Food That Conquered The World: Napoleon’s Grande Armée
“An army marches on its stomach” — Napoleon Bonaparte
The above quote is so strongly tied to Napoleon that it’s become familiar to just about everybody all over the world. It exemplifies a man who understands that to take over large swaths of Europe, you need a well-fed and strong fighting force.
Unfortunately, there is no record of Napoleon ever saying that famous quote and its true originator has been lost to history. What’s more, Napoleon appears to have cared little for food himself, and his apathy toward it often extended to his army, too.
Napoleon and the French Empire
Napoleon is rightly remembered as one of the greatest military thinkers in history. The Corsican born artillery officer rose rapidly through the ranks, taking advantage of the revolutionary fever gripping France and becoming a general at the age of 24. By 1799, he staged a coup and became France’s First Consul, the highest government office in the country.
His ambition didn’t stop there, however, and in 1804 he was declared Emperor of France. At its height, the French Empire ruled…
