"Napoleon's Nicknames" Topic

Napoleon was christened 'Napoleone' but in Corsica it was pronounced, or sounded, 'Nabullione'. His name came from ancient Egypt from a martyr who was killed under Diocletian. He was named after one of his mother's uncles who had fought against the French occupation of Corsica and had recently died. He was given no middle name.

Napoleon himself later shortened his given name to the French spelling, Napoleon' about 1779 when he went to France to school. He also changed the spelling of his last name from Buonoparte to Bonaparte.

Later, the Grande Armee had both odd and interesting nicknames for their chief. Because of his short haircut 'a la Titus' which he affected as First Consul and Emperor, the troops referred to him as 'Le Tondu'-'the Shorn One.'

He was also called 'Father Violet' and 'John of the Sword' by the Grande Armee.

Interesting! Thanks for the information. So many details of history you seldom hear.

Let's not forget about "Le Petit Caporal".

in case – discussed already at

link

Father Violet? I'm intrigued, please explain.

I always just called him the Emperor.

in case – discussed already at

Different forum, genius.

Father Violet? I'm intrigued, please explain.

The 'violet' was a symbol of Napoleon in 1814-1815.

Let's not forget about "Le Petit Caporal".

Since Napoleon was never a 'corporal' I'm not sure if that was used by his contemporaries or later by his detractors.

So, I didn't bring it up.

I sense some Sicilian influence.
Capicole as pronounced by Sicilians is "gabbagool"
Ditto prosciutto is "pro-shoot".

But let's not forget "the Corsican Ogre".

I understood "le Petit Caporal" to be contemporary and complimentary, denoting an eye for detail and care for his troops. Marlborough, after all, was "Corporal John."

And he was alleged to have said after the First Abdication that he'd be back in the spring, with the violets. Mind you, it's easy to put that sort of words in someone's mouth.

I thought the corporal one was based on him personally aiming cannons (a corporal's job) during an early battle

Interesting stuff! I had never heard about the violets, but know le Petit Caporal very well. Apparently there is some crossover of the two:

link

And he was "Boney" to some of the British.

Jim

Mind you, it's easy to put that sort of words in someone's mouth.

Yogi Berra said, "I never said most of the things I said."

Le petit tondu (sp?)

I'm sure he was called many things that are not printable in TMP! :)

"Stumpy"?
"Shorts**e"?

The Monster, as in referred to in 'polite' European circles.

John of the Sword and Father Violet are new ones on me. Thanks.

John

I believe he is also known as "The man with the most books ever written about them"

Napoleon referred to himself as "He Hate Me"

Ernst Moritz Arndt was a german nationalist. He published in 1813 a little book "Katechismus für den deutschen Kriegs- und Wehrmann", adressing the volunteers against Napoleon. He calls him:
Tyrann – tyrant
Ungeheuer – monster
Satans ältester Sohn – eldest son of Satan
Vertilger von Freiheit und Recht – devourer of freedom and justice
bösen Despoten – bad despot

please go to usefull stuff and then look and download this work – plenty of other interesting poetry among a lot of elsee.

Erinnerungsbuch für Alle, welche in den Jahren 1813, 1814, 1815 Theil genommen haben an dem heiligen Kampf um Selbstständigkeit und Freiheit : mit 22 Kupfern, 11 Schlacht-Planen und einer Auswahl vaterländischer Gedichte
Verlagsort: Halle [u.a.] | Erscheinungsjahr: [ca. 1816] | Verlag: Buchh. des Hallischen Waysenhauses

Ernst Moritz Arndt was a german nationalist. He published in 1813 a little book "Katechismus für den deutschen Kriegs- und Wehrmann", adressing the volunteers against Napoleon. He calls him:
Tyrann – tyrant
Ungeheuer – monster
Satans ältester Sohn – eldest son of Satan
Vertilger von Freiheit und Recht – devourer of freedom and justice
bösen Despoten – bad despot

More anti-Napoleonic propaganda

As opposed to pro-Napoleonic propaganda.

And what would that be? Anything akin to Arndt's nonsense?

Arndt was anti-French, anti-Napoleon, anti-Jewish/anti-Semite, anti-Slav, and anti-Polish. Looks like he was a virulent hater of multiple peoples while promoting German 'virtues.'

On the positive side, he was opposed to serfdom and was vocal in his opposition, and influenced Gustav IV of Sweden to abolish the practice in Swedish Pomerania.

His form of German nationalism, along with Fichte and others, undoubtedly influenced the long road to the establishment of the German Empire under Prussia, and the excesses and atrocities of both World Wars by Germany.

'His form of German nationalism, along with Fichte and others, undoubtedly influenced the long road to the establishment of the German Empire under Prussia, and the excesses and atrocities of both World Wars by Germany.'

Bags of bull, unless you want to level the same charges against the Founding Fathers for numerous genocides or late 20th/early 21st century adventurism.

The Thirty Years War was the most destructive conflict affecting Central Europe until the Second World War. In large part driven by Hapsburg and Bourbon rivalries, as much as religious differences.

Given the amount of wealth generated by the industry and trade in German states and the amount that was squandered by squabbling kings, princes and electors (Hello Mad Ludwig), or stolen by invading armies, who can blame German nationalism for wanting allow the promise to be realised and for them to keep the fruits of their labours? With the dissolution of the HRE and flawed by design nature of the German Confederation, only Prussia was really able to provide that security, as demonstrated over the next century.

By the way, anti-semitism wasn't unique to Germany…

…only Prussia was really able to provide that security…

By waging three offensive wars against her neighbors and then degenerating to the point that War I, and the atrocities in Belgium and northern France that ensued, was waged. Then we have the rise of the Nazis, the destruction of the Weimar Republic, the Holocaust and War II.

That isn't security, that's madness.

"Three offensive wars against her neighbours…."

H'm. That rings a bell.

Really?

And which 'bell' is that?

Considering that Germany was a playground for European armies for 300 years it shouldn't be a surprise they wanted to get back at their neighbors once they were big enough.

Since Germany until 1871 was a collection of independent German states of varying sizes and importance, which 'neighbors' are you talking about?

And for quite some time Austria and Prussia were competing for who would rule in Germany, it seems to me that the 'new' German Empire in 1871 had more problems that are cared to be admitted.

Ah, those evil Prussians. Back again so soon. This, and so many other threads, reminds me of my old "Uncle Cooke," who wasn't an uncle at all but rather my dad's superior, whom we had to indulge at dinner parties and holidays. He had three or four longstanding grievances against the government that he invariably managed to work into every conversation, no matter what the original topic. This was long before the interwebs, and before the whole vocabulary of "hijacking threads."

Somebody could be talking about astronauts, or apple strudel, or car tyres, and Uncle Cooke would find a way to bring up his property taxes and how unfairly they were being given to the wrong people because of the same old villains. And I do mean "the same old" villains because the tune never changed.

It was like watching a magic trick. One minute you're enjoying a nice chat about gardening, and the next you're in a heated argument about Uncle Cooke's taxes and how they're symptomatic of everything presently wrong with our fair land. How did it happen? Where did that come from? He was a classic.

People discuss apple strudel? Interesting. Was your dad's superior CJ of Sunshine Deserts from "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin"?

link

"I didn't get where I am today by not griping about property taxes"

One thing about the Germans, they caused some trouble but they seem to have been able to put an end to it also. I don't seem to see, on their part, any evidence of exceptionalism like I see the Americans capable of exhibiting or a right to insult other cultures like I see some members of the UK feel entitled to. And, as someone pointed out, both America and Britain have caused more than their fair share of messing up the planet.

One thing about the Germans, they caused some trouble…."
A bit harsh, surely?

"…any evidence of exceptionalism…"
Apart from the quaint old "Aryan Master Race" thing….?
"…a right to insult other cultures…"
Although "Untermensch" was quite a well used term in the 1930s and 40s….?