Napoleon Updates His Secretary of War on the State of French Defenses in the Mediterranean Ionian Islands on the Eve of the Venetian Handover
The French would cede Venice, the former owner of these isles, back to Austria days later
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In April 1797, Napoleon threatened to declare war on Venice unless it democratized. The Venetian Senate acceded to numerous demands, but facing increasing rebellion and the threat of foreign invasion, it abdicated in favor of a transitional government of Jacobins (and thus the French). In May, the last doge of Venice, formally...
In April 1797, Napoleon threatened to declare war on Venice unless it democratized. The Venetian Senate acceded to numerous demands, but facing increasing rebellion and the threat of foreign invasion, it abdicated in favor of a transitional government of Jacobins (and thus the French). In May, the last doge of Venice, formally abolished the Most Serene Republic of Venice after 1,100 years of existence. Thus began the short lived Republic of Venice.
However, the French and the Austrians had secretly agreed in April 1798 in the Treaty of Leoben that in exchange for providing Venice to Austria, France would receive Austria’s holdings in the Netherlands. In October, Venice voted to accept the terms. The preference for Austria over France was well founded: the French proceeded to thoroughly loot Venice. They further stole or sank the entire Venetian Navy and destroyed much of the Venetian Arsenal, a humiliating end for what had once been one of the most powerful navies in Europe.
On January 18, 1798, the Austrians took control of Venice and ended the plunder.
Just days earlier, Napoleon seeks to update his War Minister on the state of the army protecting the Ionian Islands around Venice. At this time, the Division of the Levant was responsible for protecting these Ionian Islands.
Letter signed, Paris, January 14, 1798, to the Minister of War, signed “Bonaparte”. “You will find an overview enclosed [not present], Citizen Minister, of the present situation in Division the Levant.”
In 1799, Corfu and the Ionian Islands were taken by a joint Ottoman-Russian enterprise. This would be short-lived, as Napoleon would reclaim them in 1807.
Austria’s control too was short-lived, as Venice would be back under French control by 1805.
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