Editor says, what if Napoleon had conquered the British Isles? muses Zach Timmons. Please note that the opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of the author(s).

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Eric Oppen commented on 2010-05-21 03:22:30 ~ How did the French get into England in the first place? Where was the Royal Navy? And could George the Prince Regent abdicate the throne? My knowledge on these arcane points is shaky at best.

Scott Palter commented on 2010-05-21 04:02:47 ~ Presume you teleport a French army into the Home Counties. British had a VERY large garrison that they maintained in the UK throughout the period including militia of various kinds. Perhaps not good maneuver troops but relatively well armed and capable of doing volley fire in line. They would be short of cavalry but able to entrench in their cities and do battle on their own terms. In reverse the French must win quickly and get back to the Continent before a war begins in their rear [see 1809].

H. Torrance Griffin commented on 2010-05-21 06:16:54 ~ Maybe they came on dragonback (yes, I have the Temeraire series)? In all seriousness, this smells of sealions.

Eric Lipps commented on 2010-05-21 12:08:22 ~ Nice to know so many people think Britain is inviolable. The British themselves didn't think so in 1940--or during the Napoleonic wars, either. The British navy was powerful, but not invinciblr given bad luck and/or poor leadership. Spain's "invincible armada" had both in 1588, which may help to explain why this discussion isn't occurring en español. By the way, the so-called "Chunnel" linking England to the Continent was first proposed two centuries ago, but was rejected at that time not only for practical reasons but because it was feared it could provide a highway for invasion. I don't really think that was realistic--the tunnel would have been a deathreap for invaders if the Brits collapsed it on them--but there it was.

Chris Oakley commented on 2010-05-21 14:06:40 ~ Where did that bike photo come from, anyway?

Michael N. Ryan commented on 2010-05-21 15:13:09 ~ How would the French get past the veteran crewed battleships of the Royal navy or overcome Britain's well equipped Militia? Admittedly they were armed with the East India Muskets (otherwise known as the Third Pattern BVrown Bess) but their weapons worked and so did they. By t his time France was on the ropes in Russia and Spain and had no effective navy, so how could they effectively attack Britain?

Comment from Margo Barotta on Facebook: let us see napoleon conquere england :a verry large history of war between france and england ''the war of 100 years '' .and even when napoleon got exile into alba islande it was on british navy .about this subject i think if he didt the hall history will change ,but he didnt make that becausehe wil lose on watterlo battle.

Comment from Ahmad Desai on Facebook: Well first of all, the whole world would be driving on the same side of the road. I think for it would be great for all drivers not to mention car manufacturers too. I think the English had pretty much established which side of the road they were driving (riding) on. Then along came Napoleon and conquered most of Europe replacing local systems with French ones where ever he went. And he made everyone ride on the other side of the road. It so happened then that the newly formed US opted for the French system and so all of those countries which either Napoleon and the US occupied (as well as the ones that the US helped rebuild after WW2) adopted the "French side" of the road to drive on. And everywhere the British went (India, West Indies, most of Africa), they maintained their way. So thanks to Nap and the Brits, the world was doomed to drive on different sides of the road."

Comment from Tom Hickie on Facebook: It would have created an early European union and a true super power. The fledging United States would have been severely impacted. There would not have been any area in the world that would not have been affected. The Russian monarchy would have been deposed a century earlier.

Comment from Margo Barotta on Facebook: let us see napoleon conquere england :a verry large history of war between france and england ''the war of 100 years '' .and even when napoleon got exile into alba islande it was on british navy .about this subject i think if he didt the hall history will change ,but he didnt make that becausehe wil lose on watterlo battle .

Comment from Ahmad Desai on Facebook: Ahmad Desai Well first of all, the whole world would be driving on the same side of the road.

Jeff Provine commented on 2010-12-23 18:07:24 ~ If Napoleon thought he had a rough time trying to control the Spanish, there's no telling how harsh the British resistance would have been. They probably would have fought on the beaches, in the fields and streets, in the hills...