He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 185

(185) First, Capture the Legendary Mamluks

There were those once hailed as the strongest cavalry in the Middle Ages.

“Mamluks! I’ve heard the stories. They’re the ones who defeated the famous ‘Tatar’ army, right? Is it okay for us to be standing around like this?”

Ippolito asked, jumping up and down beside Eugene as they surveyed the base.

Alexandria had effectively become a French army camp.

Tents and barracks were erected around the entire city.

This was unlike the Italian campaign, where they didn’t set up camp to prioritize marching speed.

They had begun their occupation with a permanent military base in mind.

It was an unusual move for Eugene, who had always emphasized blitzkrieg tactics.

However, Eugene had no choice in the matter.

Firstly, the Egyptian expeditionary force had too many non-combatants [women and children], literally.

They simply couldn’t camp out in the open.

Furthermore, Eugene had another plan in mind.

A plan to utilize naval guns [secret weapons] on land.

However, instead of explaining all that, Eugene brought up common wartime knowledge from the late 18th century.

“Even the Mongols eventually fell, and the Turks are losing to the Russians these days. Times have changed.”

“So, can we just march straight to Cairo from here?”

“If we were to rush like that, I imagine that thing would be there to greet us.”

Eugene pointed to the outside of the Alexandria encampment.

“The desert.”

Looking at the sandy desert surrounding the city’s outskirts, Ippolito became somber.

“It’s so damn hot.”

“It gets incredibly cold at night. That’s why we had to bring both cotton and fur to deal with the heat and cold simultaneously. Even then, there are limits.”

“How are we going to cross that desert? Do you have a plan?”

Of course, even though it was a desert, Alexandria was near the Nile River.

So, if they advanced along the Nile River system, they could smoothly reach Cairo.

However, in the original history, Napoleon crossed the desert, aiming for a swift attack.

As a result, deserters, stragglers, and those suffering from dehydration emerged, leading to a significant loss of troops.

Of course, it was impressive that Napoleon won despite repeating such blunders.

Eugene shrugged.

“Water, cotton, and marching wagons. We’ve prepared various things. But, we should fight where it’s comfortable for us.”

This was the solution Eugene had in mind.

In the original history, Napoleon embarked on the Egyptian expedition without accurate knowledge of Egypt.

However, it is certain that you can win even if you don’t know the enemy if you have superior firepower and mobility.

That’s why Napoleon repeatedly defeated the Mamluk army.

But Eugene was not Napoleon, and he knew Napoleon’s mistakes.

Therefore, he had to use a different method.

Like making the enemy move instead of his own troops.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves echoed from inside the base.

-Clatter, clatter, clatter!

At the head of a very disgruntled cavalry unit was Division Commander Junot.

“So, you’re telling us to lure the enemy out? In this hot, disorienting, and dangerous-looking desert?”

“That’s right, Junot.”

“Come on, Chief of Staff! This is too much. We’re not dying fighting the enemy, but we’re going to die in the desert!”

In short, Eugene had ordered Junot to use a lure tactic.

And he entrusted the task to the Horse Grenadier Brigade.

Even hussar enthusiasts like Lasalle looked disgruntled.

Ignoring their complaints, Eugene turned his head.

“No, we have a guide who will lead the way. Monsieur Debon?”

Ambassador Debon, the representative of the expeditionary force’s Egyptologists, nodded from behind Eugene.

“Well, yes. Of course, I’m not the one guiding, but a friend who recently visited Egypt is among our scholars.”

“Who is it?”

“A friend named François Chassebœuf Volney. Oh, is he here? Who’s that next to him?”

From the outskirts of Alexandria, two people approached on camels.

But one of them was clearly not French.

The other, a man who was definitely French but wearing a turban, dismounted from his camel and responded.

“This is the Pope of Alexandria. Show some respect, everyone.”

Volney, the greatest Egypt travel writer of this era.

He had traveled to Egypt himself, accurately researched the desert and internal conditions, and his travelogue was a kind of bestseller.

But Volney’s most outstanding point was his focus on the Coptic Christians within Egypt.

On the other hand, in the original history, Napoleon’s army failed by adopting an Islamic-friendly attitude rather than a Coptic one.

But why suddenly a Pope?

As the surprised soldiers looked at each other, Ippolito asked Eugene.

“A Pope? Is there such a thing in this backwater? Besides, isn’t this an Islamic world?”

“Coptic Orthodox Church, Patriarch.”

“What?”

Eugene approached the turbaned old man next to Volney and respectfully made the sign of the cross.

“One of the traditional Christian denominations that has been around since ancient Roman times, right? Greetings, Your Holiness Patriarch Marcos. I am Eugene, a Christian from France.”

Marcos VI.

The man who became the Coptic Patriarch in the era of French arrival.

Despite being led here by Volney, with whom he had a close relationship, Marcos’s eyes were full of wariness.

With Volney’s translation, Marcos spoke to Eugene.

“I heard from the French consul. You came for conquest?”

“Our actions are solely for liberation. To liberate the Copts, to liberate the Egyptians from the rule of the Mamluks, and furthermore, to liberate the East from the oppression of the Turks.”

“Y-you’re too grand.”

Eugene looked at Marcos and said clearly.

“We have the power to do so. Your Holiness, just send us guides. Like a shepherd.”

Even through translation, the speaker’s will is conveyed.

France did not just come here.

They will remain to permanently dominate Egypt itself.

Even with the Turks excluded, not just the Mamluks.

Then, who will cooperate with France, which will rule Egypt?

The Coptic Christians.

However, Marcos stared at Eugene with a grave face and spoke to Volney.

“Alright. I will give you guides. But, make sure our faithful Christians are not harmed.”

Marcos was trying not to get too close to France.

This was actually a wise decision.

Even in the original history, France, eventually facing a Muslim revolt, employed Coptic Christians.

However, when France was defeated by Britain and left, Coptic Christians faced the threat of massacres.

All wars are a gamble, but from Marcos’s perspective, the fate of the denomination was at stake.

In any case, Eugene, having secured guides, turned to Junot.

“Well, is that settled?”

“It feels like we’re the bad guys.”

“Expeditionary forces are always like that. But our victory will actually be good for the Egyptians.”

Suddenly, Eugene looked around the city of Alexandria.

“Because what’s ruling here is truly a pre-modern foreign military group.”

There were frightened Egyptian locals.

***

Giza, a city just west of Cairo.

“What? Ha, France dares to invade our great Mamluk land?”

The ruler of Egypt at the time, Murad Bey, had his base in Giza, not the capital.

This was because Cairo’s Citadel was surprisingly vulnerable to defense.

At first glance, it seemed sturdy, surrounded by high walls, but that was based on medieval standards.

Now was the age of gunpowder weapons, dominated by cannons.

Even if it wasn’t a European army, the cannons used by the Turkish army alone could easily destroy the castle.

Therefore, he was staying in Giza with his direct Mamluk corps.

Also, it was thanks to this that he could hear the news from Alexandria quickly.

Anyway, news came directly to Giza on the west bank of the Nile.

Murad asked his second-in-command, Ibrahim Bey.

“What are their movements? Are they marching through the desert?”

“No. However, they are sending out cavalry to establish bases around the oases.”

“What? They’re more thorough than I thought.”

Ibrahim said with an anxious face.

“Public sentiment is wavering. We need to strike quickly.”

Then Murad raised his eyebrows.

“What are you talking about? Public sentiment is wavering because foreigners have landed?”

“The numbers are no joke, they say. Moreover, they’re even building semi-permanent encampments around Alexandria, aren’t they?”

“Nonsense!”

Murad scoffed.

“The Franks cannot stay in this land for long. That has been decided since a thousand years ago! However, we must use the conditions that are favorable to us.”

Egypt is far from France.

Even if that wasn’t the case, there has never been a successful case of a European power invading Egypt.

The Crusades, led by none other than France, all came to Egypt and were defeated.

Moreover, Murad had defeated an army sent from the Turkish mainland five years ago.

Thanks to the cavalry rifles provided by Britain.

Stroking the British Brown Bess cavalry rifle in his hand, Murad twisted his lips.

“I want to shoot those guys with this gun quickly.”

At that moment, a turbaned general burst into Murad Bey’s palace.

“Something terrible has happened, Bey!”

“What is it?”

“Look at this!”

Murad jumped up as he looked at the document brought by Ayub Bey, the third-in-command of the Mamluks.

-〈The Mamluks are foreign traitors. Great Egyptians, we, France, will liberate you. We have come at the request of the rightful ruler, the Turkish Padishah!〉

It was clearly handwritten, but written in uniform letters as if it were printed.

It was something that even the best calligrapher in this Mamluk region would have difficulty writing.

However, it was not the technology but the content that surprised Murad.

Because it contained the absurd statement that the Mamluks were traitors and that France was the liberator.

“What nonsense is this!”

“Isn’t half of it true? It is true that the Turkish Sultan is the ruler of this land.”

“But what Sultan would ask France for liberation! Besides, who is a traitor? A foreigner? Good heavens!”

Of course, in fact, Murad himself was originally from the Circassian people near Russia.

Most of the other Mamluks also came from Eastern Europe, so they were distant from the Egyptians.

But does that mean that the French, who are complete infidels, are claiming to be liberators?

But Ayub brought up an even more surprising story.

“The problem is that thousands of these strange documents have been distributed. They have begun to circulate among the people! There are even sheikhs and ulama [Islamic scholars] who sympathize with this document!”

In other words, Eugene was now using a propaganda [leaflet] operation.

As he had done in the Vendée before, he ran the printing press to create thousands of ‘pamphlets.’

Next, he used the Coptic Christians to spread the pamphlets within Cairo.

Although the Pope refused, there were Coptic Christians, including Gauhari, who saw the French army as an opportunity.

However, the biggest reason why this operation could succeed was different.

The fact that the Mamluks were traitors and foreigners was the truth.

In a word, the Mamluk regime has a very weak foundation.

Murad, who was gritting his teeth, made a decision.

“It can’t be helped. Gather the entire army. Especially prepare the camel cavalry! I will let those Franks know how scary desert warfare can be!”

6,000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry.

The order was given for a large army, in which the power of the Mamluks was concentrated, to gather in Giza.

***

When a large army moves, the news is bound to reach the expeditionary force that has fallen into enemy territory.

“Alright, they’ve set out! Enemy cavalry is coming from Cairo!”

Ippolito ran to Eugene, who was inspecting the army’s departure at the Alexandria encampment.

Of course, this information was sent by Junot, who had gone out on patrol to lure the enemy, through Lasalle.

However, Eugene was not surprised because he had already roughly guessed it.

Because Murad Bey sets out even in the original history.

Rather, it was slower than Eugene had expected.

“They’re slower than I thought.”

“Huh? What do you mean? It’s only been two weeks?”

“That’s true. But we have a different timetable.”

Suddenly, Eugene’s gaze turned towards the sea.

“Arrival of the British fleet.”

How long would it take for Nelson to arrive?

Admiral Brueys was also conducting patrols by floating frigates nearby.

However, in this era, there is no radar, and it is difficult to catch a suddenly rushing fleet at sea.

Therefore, most naval battles take place near ports.

In the end, it was likely to happen in Alexandria.

Then, how can we discover and fight the enemy first in this place?

Suddenly, Eugene saw something burning in his field of vision.

-Fwoosh!

A group of women were running around with the soldiers.

The unit led by Lareille and Angelique Mars.

It was the medical unit.

The moment he saw that sight, Eugene nodded.

Currently, the medical unit is carrying out sanitation work in Alexandria.

They did some in the original history, but now the scale is much larger.

It was because Eugene raised the medical unit because of the women, but it would also be of great help in preventing epidemics.

Among them, there was a girl who shouted the most vigorously.

“Burn the dirty things! Hang the clothes outside! And you must ventilate the house by burning incense!”

“Ah, why are you investigating other people’s houses?”

“That’s to prevent epidemics! Hey, you there! You can’t bury the body here!”

It was Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister.

Somehow, he thought that figure was dazzling, and Eugene narrowed his brows.

The medical unit’s actions are for the prevention of epidemics, but also for comforting the public sentiment of the residents of Alexandria.

For example, they are also distributing medicines and providing treatment.

Then, can’t we use those residents?

Aren’t the people of Alexandria the ones who know this sea near Alexandria port the best?

Just then.

“Oh, Eugene!”

Suddenly, Pauline, who felt Eugene’s gaze, wiped her sweat and ran over.

She didn’t seem tired at all even though she was working busily.

As expected, she had the stamina of a girl from Corsica.

“Wow, you’re busy. Do you always do this kind of work in the army?”

Eugene looked at Pauline and smiled.

“There are other reasons why officers are busy; they don’t just hang around.”

“I thought soldiers were always hanging around in the garrison, so I thought it was a leisurely job, except when fighting.”

“That will be included soon.”

Instantly, Pauline’s eyes widened as she asked.

“Oh my, is it a battle?”

Eugene blinked as he looked at Pauline.

It was a slightly unfamiliar attitude.

Until now, all the women around Eugene were worried when he said he was going to the battlefield.

But Pauline wasn’t worried at all.

Eugene tilted his head as he quietly looked at Pauline.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Why? We’re going to win anyway. Besides, I only need one person to come back alive.”

“What?”

Pauline looked at Eugene and winked.

“Win and come back, Eugene. Can you promise that? Then, I’ll be waiting in Alexandria.”

Eugene quietly looked at Pauline and gave her a kiss on the back of her hand.

“Of course. Mademoiselle Bonaparte.”

Now, the first war in Egypt.

The time has come for the Battle of the Pyramids to begin.