I feel like this question has a super simple answer but I’ve always wondered how the average man or woman viewed Napoleon Bonaparte throughout his reign.
I know he obviously has supporters being that he brought a sense of stability following the chaos of the revolution but how about after his rule got underway?
I also know he was notoriously sexist so I was wondering if there was any difference in his public perception between men and women of the French Empire.
Further still is the question of the difference from mainland France and it’s new territories obtained during his conquest.
Any clarification would be great! I had family who would’ve been living around Waterloo at the time of his final defeat so I’d like to know what they may have thought!
I more or less answered something here that deals with Napoleon and his relationship to his heritage. The answer cover parts of his life giving you an insight on how he felt and been perceived in mainland France.
I'd add though that the answer is not easy at all. Napoleon has been banished, came back, conquered land... His approval would depend so much on where, who, when you are in time and space (boom sounds so mind blowing said like that!).
He did incarnated the glory of France for lot of people and for some time, a hope (politically speaking with the provisory end of the monarchy), but also represented hate, cultural domination and treason. I'm from Savoy, and for some history nerds like me, our opinion can be very divided. He is perceived as either a man that manage to help the de Savoie's house unite Italy, or seen as the perfidious man whom, with Carvour sold Savoy and Nice to France against the will of people (the referendum is a joke in the Democracy's History, interesting story).
Fun Fact : Apparently the Napoleonic War even left a crazy impact within the French population : 70% of the French today are likely to have varicose veins because back in time the men who had that problem couldn't go to war, so they didn't die on the battlefield. (source -in French)
Look into the link in my other answer, I'm sure you'll find amazing resources for more information and answers you might need/have :).