Sebastien Bonaparte (Napoleon's World)

In France
Within the French Empire, Sebastien is regarded in varying lights. Sebastien is remembered as a brutal dictator, and a vicious murderer whose purges and investigations resulted in the deaths of upwards 37 million people during his 30-year reign. Millions more were killed in the destructive French Civil War, although that is blamed as much on father Albert I and brother Edmond. Many native French respected him with fear, due to his work in strengthening the Empire's power both internally and internationally during a period of time when global powers such as America, Brazil, Colombia, Turkey, China and Japan were emerging.

Sebastien came to power at a time when many native French and citizens-petits (non-French speaking inhabitants of Empire) questioned the legitimacy of French rule. Sebastien was brutal in his repression of French and citizens-petits alike, but through his totalitarian tactics, he unified the Empire in ways unseen since Napoleon I. He is hailed for ending the practice for over a hundred years of keeping French natives in a class above citizens-petits; in Sebastienite France, everyone was equal beneath the law and Emperor. He filled government positions with intelligent officials from across the Empire; one of his most trusted advisors, Sergei Mitrov, was a native Russian whose father had fought against the Empire in the Oktoberkreig.