The End of the Road: Conclusions

During the last six years of Napoleonic administration, Parma–Piacenza, annexed to the empire in 1808 under the name Department of Taro, had at its helm Baron Dupont-Delporte (1810–1814), who gained a reputation for managerial acumen. In essence, the prefect learned enough from the successes and failures of previous administrations to maintain social stability and continue the policy of offering attractive career prospects to educated elites. The immediate rallying of the same elites to Maria Luigia’s restoration government after 1814 shows how shallow upper-class collaboration was. Nevertheless, the Napoleonic period left a deep permanent legacy, shaped by the choices local citizens made throughout the 12 years of French domination.