A close-up on: Andreas Hofer and the insurrection in the Tyrol, 1809-1810

The insurrection of 1809 in the Tyrol is a fascinating episode in the history of Napoleon and the French Empire. A microcosm of what was taking place across Europe during the period, distilled into a very distinct geographical area at a very particular time, the topics up for discussion are varied and widespread, ideological and pragmatic. For a rebellion that lasted less than a year, it is remarkably rich in detail: European reaction to the French Revolution, reaction to the Englightenment, the development of the Romantic Movement, ideas of liberty and independence, religion… And more pragmatically: economy, taxes, conscription, guerrilla warfare, European reaction to French domination, geopolitics and international relations. For those who enjoy a story of underdogs, there are the Tyrolean irregulars, simple paysans, farmers and innkeepers, defying the full might of Napoleon, professional soldiers under the command of highly decorated generals such as Maréchal Lefebvre and Eugène de Beauharnais, the viceroy of Italy. And, as is popular at the moment, particularly in Anglophone historiographical approach (see  Soldiers, Citizens and Civilians: Experiences and Perceptions of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1790-1820), the insurrection also brings up the idea of “total war” and the life of civilians during the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. And this is before we even come to the abiding image of Andreas Hofer, the role that he played and the exploitation of his image afterwards.