I received word from Egypt regarding my virtually annihilating the British army in India, that the Ottoman Turks were going to attack Egypt.
Prior to this, following the Coup of 18 Fructidor on September 4, 1797, in the April 1798 elections, the Jacobins significantly increased their votes. In response, the Directory, on 22 Floréal (May 11, 1798), annulled the election of 106 out of the 437 elected members, citing them as "extremists." This is known as the Law of 22 Floréal, but unlike previous coups, this coup did not rely on the military. However, by arbitrarily annulling the election results, the government shook the foundations of the republican electoral system.
"Well, if they annul the election of the representatives we voted for just because they're inconvenient for the current regime, trust in the government will only continue to erode."
By expelling the royalists and the Jacobins through the coups of Fructidor and Floréal, the government appeared to have no open opponents and found a semblance of stability. However, due to figures like Lazare Carnot being exiled to Guiana as a result of the Fructidor Coup, the talents that had supported France's victory in the Revolutionary Wars were disappearing. French military commanders stationed along the borders of neighboring countries formed military cliques, each creating its own satellite states or interfering in their internal affairs. This was stoking the momentum for the formation of another anti-French coalition, led mainly by Britain and Austria.
At such a time, a particular law was enacted.
It was the Jourdan Law, proposed by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, the world's first modern conscription system, also known as the National Mobilization Law. Under this law, all French male citizens were considered soldiers and were obligated to defend their homeland. By conscripting individuals who turned 20 as soldiers, what was previously a profession limited to nobles, knights, and mercenaries under absolute monarchy now became the duty of the entire population, seemingly providing the nation with an endless supply of soldiers.
And in 1799, the implementation of the Jourdan Law began. However, despite having suffered significant losses in naval power and facing dire straits, Britain somehow managed to cobble together the Second Coalition, involving Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire had made its stance clear by opposing France due to its expansion into Egypt and India. Additionally, Russia, Britain, and Austria joined this coalition, while the Netherlands and Spain allied with France. Switzerland was under French occupation, and Prussia remained neutral this time.
However, when the war between the Second Coalition and France began, the total strength of the French army had dwindled to just 280.000 men. Although the National Mobilization System implemented under the Montagnards in 1793 had successfully mobilized an unprecedented number of troops, exceeding one million at its peak, as a temporary measure limited to periods when the homeland was in crisis, it could not sustain that level of manpower.
With this, the Coalition centered around Austria and Russia overwhelmed France on various fronts along the Rhine River, in Italy, and in Switzerland, and the French army was defeated one after another, retreating. However, Britain, in its attempt to attack the Netherlands, failed in its endeavor. Even as the front lines retreated west of the Rhine River, the French army remained outside its natural borders. However, for the fragile Directory government, this was an unparalleled crisis.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, in January 1799, Britain entered into a military alliance with the Ottoman Empire. Although Britain had effectively lost control of the Mediterranean Sea, it succeeded in inciting the Ottoman Empire, through Prussia and Austria, against our France, which had taken Egypt. Leaving behind half of the corvettes and 10.000 troops as defense for the East India Company, I returned to Egypt.
"Shall we leave the corvette at Suez for the defense of the Red Sea?"
Marmont nodded. "That would be wise."
Originally, we were supposed to send an ultimatum to Ahmed Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Syria, and embark on an expedition to Syria, but ultimately, there was nothing to gain from such an expedition. We marched along the Nile with 5.000 troops to Alexandria. The current weather in May isn't too hot, which is a relief. We arrived in Alexandria in June, but already, Mustafa Pasha of the Ottoman Empire had appeared off the coast of Egypt with 20.000 troops, transported via Rhodes.
"Well then, let's crush them into the sea!"
"WOOH!"
The Ottoman Empire in the 16th century boasted the strongest navy, and the world map of its admiral, Piri Reis, is famous. However, their outdated ships were no match for our French forces. Through our one-sided attack, the Ottoman escort fleet was nearly destroyed, and most of the 20.000 troops met their end at the bottom of the sea. The Ottomans lost their naval power and failed to occupy Alexandria.
"Well, shall we then conquer the islands of Rhodes, Cyprus, and Crete?"
We seized the Ottoman naval bases in Rhodes, Cyprus, and Crete with our remaining strength. With this, control over the Mediterranean Sea was almost secured, although the Russian Navy was present in the Black Sea and the Austrian Navy in the Adriatic Sea.
Later, I reached a peace agreement with Murad Bey of the Mamluks and the Ottoman Empire. However, by then, France was being pushed back by the coalition forces of Russia and Austria.
"Alright, perhaps it's time to return to France."
I entrusted General Kléber and decided to return to France.
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Glory to the French Navy: Admiral Napoleon, Conqueror of the World
Historical Fiction「If Napoleon were an admiral, would France have dominated the world?」 A man who was originally a French naval engineer has been reincarnated as the Corsican-born French hero Napoleon. This is the story of France, who took a different historical path...
