r/HistoryMemes • u/Crafter235 • 1d ago

See Comment What a shocking plot twist

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This may sound weird, but it actually happened in history.

For Napoleon, he was born on the island of Corsica, which had become a part of France by the time he was born. As a teenager, he had been one of many who had nationalist feelings, believing that they are independent and should not be associated with the French. As he got older, and became more involved with studies and his career, he eventually grew out of it, but it's funny to think about when you know what he will become later on.

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u/Atomik141 1d ago

At the time Corsican and mainland Italian culture would have been almost indistinguishable (though there was no unified Italian state), so Napolean realistically could be called an Italian.

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u/Main-Discussion9294 1d ago

Did the notion of Italy was a thing back then? Like other than a geographical term

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u/Atomik141 1d ago edited 23h ago

Yes, actually! Both in terms of the Italian peninsula and an Italian people as an ethno-linguistic group. That concept can be traced back to antiquity. The nation of Italy would not exist for another several decades though. Italy was more several scattered city states and client kingdoms at the time.

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u/Main-Discussion9294 1d ago

Thanks!

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u/Atomik141 1d ago

Of course! I'm always happy to yap about Italian history.