Napoleon (2023) and the Egyptian Campaign
Napoleon director Ridley Scott acknowledges that being completely accurate in the film Napoleon was a formidable task, as every resources has slight variations of the title character’s history. But the film’s depiction of Napoleon’s battles, his campaign in Egypt, received a specific critique. In reality, Napoleon wanted to interrupt British trade routes with India. He would use this weakened British trade to establish French dominance in eastern trade. In 1798, he brought 35,000 soldiers to Egypt, quickly taking Alexandria. As he moved toward Cairo, he met resistance. Near the infamous ancient pyramids, Napoleon met an army of Mamelukes, an elite Turkish force. Egypt was part of the Turkish Empire at the time, and ready to defend its territory. Napoleon’s troops defeated the Mamelukes and marched on to Cairo but were later thwarted by British admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.