Napoleon’s Legendary Spy
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Napoleonic spy docu is an interesting history lesson.
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Napoleon’s Legendary Spy
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What's the Story?
NAPOLEON'S LEGENDARY SPY (a.k.a. Napoleon's Master Spy), tells the story of Karl Ludwig Schulmeister, an Austrian double agent who provided intelligence to France during Napoleon Bonaparte's reign. Schulmeister was a successful smuggler who eventually spied for the Austrian Empire. But when he was recruited by General Savary, an aide-de-camp to Napoleon I, to spy for France, he eventually provided the information that led to the French capture of Louis-Antoine-Henri de Bourbon, and the victory at Austerlitz. Over the years he served as a General in Napoleon's army, and eventually became director of the French Secret Service. But when Napoleon's rule ended, so did his military career.
Is It Any Good?
This interesting biography tells the story of the Karl Ludwig Schulmeister, one of Napoleon's most notable spies. It discusses how the confident and charismatic Schulmeister, who was known as the "free thinker from Baden," went from being a local smuggler and informant for Austria to a soldier of fortune in the French army. While it highlights Schulmeister's talents, it also points to the fact that his success was also a result of the post-revolutionary changes taking place in France at the time, which included the fall of the Jacobins, and the rise of the parvenu, an elite noble class of social climbers who were given the ability to rise in station and power under Napoleonic rule. Regardless of whether you believe Schulmeister was a hero or a traitor, Napoleon's Legendary Spy offers a compelling narrative about the man's extraordinary career.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way media depicts spies and espionage work. Is the real job as exciting and dangerous as what we see in James Bond movies?
Based on Napoleon's Legendary Spy's characterization of Karl Ludwig Schulmeister, do you think he was a war hero? An opportunist? Or a traitor? Why?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 1, 2017
- Network: Max
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: History
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: May 31, 2023
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