Editing Charente-Maritime (section)

==== Charente-Inférieure During the First Empire ====
[[File:Gérard - Michel Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély.jpg|left|thumb|[[Michel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély|Michel Regnaud]], imperial councilor and count.|294x294px]]
After [[Coup of 18 Brumaire|Napoleon’s coup]], Charente-Inférieure overwhelmingly supported the [[First French Empire|Empire]] in 1804, with local leaders attending the coronation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008 |title=Les charentais présents au sacre de l'empereur Napoléon Ier |trans-title=The Charentais present at the coronation of Emperor Napoleon I |url=http://www.histoirepassion.eu/?1804-Les-Charentais-presents-au-sacre-de-l-empereur-Napoleon-1er |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=histoirepassion.eu |language=fr}}</ref> [[Michel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély|Michel Regnaud]] rose as a key imperial figure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 16, 2021 |title=Regnault de Saint-Jean-d'Angély |url=https://www.appl-lachaise.net/regnaud-de-saint-jean-dangely-michel-louis-etienne-comte-1761-1819/ |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=Cimetière du Père Lachaise - APPL |language=fr}}</ref> Napoleon visited in 1804, initiating Fort Boyard’s construction, halted by British threats.<ref name=":28">{{Cite web |last=Charente-Maritime Commission des arts et monuments |date=1908 |title=Le voyage de l'empereur Napoléon Ier en Charente-Inférieure |trans-title=The journey of Emperor Napoleon I to Charente-Inférieure |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k2140615.image.f116 |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=Gallica |language=fr}}</ref> The 1809 [[Battle of the Basque Roads|Battle of Aix Island]] saw British forces under [[Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald|Thomas Cochrane]] destroy much of the French fleet.<ref name=":29">{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2001 |title=Fort Boyard : un chef-d'œuvre arrivé trop tard |trans-title=Fort Boyard: a masterpiece that arrived too late |url=http://www.charente-maritime.org/pays_rochefortais/patrimoine_littoral/littoral_fort_boyarda.htm |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=charente-maritime.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010218102820/http://www.charente-maritime.org/pays_rochefortais/patrimoine_littoral/littoral_fort_boyarda.htm |archive-date=18 February 2001 |language=fr}}</ref> Napoleon reinforced coastal defenses with forts like Énet.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Flohic|2002|p=623-624}}</ref> In 1810, [[La Rochelle]] became the prefecture. After defeats in 1814, Napoleon was exiled from [[Île-d'Aix|Île d’Aix]] to [[Saint Helena]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2006 |title=De Waterloo à l'Île d'Aix - L'embarquement de Napoléon 1er pour l'exil par J. L'Azou |trans-title=From Waterloo to the Island of Aix - Napoleon I's embarkation into exile by J. L'Azou |url=http://ameliefr.club.fr/Waterloo-Ile-d-Aix1815.html |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=ameliefr.club.fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061210163830/http://ameliefr.club.fr/Waterloo-Ile-d-Aix1815.html |archive-date=10 December 2006 |language=fr}}</ref>[[File:1852 Levasseur Map of the Department De La Charente Maritime - Geographicus - CharenteInf-levasseur-1852.jpg|thumb|Charente-Inférieure in 1852.|261x261px]]