French rule and lost local support

The French commander theoretically had about 3,500 soldiers, two ships of the line, a frigate, and 650 guns at Corfu, with five batteries on Vido. The coalition brought more than 6,000 troops and a much larger fleet. Numbers alone did not decide the defence. Supporters who expected liberty and democracy instead saw a guillotine, coercive rule, and an order that Orthodox priests wear the French cockade. Policies that offended clergy, local elites, and island communities undermined the cooperation a besieged garrison needed. Financial strain and rumours that mainland claims might be handed to Ali Pasha further damaged French legitimacy. Because the occupiers distrusted and disarmed the locals, they could not draw on the civilian help that had supported Venetian defenders in earlier sieges. The garrison was isolated inside works designed for a larger force and a cooperative island.