Civ of the week: The Fro... French

[Jason]

I dunno, the French get a bum these days historically. Until 1815 they were doing just fine, Louis XIV, Napoleon... (even if people argue France was past it's " world power best-before-date" by the time Napoleon appeared.)

I presume it's mostly because of the 20th century dislike that has developed.

[mactbone]

I think they get a bad rap because they folded so easy in the later wars. The only thing cool (well I guess it's not that cool) is the whole Foreign Legion idea. But then we have Jean Claude Van Dam movies all the time...

[Jason]

I think he's actually Belgian. But yes, there's been what Foucet called "the shortfall of military grandeur since 1815"

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Jason
I think he's actually Belgian. But yes, there's been what Foucet called "the shortfall of military grandeur since 1815"

And before...remember Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy?

And a certain Seven Years War...

https://www.militaryheritage.com/7yrswar.htm

But the 18th Century surely is as much about the triumph of French culture as the defeat of French arms...French as the language of diplomacy, French architecture, French fashions, French novels and belles lettres, the philosophes, the artists (Boucher, Watteau, Fragonard), French scientists, and of course a certain event to do with 'Liberte, Egalite and Fraternite', and the beginning of the emancipation of slaves.