Napoleon continues to be one of the most polarizing figures in recent history. Rising to prominence during the French Revolution, Napoleon was also the leader of the French Republic and briefly the Emperor of France. As many wars as Napoleon fought to achieve his status, none were as difficult as his battle with a horde of rabbits. This event may have been a bigger defeat than the Battle of Waterloo.
The Backstory
One of the most bizarre moments in Napoleon’s story is his 1807 encounter with rabbits. At the time, Napoleon was at one of his most powerful moments after he signed the Treaties of Tilsit, ending the war between the French Empire and Russia. History indicates that Napoleon gathered 3,000 rabbits from local farmers to hunt and celebrate the treaty.
Setting the Scene
The setting is outside Paris, near a large field where the hunt had been prepared for Napoleon and his guests. Napoleon’s chief of staff, Alexandre Berthier, was believed to have organized the event and ensured enough rabbits were on hand.
The Hunt Begins
As Napoleon and his entourage prepare to start their rabbit hunt, everything seems to be going according to plan. Once the rabbits were released from their cages, the hope was that they would spread out into the field, with Napoleon and his crew ready to chase. However, that is not at all what happened.
Rabbit Charge
Instead of fleeing into the field after being released from their cages, the rabbits took advantage of their numbers and charged Napoleon and his hunting party. According to historical accounts, Napoleon and his entourage initially thought seeing the bunnies approaching them was funny, but laughter soon turned to panic.
The Rabbits Attack
Historical accounts of the event indicate that the rabbits attacked the men in the hunting party en masse, who tried to fend off the rabbits with sticks, whips, and riding crops. The rabbits nibbled and gnawed at the men’s boots, overwhelming the much smaller hunting party. One account says the rabbits attacked Napoleon “with an unspeakable frenzy.”
Napoleon Flees
With the knowledge that he couldn’t possibly fend off the bunny attack indefinitely, Napoleon fled for the safety of his carriage. However, the rabbits were not to be outsmarted. They continued to attack Napoleon as he climbed into his carriage and escaped.
What Went Wrong?
As history looks back on the events, the best hypothesis is that Baron Berthier, Napoleon’s chief of staff, who was unfamiliar with rabbits, collected tame rabbits from farmers, not wild rabbits. These tamer rabbits saw humans as a food source, and having not eaten that day, they went after Napoleon and his party for food.
Why Rabbits?
As it turns out, hunting rabbits wasn’t random at all. During Napoleon’s battles across Europe, his armies encountered a nasty problem with an invasive rabbit population. This population destroyed crops, ate up farmland, and affected agricultural resources the people of France needed to survive. Hunting wild rabbits on this day in 1807 was meant to help cull some of the population.
Is the Story True?
There are enough accounts of the events on this day to indicate it did happen. However, the number of rabbits in question is up for debate. While some accounts indicate there were as many as 3,000 rabbits, others place the number closer to 1,000.
Napoleon’s Life
While Napoleon got away with his life on this day, it was only eight short years later that he was defeated at Waterloo, disgraced, and exiled to a deserted island. We have to hope this island was bunny-free.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Denis---S/Shutterstock.com.
