"The Napoleonic Gendarmerie. The State of the..." Topic

… PERIPHERY MADE REAL

"Cet article examine le fonctionnement de la gendarmerie française dans les territoires occupés durant les guerres napoléoniennes. En s'appuyant sur les écrits de deux des premiers commandants de la gendarmerie chargés de l'organiser dans la péninsule italienne et en Rhénanie , l'article montre que la gendarmerie était conçue par ses officiers supérieurs à la fois comme une force coloniale et comme une force porteuse d'une mission civilisatrice visant à répandre les institutions et les idéaux français. Ces textes révèlent également la complexité et la polyvalence de la gendarmerie qui englobait la lutte contre la criminalité – en particulier le brigandage –ainsi que la pacification des populations locales. Les relations avec ces dernières conduisaient du reste à des conflits entre les commandants – soucieux de maintenir une distance entre la gendarmerie et les populations visées – et les gendarmes pris individuellement – qui développaient des liens personnels avec elles et, dans de nombreux cas, s'intégraient et se mariaient localement. La mission civilisatrice s'appliquait non seulement aux territoires occupés mais aussi aux régions de France perçues comme attardées et insuffisamment contrôlées par Paris, de sorte que la gendarmerie est devenue un important instrument d'intégration nationale et impériale."
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Amicalement
Armand

Peripherally perhaps English may help:

This article examines the functions of the French gendarmerie in occupied territories during the Napoleonic wars. Focusing on the writings by two early gendarmerie commanders who were in charge of building up gendarmerie forces in the Italian peninsular and the Rhineland, the article demonstrates how that the French gendarmerie was thought of by its senior commanders as both a colonial force as well as the bearer of a civilizing mission to spread French ideals and institutions. These texts also reveal the complex and multifaceted functions of the gendarmerie including crime fighting, notably against banditry, as well as pacification of local populations. In particular the relationship with local populations led to conflicts between commanders who preferred that the gendarmerie remained distant from the population they policed, and individual gendarmes who developed personal ties to the local populations, and in many cases integrated and married into local communities. The civilizing mission was applied not only in occupied territories, but also in areas of France that were seen as backwards and not sufficiently under the control of Paris. The gendarmerie thereby became an important tool in both national and imperial integration.

Chapters
An instrument of colonisation?
The Gendarmerie in action
Conclusion

Thanks!

Amicalement
Armand

In French:
Rather than begin another post, heres another fairly dry but with a few illustrations article on the 'pure' topic, rather than militarily:-

La gendarmerie sous le Consulat et l'Empire : I) Introduction

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A Centuries-Old and Unknown History

The French gendarmerie is a singular armed force, surprising even, because of its history and its status. The first is not well known, and many French do not know clearly the differences that exist between it and the police… Of which it shares certain aspects. In fact road policing (among many other tasks), as heir to the Maréchaussée d'Ancien Régime whose role it was, it also has a military status and derives its name from a heavy cavalry unit of the king's house. Having become a national in 1791, she also fought on the battlefield, assured the role of police to the armies (presumed), framed the mobilizations and the French campaigns… But has also been present in colonial environment and in the maintenance of order in metropolis, and still exists nowadays.

Present at the heart of French society, it arouses various reactions since its creation, many of which, in the 20th century in particular, revolve around discontent after receiving a fine. Now, in history, the representation of facts, the idea of an event, of a unity, of a law count at least as much as the facts themselves. That is why I would like to open a new file devoted to the history of the gendarmerie under the Consulate and the Empire: what was its role? Has it served a regime that is often called police? Is this period important in its history? What vision do we have of her then? I will try to answer that.

I'm sure you can follow the threads there.

As another trail, all 'tagged' articles for "napoleon" is useful. Some nice details and pics on 'Armes d'honneur' for instance:-

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Many other related topics to explore…

cheers
~d

There are two excellent references for the gendarmerie of the period, both of which have been posted before on this forum.

-La Gendarmerie Francaise en Espagne et en Portugal (Campagnes de 1807 a 1814) by Emmanuel Martin. The author was an officer of the gendarmerie.

-Gendarmes and the State in Nineteenth-Century Europe by Clive Emsley.

As to the role of the Gendarmerie under the Consulate and Empire see John Elting's Swords Around a Throne, Chapter XX, Pages 411-416 for an excellent summary of the gendarmeries duties and missions, including that of the Elite Gendarmerie of the Imperial Guard.

Napoleon upon becoming First Consul found problems with the gendarmerie and he had it reorganized and unqualified or corrupt gendarmes weeded out.

Thanks Kevin!

Armand