Though the purpose of The Napoleonic Wars is to illustrate the significance of events outside Europe, Europe nevertheless plays a large part in Mikaberidze’s story. While not all readers may agree with Mikaberidze’s claim that the Napoleonic Wars had a greater long-term impact outside Europe than in it, he nevertheless makes a compelling case for viewing these wars as events of truly global significance. The wars and the politics around them led to sweeping transformations in warfare and politics throughout nineteenth-century Europe, and the most iconic battles, such as Austerlitz, Trafalgar, Borodino, and Waterloo, all occurred either in Europe or close to it.īut Alexander Mikaberidze’s The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History challenges readers to view these wars and their impact in a much broader geographical context. The Napoleonic Wars are remembered primarily as European affairs, and for good reasons.
