I'm tired of pretending he was some sort of bumbling fool.His early years were a product of France itself; directionless, confused, overconfident, etc. But as he got to grips with what actually mattered to the French people, he quickly became an extremely popular and capable politician.Napoleon III pushed for:>social reforms to help the poor>labour laws to help the workers>"progressive" (for their time) causes to help women and children>massively improved the french economy>turned Paris into THE city of Europe>built up an impressive French overseas Empire considering how late they were to the game in some regionsWe remember him best for the incredibly blunder at the very end of his career; mismanaging the rise of Prussia, and fumbling his relationships with potential allies in Austria and Italy during its attempts to unify. These were blunders-there is no question, although the war with Prussia was something he'd absolutely have avoided if not backed into a corner and simply outskilled by Bismark.Napoleon I smashed his way across Europe in very famous victories, but Napoleon III built an Empire which-were it not for said blunders at the end of his career-would have had serious staying power. A far cry from the "upstart revolutionary threat" of his uncle, Nappy III was a much beloved and well respected figure in Europe-even Queen Victoria was extremely fond of him. Anglo-French relations were tremendous thanks to Nappy III. >inb4 all the good shit was just done by his advisorsMen who were either also around but stifled during the retarded 2nd Republic, or men who didn't get a look in the door until he rose to power. Napoleon III is a top-tier French ruler when you don't have 5000 seething Orléanist or Kraut autists screeching that he was shit.
To many military catastrophes and foreign policy failures, I put him above robespeirre but below Napoleon, mid tier
>>18536974>created VivendiYeah nah screw this guy
Please visit England and see his tomb
>>18537037>too many military catastrophesMexico a bigger fiasco than Prussia in my eyes because he didn't even want to fight Prussia in the first place.>>18537202He was the ultimate bridge of friendship between ancient buddy cops, England and France.
when I read about him, particularly when I read the more optimistic analysis of him from his time (or the period after) there seems to be a real feeling of missed opportunity.his retarded failed coups seemed to have genuinely taught him lessons, and I get the feeling that were it not for some of the bad luck or retarded decisions of those putting pressure on him he'd be seen as one of france's greatest
>>18536974Crimea should have been a permanent alliance
>>18538503>Franz Joseph IWhy didn't France and UK support Austria?
>>18538545>Why didn't FranceNappy didn’t realize how quickly the war was going to end. He was planning to help in the event that the war had dragged on for a long period and the Austrians in return were going to let him expand into the rhineland>and UKVicki’s husband favored Prussia and had married off their daughter to the crown prince
