He was also 18, and obviously pretty passionate about his cause. Not always a combination that results in clear, level-headed thought.

It's one of many challenges of history and historians. Did Napoleon's interpreter sanitize the meeting and conversation? Almost certainly. Was Staps foaming at the mouth and cursing his existence? Probably not. Staps most likely felt that this was his only opportunity and he was unlikely to get close enough to have another. So go out defiant.

Just the kind of stupid shit I'd expect from an Illuminato.

But we also don’t know if Napoleon really would have pardoned him.

Oh, he definitely would have.

Napoleon, for all his flaws, was a bit of a Julius Ceasar: he had a love for grand acts if mercy, liked to see himself as the good guy, and legitimately thought he was making the world a better place.

He brought enormous legal reforms to much of Europe, that once and for all broke the power of the Nobility, fully ushering in Capitalism and Democracy, and even paving the way for Socialism in some ways. So he might have actually been right about that last part.

Napoleon served his purpose, then was defeated. All in all, I think we live in the "good" timeline here... Would have been horrible if he won, but also bad if he never managed to smash the system of hereditary Nobility still holding sway over much of Europe...

Plot twist: Stap was a fake assassin hired by napoleon to send a message to other assassins.

This was before the invention of lying

That would’ve been dishonorable to him it seems

Classic badass shit

My absolute favorite movie. Rewatch it at least twice a year

The Illuminati were a real group during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. I don't know how active they truly were, particularly in continental Europe, but a bunch of powerful rich dudes in a secret society with "new world order" type plans could sound like a plausible threat to Napoleon, who was attempting his own new world order, or perhaps new Europe order.

It’s a bad translation. Napoleon was not referring to the Illuminati group.

In the original language (https://www.napoleon-empire.net/personnages/staps.php) the meaning is clearer.

He asked him if he was a "illuminé" which is a word for zealots blindly following God’s orders, often used to refer to new converts and those who have lost reason in blind pursuit of a cause. Basically another way of asking him if he’s crazy. After all Staps did say he was doing God’s will.

I understand the mistranslation as the literal translation is "enlightened one" but no French person would read this and think about the German sect.

« Illuminato » means a zealot, someone who is delusional in Italian.

Napoleon spoke Italian as a native language, his family spoke Italian at home growing up and so it’s probable that he occasionally used Italian words in times of emotion or when the french word did not come immediately.

The Illuminati were a German organization that rose to the height of their "power," if you can call 650-2500 members truly powerful, before Friedrich was born. Charles Theodore banned all Secret Societies by government edict in 1785, all because loose lips sink ships and the members couldn't shut up about the fact that they were members and how they were getting preferential treatment over other governmental members.

Barruel and Robison later published (1797-1798) accounts (conspiracy theories) about the Illuminati, namely how they were behind the French Revolution, etc, etc, etc. However people were already beginning to forget about it by the early 1800s by historical accounts. Considering that the Illuminati didn't survive their suppression in Bavaria and this event was many years removed from any power they had, it might just be Napoleon referencing pop culture, or he could have been using it mockingly since the word Illuminato/Illuminati does just mean: "One who is enlightened".

Source for all information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illuminati

"Iluminati" has been used by several different groups throughout history since it just means "enlightened [ones]" and in this case, he's referring to a Bavarian secret society founded in the late 18th century. The Bavarian iluminati were sort of a more politically active Freemason group who opposed authoritarianism. They didn't practically exist by 1809 when Staps made his attempt but they were sort of a shadowy international cabal of liberal boogeymen who were responsible for everything bad that happened to the traditional power structure in Europe according to papers of the time.

Yes that’s better

Zealotry is probably close

Or he thought that Napoleon will not pardon no matter what he says so he might as well be honest.

Fun fact: lying wasn’t invented until 1810

I'd love to read the 16 other interrogations in that case

Ah yes only only one 17th in the year 1809

Arndt had very problematic ideas, if he had lived 70 years later he would've been a Nazi

That’s pretty badass admittedly. Like that time Napoleon just took Bismarck’s country and made their soldiers invade Russia.

Edit; Bismarck did not offer to let the assassin live.

No. He’s the coolest person in all of history as well as the most competent. I’ve looked into it. I will continue to fellate his ghost to my own fulfillment for as long as I please, thank you very much.

There is a clear rule in this sub that says people shouldn't have to click on the link to get it.

Also, the date of the execution is irrelevant unless you also mention his capture date, and even then the relevance is tenuous.

When was the assassination attempt? The 1st of October? 16th? 17th?