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THIS WEEK'S LETTER...
... is a mixed bag of Napoleonic history, fun and news, both good and bad. So let's start with the positives. Our latest book of the month is Gregor Dallas' study of the events leading up to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, which takes a look at the goings-on in London, Vienna and Paris. We also have details of the latest volume of Napoleon's memoirs, edited by Thierry Lentz, which this time sees the French emperor turn his thoughts to the Egyptian campaign. For those looking for more reading material, we also have details of the foundation's latest partnership, with First Empire magazine, plus the real reason behind Napoleon's famous pose, as suggested by the fast-food chain, McDonalds. We round things off with a reminder about Operation St Helena, plus 200 and 150 years ago. And the negatives in this week's letter? The Napoleonic world has been rocked twice in the last few days with the news that not only has the "Hougoumont Christ" - made famous by Victor Hugo's Les Misérables - been stolen from Waterloo, but that the oak known as "Napoleon's tree", in western Poland, has been vandalised as well.
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BOOK OF THE MONTH
1815: The Roads To Waterloo, by Gregor Dallas
The seventeen months from April 1814 to August 1815 were an extraordinary period in European history; a period which saw two sieges of Paris, a complete revision of Europe's political frontiers, an international Congress set up in Vienna, civil war in Italy and international war in Belgium. Gregor Dallas tells the story of these days through the perspectives of three very different European cities: the great metropolis of London, post-revolutionary Paris and baroque Vienna. Working essentially from primary sources, Dallas is as interested in the weather conditions before battle as in the way cartoonists reacted to court intrigues and fashions.
And also on napoleon.org this month: the French book of the month, L'été en enfer, Napoléon III dans la débâcle, by Nicolas Chaudun.
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RECENTLY PUBLISHED
Mémoires de Napoléon: Vol. II La Campagne d'Egypte, ed. Thierry Lentz
This second volume of Napoleon's memoirs delivers his account of the Egyptian Campaign. Despite preferring not to expand on the eventual defeat that brought the expedition to a close, this retelling of the events nevertheless remains an eye-witness account of the highest order. Afforded the very best in military technology and resources, the upmost secrecy surrounded preparations for the campaign, which set off in 1798. Yet to this day it continues to fascinate us, just as it was great cause for fascination at the time. And despite the final result, the expedition nevertheless retains a special place in the Napoleonic legend.
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NAPOLEONIC NEWS
The Hougoumont Christ has been stolen!
One of the most symbolic heritage items relating to the Battle of Waterloo has been stolen. Despite its relative size, considerable weight, and the numerous security measures in place around the farm in which it is kept, the "Hougoumont Christ" has disappeared from the chapel that has housed it for hundreds of years. Intercommunale "Bataille de Waterloo 1815" is offering a reward for any information that leads to the crucifix's recovery.
"Napoleon's tree" vandalised...
In the last month, vandals set fire to the large, 10 metres tall oak known as "Napoleon's tree". This tree, over seven centuries old and located in western Poland, is said to have served as shelter for the French emperor after crossing the Oder on his way into Russia in 1812. Firemen called to the scene were unable to save it.
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FONDATION NAPOLEON NEWS
First Empire partnership
Just a reminder that the Fondation Napoléon's latest partnership, with First Empire magazine, means that readers of the weekly bulletin and napoleon.org can get a thirty percent discount on subscriptions to the magazine. This discount can be obtained simply by quoting the code "FONDATION" at the checkout when signing up for your subscription on the First Empire website (external link).
SEEN ON THE WEB
Napoleon Bonaparte: the real reason behind his iconic pose
Napoleon and his legend still remain important cultural reference points to this day. The proof? A new advert produced for the fast-food chain McDonalds sees the classic image of the French emperor, with his right hand tucked into his jacket, turned on its head.
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OPERATION ST HELENA
Swan Ways joins the St Helena campaign
Swan Ways, the Fondation Napoléon's latest partner in the St Helena project, takes as inspiration the legend of Napoleon and blends its many motifs with the sophisticated fashion of the First Empire. With Valentine's Day fast approaching, "The Eagle", which combines the imperial bird of prey, the Frankish golden bees of King Childeric I, and other key elements from the history of Napoleon, could be the perfect gift for your loved one. Also this week, the operation was featured in the About.com European History blog, as international exposure for the fundraising campaign continues to grow.
200 YEARS AGO
The Regency period begins
On 5 February, 1811, Prince George, son of George III, became regent of Great Britain and Ireland. The regency issue had initially arisen in parliament more than twenty years prior, when the first crisis surrounding the king's mental health occurred. On 10 December, 1810, Spencer Perceval, the British prime minister, introduced a regency bill in parliament - following what is believed to be George III's fifth attack, in October 1810 - and on 6 February, the Prince Regent was sworn into the office before the Privy Council at Carleton House. The act's title, An Act to provide for the Administration of the Royal Authority, and for the Care of His Majesty's Royal Person, during the Continuance of His Majesty's Illness; and for the Resumption of the Exercise of the Royal Authority by His Majesty, emphasised its temporary nature and the country's hopes that the king would recover from his latest illness. It also placed constraints on the regent's powers, although these were lifted a year later when it became apparent that the king was unlikely to recover. The Prince of Wales's years in waiting had been marked by public unpopularity - caused in no small part by his extravagant lifestyle in sharp contrast to the pious and relatively frugal tastes of his hugely popular father - and an apparent penchant for liberal politics and ties to the Whig party. The regency period however was to see him remain loyal to his father's reign and retain the Perceval-led conservative government which was already in place. Although Prince George himself argued that any radical changes in government could have had an adverse effect on the king's health and ought thus to be avoided at all costs, some historians have seen this 'slip to the right' as an attempt to improve relations with his father, as well as part of a general evolution in the Prince's political makeup towards the more conservative attitudes that accompanied his later years. In 1812, with no sign of recovery for the king (who would nevertheless live until 1820), the prince regent was granted the full prerogative powers of the crown.
150 YEARS AGO
Napoleon III opens the new legislative session
On 4 February, 1861, Napoleon III opened the new legislative session for 1861 with a speech that outlined the previous year's events and hinted at important decisions to come for the remaining eleven months. High on the list, unsurprisingly, were, of course, the events in Italy and justification for France's non-intervention during the siege of Gaeta:
"In Italy, events, which were difficult to predict, took place to complicate an already upset situation. My Government, in agreement with its allies, believed that the best means of averting the greatest dangers was to turn to the principle of non-intervention, which leaves each country master of its own destiny, restricts the issues to the local area, and prevents them from degenerating into European conflicts. I do not deny that this system has the drawback of encouraging excesses of the most unfortunate kind [...] [but] I will not allow any [criticism] to deter me in my goal. [...] In Gaeta, I dispatched my fleet at a time when it seemed the last hope for the King of Naples. Having left it there for four months, and as worthy of our sympathies an unfortunate royal so nobly supported is, I ordered it to retreat. Every day that our ships were present was another day that we distanced ourselves from the system of neutrality that I had espoused, thus leading to erroneous interpretations [of our behaviour]. And as you know, it is so hard in politics to accept one's conduct as purely disinterested."
Just over a week later, Gaeta, bereft of any allies, fell to the besieging Piedmontese troops.
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks & Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 570, 4 - 10 February, 2011
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© This Napoleon.org weekly bulletin is published by the Fondation Napoléon. Reproduction or all or part of this bulletin is forbidden, without prior agreement of the Fondation Napoléon.
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FONDATION NAPOLEON ON THE WEB
Each week we offer you a "mystery" link to somewhere on napoleon.org. Click on the link to discover a part of the website you might not have visited before...
STATISTIC OF THE WEEK
652: the total number of donors so far to the St Helena/Longwood Appeal.
MAGAZINE
Press review
- Operation St Helena in the news
- The Hougoumont Christ has been stolen!
- The Los Angeles Times: review of The Emperor's Body, by Peter Brooks
- Deutsche Welle: review of "Orientalism in Europe: from Delacroix to Kandinsky"
SEEN ON THE WEB
- Napoleon Bonaparte: the real reason behind his iconic pose
EVENTS
On now and coming up
A selection of events taking place now or in the coming weeks, taken from our What's on listings.
Exhibitions
- "Orientalism in Europe: from Delacroix to Kandinsky", Munich, Germany [28/01/2011 - 01/05/2011]
Full details
And ending soon...
- "High Society: Mind-Altering Drugs in History and Culture", London, UK [11/11/2010 - 27/02/2011]
Full details
- "L'heure, le feu, la lumière (1800-1870)", Paris, France [21/09/2010 - 27/02/2011]
Full details
NAPOLEON.ORG
The best of the month:
- Book of the month
- Painting of the month
- Objet d'Art of the month
- Article of the month
NAPOLEONICA.LA REVUE
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