Bonaparte on Crete

Is it a legend or true story? Let’s say at once – there is no documentary evidence. We shall begin by considering known facts.

In 1797 the ambitious Napoleon Bonaparte was 28 years old. He planned to conquer Egypt: it was necessary for the defeat of Britain. From the Red Sea he intended to weaken the British economy relied on trade with India.

In spring of 1798 in Toulon Bonaparte assembled a fleet for an expedition to Egypt: 22 warships (13 ships of the line) and 120 transports. He decided to take with him scientists for simultaneously carrying out the country’s research: he remembered that Alexander the Great did the same. After inspecting his expeditionary army of 35,000 people in Toulon, he gave a parting speech, but did not mention the purpose of the expedition. Counter wind prevented the immediately depart to the sea. Preparations made in Toulon and throughout the controlled by France Mediterranean coast for the expedition with landing forces containing a whole army were monitored by the British intelligence, but its goal was not opened in time.

The said speech of Bonaparte was widely published by the French press. There were numerous speculations about the aims and directions of the expedition: the British Isles, Sicily, Malta and even the Crimea were called.

Bonaparte feared the British navy. So long as it was expected an uprising in Ireland, Bonaparte assumed that the British fleet concentrated in Portugal to oppose Spain, which had concluded an alliance with France, would not have time to stop him.

However, the British were careful. On the night of May 9 Admiral Nelson’s squadron entered the Straits of Gibraltar. It was discovered by the Spaniards and shelled by coastal artillery. The British moved on with no significant damages. On May 17 they seized a kaper ship, which staff reported that the French fleet’s departure should already occur.

The Bonaparte’s fleet went to sea only on May 19, and two days later, on May 21, the Nelson’s squadron approached the Îles d’Hyères, opposite Toulon, where it fell into a storm and was dispersed.

The Bonaparte’s fleet went along the coast, joining all the new transports: 72 from Genoa, 22 from Ajaccio, the native town of Bonaparte on Corsica. The reinforcement from Сivitavecchia was delayed. Receiving information from a captured British trade brig that Nelson was very close, Bonaparte decided to sail to Malta. Delayed 56 vessels reached it independently. June 9 the fleet came to Malta. Valetta, the capital of the island, controlled by the knights, was took without any fight using a trick, but in the western part of the island, a detachment of Maltese soldiers had been offering armed resistance to the French for the whole day. On June 14, after replenishment of provisions and water, the fleet went to Egypt.

Only capturing a French frigate with the wounded personnel and goods looted in Malta that sailed to Toulon, did Admiral Nelson learn about the true purpose of Bonaparte’s expedition.

Meanwhile a caravan of various French ships stretched out, and a fast ship with Bonaparte, controlling the passage of numerous transports, was near Crete. There is no reliable information that the French stopped at Crete.

There is a legend in Ierapetra that on June 26, 1798, Bonaparte accompanied by five persons landed in the town. Having gone in search of drinking water, they met a representative of local nobility, a certain Andreas Peroulios, who showed a well nearby. Together with Bonaparte, the Greek took a walk around the town, after which he invited the guest to his lodging for the night. The latter accepted the invitation. The next morning, Peroulios didn’t already see him – only a moving away ship. Later, the wife of Peroulios found a written in French note under the pillow of her guest. In the town, the text of this note was translated. It follows from the content that Bonaparte was the guest. Since then, the house, where Napoleon stayed, according to the legend, is proudly shown visitors. The town authorities had bought it from Haridimos Tsortsakis, a great-grandson of Peroulios, and restored. Then a very long time passed. There were so many uprisings on Crete that it is not surprising that the note was not preserved. It’s amazing that the house itself has survived.

In connection with the said matter, it’s interesting a mention in the book “Nelson: The essential hero” of a keen yachtsman Ernl Bradfod who writes that the Bonaparte’s fleet, delayed by its many transport ships, passed the island of Crete “during the 30 June and reached Alexandria the following morning, driven by the fresh meltemi winds”. This shows that the aforesaid Napoleon’s landing at the island could well have taking place and, quite possibly, took place in reality.

As for the Egyptian expedition, such operations should be classed as adventurous. Separation from France, the struggle of the local population, which perceived the French as invaders, put the French corps in a desperate situation. After the destruction of the French fleet by the British in the Battle of Aboukir, the capitulation of the French corps in Egypt was inevitable.

Nevertheless, the Egyptian expedition of Napoleon led to a growing interest in the ancient history of Egypt. As a result of the expedition, a huge number of historical monuments were collected and exported to Europe. In 1798, there was established the Institute of Egypt (Institut d’Égypte), which initiated a large-scale rescue and study of the heritage of ancient Egypt.

April, 2017