vingt-et-un and I stopped at twenty.' But at the time he was angry with
the Directory for what he considered a calculated double-cross.
As a sweetener to get Austria to accept the Leoben terms, Napoleon
had included a secret clause promising that the Habsburg empire could
swallow up the republic of Venice. Since Napoleon was master of Italy, it
now remained for him to make the gift-wrapped presentation of the Most
Serene Republic. Napoleon was never more Machiavellian than in his
treatment of Venice in I797· He had long been angered by a so-called
Venetian neutrality that actually benefited Austria and was well aware
that the oligarchs of Venice detested the French Revolution and its
principles. He also realized that it was pointless to consult the Directory:
at best they would equivocate and at worst actively intrigue against him.
On the other hand, a direct attack on Venice might suck the Army of
Italy into a prolonged siege, since the republic could easily be reinforced
and provisioned by sea and any sort of sustained defence would give the
rest of conquered Italy dangerous ideas about resisting the French
invader.
Fortunately for Napoleon, the Venetians played into his hands. When
Napoleon paused at Klagenfurth, false rumours reached Italy that the
French had received a military check. In Verona the people rose and
massacred a French garrison; in this action they were warmly encouraged
by the Doge and his ministers. But when the Veronese heard that the
Austrians had accepted French peace terms, their nerve cracked and they
threw in the towel. Napoleon sent the faithful Junot to Venice to read a
grave and thunderous letter to the Senate. Too late the Venetian
oligarchy realized it had jumped the gun by supporting Verona.
Panic-stricken, the Doge exerted all his power to lobby, bribe and
cajole the Directors in Paris into ordering Napoleon to leave Venice well
alone. But Bonaparte had foreseen this reaction and was able to find
excuses, based on techn icalities, for ignoring the Directory's instructions
about Venice. On 3 May Napoleon sent his troops into the waterbound
republic. Deprived of any possibility of succour from Austria, the
demoralized oligarchy resigned and handed power to the 'democratic'
faction that had allowed the French into the city. The French looting of
Italy reached new heights even by the rapacious standards of the Army of
Italy. Among the myriad treasures to be removed from the city and sent
back to Paris were the treasures of the Arsenal, the Lion of Venice and
the four bronze horses of St Mark's.
The final stage of Napoleon's settling accounts with Venice came on 26
May when he sent his troops to occupy the Ionian islands of Cephalonia,
Corfu and Zante. There was no opposition. Napoleon told his
marcin
(Marcin)
#1