The French Expedition to the Morea

In three different historical phases between the late 18th and the mid 19th centuries, French foreign policy in the Orient and the Mediterranean sought, on a systematic basis, to combine military, political and economic penetration of the region while projecting France's educational prestige and spreading its scientific and cultural influence. The original idea was Napoleon's. During the French revolutionary wars he attached, in 1798-1801, a Commission of Sciences and Arts to the military force that was sent to liberate Egypt. Under the leadership of Monge and Bertholet, the Commission published between 1809 and 1830 a series of works containing remarkable supporting documentation and illustrative material under the general title Description de l'Egypte. In addition, the expedition sought to promote the technical and scientific knowledge of the West in the Orient, and foster the technical and administrative supremacy of France. Thirty years later, in 1828-1832, at the end of the reign of Charles X and in the context of the Greek War of Independence, the military expedition to the Morea was launched. This time the French military force was accompanied by the so-called Expedition Scientifique de Moree (illust. 1.3). The scientific and illustrative work of the Expedition was published between 1831 and 1838. Part of this work is presented in the present volume.