Vive La Corse!

Les & I just returned from 5 wonderful days in Corsica. We'd been there once before & loved it, so we decided it was worth a return trip. In fact, we loved it so much, that we want to take our children & grandchildren there for a week in 2019, to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. So this trip was a "research" trip--we want to make sure we show them as much as we can in the most efficient & entertaining way.

Corsica the island:

So...why Corsica? Lots of reasons: great weather, good food, beautiful beaches, rugged mountains, & interesting cities. Corsica's past is all tied up with invasions, vendettas, triumphs & defeats. It's also very easy for us to get to--an hour's drive to Marseille (always a great place to visit!) & a short easy one hour flight, with no time or language change to Corsica. Even though you are technically in France, it feels like a foreign country. It's small (114 miles long & 52 miles wide at its largest), with only about 350,000 people, half of whom live in Ajaccio (on the western coast about half way up) & Bastia (extreme northern end). See our picture album (Corsican Capers) to get an idea of Corsica's many attractions.

A little history of this enchanting island:

In Filatosa, we visited Prehistoric "menhirs", dating to 7,000 BC, showing a hunting, fishing & gathering lifestye in the mountains. Later, the Greeks & Etruscans colonized the island, as did the Romans after them. In fact, the Corsican language (Corsu) comes from when Corsica & Sardinia were a Roman province. The Middle Ages brought invasions by the city states of Pisa & especially Genoa, who controlled it on & off from the 14th-18th centuries. In 1755, Corsican patriot Pascal Paoli organized a revolt against Genoa, setting up a Corsican national assembly, founding a university, & building a navy. He also made steps to reject "La Vendetta" (vengeance carried out by not only duels, but family wars).

The Vendetta: "The Corsican Brothers"

The Vendetta came about because of lack of justice supplied by the Genoese. Supposedly, the vendetta was the only way to seek justice, since there were no laws, & no courts. If vendettas interest you, I recommend "The Corsican Brothers", by Alexandre Dumas. Set in 1848, it gives you an idea of how ingrained the Vendetta was in a short (110 Pages) & descriptive narrative of the mid 1800s in Corsica & in Paris.

Enter Napoleon:

But back to Corsican history: In 1768 (one year before Napoleon was born), Genoa sold its Corsican rights to France, & Paoli had to flee Corsica. Between 1794 & 1796, England occupied the island, until Napoleonic forces moved in, when the island became French.

Ah...Napoleon! "The Little Corporal", 4th child (out of 11!) born into a noble Italian family, was born in Ajaccio in 1769. Ten years later, he left for military school in France, where he was ostracized for his low social standing & his bad accent, but managed to become a second lieutenant in the French army by 1785. And then came the Revolution, & its aftermath. Great timing for an energetic son of Corsica in many ways.

In 1793, Napoleon made a name for himself by helping to defeat the British at Toulon, & in 1795, was called to Paris to stop a Loyalist uprising to restore the monarchy. His reward: commander of the Army of Interior. He was "en marche!"--on his way! (Heard that term before? It's the name of Emmanuel Macron's new political party. Macron, france's new president, has frequently been compared to Napoleon. He's small, he's determined, & he's ready to take on the world!)

In 1796, Napoleon, as the new Commander of Italy, engineered a treaty to give the French control of Italy, & returned to Paris a hero. In 1798, he set off from Toulon with 35,000 men to conquer Egypt. In 1799, he returned to Paris to help overthrow the "Directoire", the 5 man committee that had replaced the king. Napoleon took over as First Consul, & received unlimited powers. It didn't take him long to start getting order out of the chaos left over by the Revolution. (Hmm...order out of chaos--could we compare the situation of the French Socialist political party before their recent election to the turmoil after the French Revolution? A bit of a stretch, but....)

So what did Napoleon do for France?

France must have been eager for a "guy in charge"! Napoleon became "First Consul for Life" in 1802 & then, in 1804, had himself crowned Emporer. Here's a short list of his legacy:

1. Economics: He introduced fair taxes, increased trade, developed French luxury industres & a new commercial code, & improved infrastruture with a central bank (La Banque de France).

2. Religious freedom: The French Revolution had abandoned the Catholic church. Napoleon orchestrated an agreement with the Pope allowing the church once again a spot in French society, but still providing religious freedom for others.

3. Freedom for the Jews: Napoleon abolished restrictions (identifying armbands, requirements to live in ghettos, prevention from entering certain professions & of attending synagogues). It's said that he made Jews full citizens of France.

4. Educational Reforms: Napoleon reorganized the educational system as an effort to set up a middle-class set of leaders. He restarted primary schools, created a new elite set of secondary schools (lycees), & many other schools for everyday children, even promoting education for girls. He also improved teacher training. Literacy levels soared.

5. The Code Napoleon: Napoleon reorganized the legal system, providing a unified legal structure, still in effect in France, & in many parts of his Empire it's still the basis of law. (Even in Louisiana--remember the Lousiana Purchase?)

6. European unity: Napoleon's empire, along with his legal & other reforms, helped provide the basis for today's European Union. Some even consider him the father of modern Europe.

(So....in light of all the good Napoleon did for France, Macron may be justified in looking at Napoleon as a good model. We shall see how he does...modern Europe could use a new father! Angela Merkel can't do it all alone!)

Back to Corsican history--The Exiles:

Threatened by Napoleon's power, the continent was watching! Between 1805 & 1815, Europe's history is a complicated story of alliances--Russia, Prussia, England, Spain, Sweden, & Austria were all trying to re-establish the European order, & Napoleon got caught amongst them. Exiled first to Elba, returning for his "100 Days", then losing at Waterloo to combined British & Prussian armies, off he went to St. Helena Island, where he died of cancer in 1821.

In Ajaccio, we visited La Maison Napoleon, his birthplace, which has been restored beautifully to its "Empire" years, although Napoleon never went back. In fact, many think the Corsicans feel he deserted them for France. However, they are still happy to have tourists visit & revel in all things Napoleana! Every street, every cafe, every boutique had some kind of name associated with him.

A Favorite Sister? Really?

We also visited the Musee Fresch to see an intriguing exhibition glorifying Napoleon's youngest sister Caroline, "La Reine des Arts" (Queen of the Arts"). Supposedly, she was his favorite sister, & "fresh as a rose", & the exhibit made much of her sponsorship of the arts, her jewelry, & her redecoration of multiple homes as she hung on to her brother's coat tails. At the age of 17, she married Joachim Murat, 32, against her brother's wishes. Napoleon appointed Murat military governor of Paris, & the two of them started climbing the Napoleon ladder together. By 1806, they were the Grand Duke & Duchess of Berg & Cleves (a territory carved out of Prussia & Bavaria by her brother), then King & Queen of Naples.

What the museum did not cover was the BETRAYAL. Caroline & Joachim, in an effort to preserve their Naples thrones, allied with Napoleon's enemies in 1814, as his world came tumbling down. Murat signed a treaty with Austria, guaranteeing to him & his heirs the sovereignty of the territory he possessed in Italy. Napoleon, on hearing the bad news, said "I was aware that Murat was a fool, but I thought he loved me. It is his wife who is the cause of his desertion. To think that Caroline, my own sister, should betray me!" (This was definitely not covered in the museum exhibition!)

Eventually (& not surprisingly!), Caroline & Murat split. Murat died trying to get back his Corsican land, & Caroline surrendered to the Austrians, & was exiled (with a companion, of course!) in Austria, until 1831, when she was allowed to go to Florence. She fought her siblings for her mother's estate, & sued France to recover the money she claimed was owed to her. She eventually got a pension of 100,000 francs, but died of stomach cancer in Florence at age 57.

This is what Talleyrand, French Foreign Minister, said of Caroline: "Madame Murat had the head of Cromwell upon the body of a well-shaped woman." Now that is NO ROLE MODEL in my book!

And as a footnote, remember Father Mulcahy in the film version of MASH? An American actor, his name is Rene Auberjonois, & he is Caroline's great-great-great-grandson.

Although I know he was flawed, I am a Napoleon fan! He was smart, organized, & energetic, & able to take advantage of his times. Did he overreach himself? Yes, of course. But he left behind a much more stable France, that needed his leadership to recover from its bloody revolution. I am so hopeful for Macron, as he tackles the current French issues with an open & innovative (I hope!) mind.

I think Napoleon's story fits well with Corsica & its history. This small island, half Italian/half French, is rugged & beautiful. It's fought off many invaders in its long history, & refused to be anything else but what it is. It still insists on using its own products, teaching its own dialect, & drinking its own wine. It's set up a conservation program to keep 1/3 of the country the way it's always been--rural, rocky, & prmitive. It's even, according to the Porto Vecchio newspaper, outlawing the huge siesure of the "maquis" for eventual development. (Charleston, please take note!)

Our Corsica trip was a great success. We think that we've found the perfect vacation spot for our 50th anniversary celebration. And we're pretty sure there won't be any sister/brother betrayals in our group of 11!

We hope, as August begins, that your summer is moving along in a relaxing way. Thanks for joining us in Corsica. Our next & final trip for the summer is The Dordogne. It may prove to be a lot like Corsica!

In the meantime, Vive La Corse & Vive Napoleon!

Elise & Les