WI: Napoleon a Muslim?

[Hapsburg]

Napoleon could easily have converted to Islam, as from what I've read, any religion could have suited his needs. He has a strained relationship with the Papacy anyway.
So, what if, say, after he was Excommunicated by the Pope, Napoleon adopts some form Islam as his religion? How would the French populace react? How would Austria and the other Allies react? For that matter, how would the Ottoman Empire react? Would they see this new empire as a potential ally or a major threat?

 

[Redbeard]

Napoleon could easily have converted to Islam, as from what I've read, any religion could have suited his needs. He has a strained relationship with the Papacy anyway.
So, what if, say, after he was Excommunicated by the Pope, Napoleon adopts some form Islam as his religion? How would the French populace react? How would Austria and the other Allies react? For that matter, how would the Ottoman Empire react? Would they see this new empire as a potential ally or a major threat?

Well he would loose his foreskin, and probably the Empire too. Where his "rebellious" nature towards the old order (incl. the Church) to a degree knitted together his opponents that factor will be much stronger in this ATL. So a big coalition much earlier and no chance of taking on Prussia, Austria and Russia one at a time.

In OTL Napoleon had a realistic chance of consolidating when he married a Habsburg Princess, that would be impossible in this ATL. Anyway, why should he convert? The Ottoman Empire or the Muslim world wasn't a worthwhile ally or a dangerous opponent.

Regards

Steffen Redbeard

 

[Midgard]

The only way I see it realistically happening other than ASBs putting something in Napoleon's drink is if he chose to join the Ottoman army as an instructor/officer before the French Revolution. In OTL, he seriously considered the idea, but chose to stay in France, and we know the rest. In TTL, he would have probably converted just so that he could achieve higher status in the Porte - and it is anyone's guess what he would have done from there.

 

[NapoleonXIV]

The only way I see it realistically happening other than ASBs putting something in Napoleon's drink is if he chose to join the Ottoman army as an instructor/officer before the French Revolution. In OTL, he seriously considered the idea, but chose to stay in France, and we know the rest. In TTL, he would have probably converted just so that he could achieve higher status in the Porte - and it is anyone's guess what he would have done from there.

Actually, wouldn't conversion be a bad idea? My understanding was that the Vizier as well as most other high ranks in the Porte, had to be a Christian, thought that also meant they were a slave, but only nominally.

 

[Keenir]

Maybe if he hadn't been able to leave Egypt, he might've converted.

 

[Midgard]

Actually, wouldn't conversion be a bad idea? My understanding was that the Vizier as well as most other high ranks in the Porte, had to be a Christian, thought that also meant they were a slave, but only nominally.

But then, Napoleon could have wanted to aim higher... and IMO, they did not HAVE to be Christian, they just often were...

 

[Thande]

I remember Bernard Cornwell mentioning in one of the early Sharpe books that Napoleon might nominally become a Muslim in other to gain leverage with Muslim allies in India (and, presumably, Egypt). I don't know whether there was any real historical speculation behind that, though.

 

[Homer]

The revolution was in its more radical years - that saw Napoleons first successes - and under the directorium quite anti-christian. But it's one thing to be anti-christion or anti-clergic or to be a heathen.
Becoming a muslim wouldn't help his career with radical revolutionaries, and it wouldn't help him with moderate monarchists or bourgeoise republicans.
So he wouldn't get far in France.
I can't see some Imam crowning him in Notre Dame...

Napoleon in the Ottoman Empire is a very interesting idea, though! A brilliant militaric and political leader in the Ottoman Empire, a modernizer and reformer, would make quite a difference there!