Belgium and all young men had to hide themselves.
There is even some new reason for 'Belgian pride' lately as many Belgians would have fought with the Allies at Waterloo, and Wellington would have given the command for the final and fatal attack after a regiment of mainly Belgians and Dutchmen would have attacked and dispersed the Imperial Guard, something that had never happened before.
Anyway, the official version is that the final attack followed a retreat of the Imperial Guard after it had been badly hit by British fire.
I'm sure Napoleon changed Europe's history.
But what now is the real heritage of Napoleon?
In that battle, which prevended the comeback of Napoleon, 47000 soldiers lost their life.
I'm not an expert on Napoleon, all I know is from hearsay.
But since a few weeks I've been hearing more and more dissonants.
I suppose what I had heard before was the French historical version.
Belgium wanted to issue a 2 € coin comemorating the battle of Waterloo.
But that was vetoed by the French for whom it seems this is still a painfull memory.
The Belgians were 'creative' again and issued a 2,50 € coin which is not valid as a means of payment but which is a very wanted item.
Anyway, it is since that veto, I heared some alternative voices.
Officially, Napoleon saved the French Revolution. I guess that's correct, as the word 'revolution' was becoming sinonymous to 'guillotine' or 'public execution'.
Further, Napoleon appointed himself as emperor. He did so as 'representative of the people' as opposed to the European monarchs who would - according to Napoleon - still would defend their title and status as 'divine'.
Therefore Napoleon was the one who brought democracy and freedom to Europe.
That was an explanation which was allready more difficult for me to grasp.
Another big accomplishment was the introduction of the 'code Napoleon', a code which Napoleon imposed on all territories he conquered.
I guess this was a code which allready existed in France, just like other law codes existed in other Eruopean countries.
I don't know whether the code Napoleon was any better than the codes which were allready in place before.
This code would have standardised the continental European law system.
Well, a Belgian lawyer can represent me before the Belgian court, but in Germany I would seek a German lawyer and in France a French lawyer.
3.250.000 Europeans would have died during the Napoleonitic wars.
Many Belgians have starved from hunger and cold in Russia because they were forced to join Napoleons army.
That is true, Napoleon was 'actively recruiting' in Belgium and all young men had to hide themselves.
There is even some new reason for 'Belgian pride' lately as many Belgians would have fought with the Allies at Waterloo, and Wellington would have given the command for the final and fatal attack after a regiment of mainly Belgians and Dutchmen would have attacked and dispersed the Imperial Guard, something that had never happened before.
Anyway, the official version is that the final attack followed a retreat of the Imperial Guard after it had been badly hit by British fire.
I'm sure Napoleon changed Europe's history.
But what now is the real heritage of Napoleon?
