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I want to have alternate history where Napoleon fights Ottomans backed by the British. I need British as enemies no alliance with them whatsoever.

How to make Napoleon invade Ottoman empire instead of Russia?

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  • $\begingroup$ I am voting to close as opinion-based. A good question requires a certain amount of opinion backed by fact, but I don't see this question as having a clearly defined 'right' answer. $\endgroup$
    – kingledion
    Dec 11, 2016 at 23:37

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Russia and Britain were at war between 1807 and 1812, but it only amounted to some naval skirmishes. Instead, have the Czar fight a more pointed battle, perhaps with interests in seizing and "liberating" Danish colonies once Britain takes Danish holdings to support its smuggling efforts.

The major problem was the the two Emperors didn't agree on a few things that eventually made things very tense. Perhaps, they could agree that France would get Africa and the British Isles, and Russia would get Asia and any Danish holdings, as part of their alliance. Once the US joins the war, Britain will be sorely pressed to keep fighting both nations in earnest, and may lose some of its worldly possessions and colonies. If you eventually want France and Russia to fight, have them fight over the Ottoman lands, which partially are in Europe and partially in Asia (and since in Real Life they argued over Poland, it has some similarities). Without Britain in the fight, the battle between France and Russia could be extremely bloody and not decided quickly.

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  • $\begingroup$ Can I just let Russians keep Poland, and France to take the Balkan peninsula? I don't care about Russia at all just want them out of the picture. $\endgroup$
    – cewiw
    Dec 12, 2016 at 21:44
  • $\begingroup$ I doubt that is what Napoleon would do, but it's your story. $\endgroup$
    – Marshall Tigerus
    Dec 12, 2016 at 23:41
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Make Russia not breaking trade blockade of Great Britain and make whole blockade much more efficent. Then Napoleon could try to attack Ottoman Empire to get Egypt and, as he tried before, cut British from the India.

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He wanted to do that. The point of the expedition in Egypt was to set up a French empire in the near and middle east, from the Mediterranean to India. The British took exception, and helped the Ottomans defend Acre. Napoleon then abandoned the dream of becoming a second Alexander and turned towards European conquests.

The main difficulty of your hypothesis is how to make the Kingdom of Great Britain a friend of revolutionary France instead of its bitter foe. With Britain on its side (or even neutral), revolutionary and then Napoleonic France would have had much higher chances of success; but I don't see why Britain would have abandoned its grand strategy of maintaining an equilibrium of power in favor of making France great.

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    $\begingroup$ I doubt you can plausibly make Britain a French ally in Napoleon's times. You can look here for more details, but basically Britain has a problem with anyone having domination over Europe. Britain's strength was its navy, while other nations had large armies: any nation that swallowed enough of its neighbors to afford both at once would be able to invade and conquer Britain, something that has historically ended whatever country was there before (Roman/Norman invasions). $\endgroup$
    – Palarran
    Dec 11, 2016 at 17:33
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    $\begingroup$ No way making friends with Britain, I need them as enemies. How about finishing off Austria then going through the Balkan peninsula? $\endgroup$
    – cewiw
    Dec 11, 2016 at 17:35
  • $\begingroup$ @cewiw I'm not an expert on the Napoleonic Wars, but to get that to work I think you'd need Russia to stay on peaceful terms with Napoleon. Between British pressure to fight Napoleon (backed by the Golden Cavalry of St. George, meaning the ludicrous funds that the British could provide) and the general threat of a France with so much power, that's a tall order. It's not impossible, but France was bleeding men in Spain and Napoleon was focused on Russia. Still, you might get a plausible opening if you go for an invasion of the Ottomans in 1810 or 1811, after the Fifth Coalition was defeated. $\endgroup$
    – Palarran
    Dec 11, 2016 at 17:42
  • $\begingroup$ @Palarran So what's the most plausible way to explain why Russia is friendly or at least out of way? Split some territory, maybe marriage with Russian Marie-Louise. Or maybe retreat from Spain, if that doesn't make matters worse. $\endgroup$
    – cewiw
    Dec 11, 2016 at 18:01
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    $\begingroup$ @cewiw Again, not an expert here. The Russians got burned once already: France and Russia made an alliance against the Ottomans, only for the French to later make peace and basically leave the Russians hanging, fighting alone. Getting Russia to listen to an offer to repeat that original alliance could be difficult, but it's probably your best option to get your scenario working. You still have to examine other aspects, though: I'm pretty sure that Tsar Alexander had not the least liking for Napoleon as a personal matter, quite apart from questions of national interests, as just one example. $\endgroup$
    – Palarran
    Dec 11, 2016 at 18:09

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