Originally Posted by
Lewis
There isn't really much to add to that that Wikipedia can't tell you. Half the Grand Armee was Austrian/German/Polish as well, so they just picked them up from local duties on the way.
I don't think we ever did any Napoleonic Wars at school. We did the French Revolution in sixth form, but only up to it all eating itself, and it was largely taught in that crappy school way that put it all down to people not liking the monarchy. It's a shame because the British Empire literally waged the perfect war[s] against Napoleon, which might be why we don't have him on the villain list these days.