When Experts Dug Up A Russian Dance Floor, They Untangled A Massive Napoleonic Mystery
Archeologists are carefully removing soil in an unlikely location. They’re digging below the surface of an outdoor dance floor in the city of Smolensk, which lies about 250 miles to the west of Russia’s capital, Moscow. And what they’re about to uncover will solve a 200-year-old mystery associated with Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s ill-fated invasion of Russia.
One Of Napoleon's Top Commanders
It was the summer of 2019 when a team of French and Russian archeologists were excavating a park in Smolensk. And what they found would help solve an enduring mystery about General Charles Etienne Gudin, one of Napoleon’s most favored senior military leaders, and one of the most successful in battle.
Model General
Now, Gudin was one of many generals who served Napoleon in his seemingly endless campaigns across Europe. But he was an extraordinary leader, and one particularly respected by Napoleon. To succeed in his conquests, the Emperor had great need of men like Gudin who were brave, loyal and dependable.
A Name Remembered By History
And it wasn’t just the Emperor who had a high regard for Gudin – so it seems did the French people. For instance, Gudin’s memory is honored by a Parisian street name – Rue Gudin, just off the Avenue Versailles. What’s more, his name was inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe, the towering victory arch at the end of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
All In A Name
We’ll come back to those archeologists in Smolensk and their startling discovery shortly. But first let’s get to know the man at the center of our story, Charles-Étienne César Gudin de La Sablonnière. And that extravagant name immediately tells us that he was born into France’s aristocracy.
