Toy figures of soldiers from the Napoleonic Wars, first half of the 19th century

Napoleon’s legacy left traces on many generations. Boys received toys that prepared them for the military. At the same time, war games trained them to emulate their family’s political stance, which was either progressive (French) or conservative (Austrian). This set includes figures of French, Russian, Bavarian, Belgian and Prussian soldiers.

Napoleon waged wars against the old monarchies and its rulers. In Central Europe, new states were created, which were dependent upon France and received constitutions as happened in the French Revolution. One of these new states, Bavaria, included regions that belong to present-day Austria. In 1808, those regions received a consitution that guaranteed fundamental rights.