Jordan
Posts: 171
Joined: 6/21/2005 From: California, USA Status: offline
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"Europe under Napoleon, 1799-1815. By Michael Broers" From the review: Two original themes underlie the work. First is the distinction that Broers makes between the "inner" and "outer" empire. As a detailed map illustrates, the former included Belgium, the Netherlands, the Rhinelands, most of western Germany, Switzerland, northern Italy, and France itself, shorn of the west and eastern Pyrenees, areas integrated into an efficiently administered and largely obedient bloc. In contrast, the "outer" empire, composed of the German Hanseatic territories, former Papal States, Illyrian provinces, and the kingdom of Spain ruled by Joseph Bonaparte, displayed little enthusiasm for French occupation. They resented the imposition of high taxes, enforcement of the Continental blockade against trade with England, application of the Concordat, and, perhaps most importantly, conscription demands to supply troops for the Grande Armee. Within these fringe areas, banditry flourished, elites declined to cooperate with the occupier, and the forces of counterrevolution remained active. Second, Broers contends, Napoleon sought to rally hostile political factions of both right and left to his rule (ralliement), as well as to fuse them into a loyal administrative class (amalgame). In return for their services and obedience, Napoleon offered this new elite social order a coherent legal code and protection of their property. In the "outer" empire, Napoleonic rule rested on an insecure alliance of local collaborators and French administrators, both of whom were unpopular with their subjects.
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