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This week' bulletin...
is a veritable smorgasbord. Our ‘Book of the Month' is a recent publication, in Italian, on the short-lived but exceedingly important Roman Republic of 1848-1849, which caused a political storm in Europe and thousands of deaths in, and the bombardment of, the eternal city by French troops under the direction of Oudinot (in Italy) and the Prince President, Louis-Napoleon (in France). The highlighted article in Napoleonica La Revue this week concentrates on early British biographical writings on Napoleon I. Then we rocket back to the Second Empire period to bring you details of a fascinating arctic side-show to the Crimean War. Lurching back to the First Empire, there's a poll in Britain to find the 'greatest general' there. That's a game we can particularly enjoy playing in our own Napoleonic periods... Then, in the same vein, Mark Gerges is giving a talk at Kansas City Public library on Napoleon I. We finish as usual with 200 and 150 years ago. This week there a French diplomatic re-shuffle in Russia and Napoleon I's mortal remains finally come to rest beneath the dome of Saint Louis des Invalides.
Enjoy your read on Napoleon.org.
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BOOK OF THE MONTH
Un laboratorio politico per l'Italia: La Repubblica romana del 1849, edited by Lauro Rossi
This rich volume is a collection of essays, documents and images recounting the places, the events, the protagonists, and the remembrance of the political foundations stones laid in 1849 in the construction of modern Italy.
This brief historical episode left a rich patrimony, and it is one which is worth rediscovering so as to savouring today the values without which it was not possible, at the time, to build the nation, and without which it would seem today difficult to live together in a civic society worthy of the name.
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NAPOLEONICA. LA REVUE
Issue n° 9 out now
Our latest highlight from issue n° 9 of Napoleonica. La Revue is Peter Hicks' "Late 18th-century and very early 19th-century British writings on Napoleon: myth and history". Even as early as 1797, British authors were penning the life of Napoleon. And whilst not all of the texts were scurrilous attempts to blacken his name, they are all interesting as contemporary visions of the life of the emperor (where few exist in France). This article sets out to show how contemporary English-language publications with their sometimes carefully dosed and sometimes random mixtures of fact and fiction, set the agenda for the telling of the history (and the legend) of Napoleon. This article, like everything else on Napoleonica. La Revue, is freely consultable and downloadable via Cairn.info.
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WHAT'S ON
National Maritime Greenwich seminars: "Fighting on the periphery: the Crimean War in the Arctic, 1854–55", by Professor Andrew Lambert, London, UK
During the Crimean War Anglo-French naval and amphibious forces attacked Russia in the Baltic, the Pacific, the Black Sea, and the White Sea. The last, the most peripheral campaign of a war fought on Russia's maritime margins, achieved significant strategic effect at minimal cost. British and French operations left the Russians in no doubt that their White Sea provinces were vulnerable. The threat to Archangel ensured no Russian military resources could be diverted to other theatres. The White Sea may have been a peripheral action in a peripheral war, but the 1854 campaign proved vital and valuable, reflecting considerable skill in processing intelligence, seamanship, logistics, and operations. The talk takes place at the Institute of Historical Research, London, on 5 April, at 5.15pm.
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"Britain's Greatest General", London, UK
Eight weeks of voting on the National Army Museum website have whittled twenty British generals down to five finalists. On 9 April, five celebrity speakers will be championing each of the remaining five historical figures as the National Army Museum's "Britain's Greatest General" online exhibition reaches a climax. Each individual will receive forty minutes to explain why they consider their chosen figure to be "the greatest", which will then be followed by questions from the audience. Broadcaster and writer Peter Snow will be presenting the case for the Duke of Wellington.
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Mark Gerges: "Napoleon Bonaparte", Kansas City, USA
Mark Gerges, of the Military History Department at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, will be delivering a talk on the influence and accomplishments of Napoleon Bonaparte. More than any other leader, Napoleon is seen by many as the paradigm great commander. Gerges examines the "real" Napoleon, who often belies the English-speaking world's stereotype, and surveys his military campaigns to explain what made him a great commander and why he remains relevant today. The talk will take place at Kansas City Public Library (Central Branch) at 6pm on 16 April.
200 YEARS AGO
Lauriston sets off for Russia
Although Napoleon had decided on General Lauriston as the new ambassador to the Russian court as early as the end of February, 1811, preparations were still in full swing at the beginning of April as the French emperor sought to ready the general and uncover exactly what Alexander I was planning for the coming months. Caulaincourt, who was still in St Petersburg, had been clamouring for a return to Paris for a number of months (indeed, his acceptance of the initial appointment had been reluctant, to say the least), but the main reason behind his recall appears to have been his failure to keep Napoleon informed of Alexander's military movements. Despite the gathering clouds of war, he continued to demand his recall, noting to Champagny, Minister of Foreign Relations, that "here, they are too concerned with conserving the peace [...] for any change in personnel [i.e. a change in ambassador] to have a damaging effect on the current system or our relationship."
Hoping to obtain better intelligence from Caulaincourt's replacement, Napoleon instructed Champagny to dispatch Lauriston for St Petersburg no later than 7 April. In a letter a few days later - on 5 April - he insisted on the fact that Lauriston speak frankly with no-one but "Romanzof" (Nikolay Petrovich Rumyantsev, Russian foreign minister) and Alexander (whilst prefacing his remarks with "such is the view in Paris") and betray nothing of the frayed relationship to other dignitaries and officials at the Russian court. Describing the ultimatum that Lauriston was to subtly pass on - but never explicitly issue - to the tsar, Napoleon promised war on Russia if Alexander sought "anything other than the southern bank of the Danube or [...] makes peace with Britain".
Lauriston finally took over from Caulaincourt on 11 May, 1811; the latter's wish had been granted, and he left the tsar's side on 15 May, returning to Paris on 5 June.
150 YEARS AGO
Napoleon Bonaparte laid to rest
On 2 April, 1861, the mortal remains of Napoleon Bonaparte - back in France since December 1840 - were laid to rest in the newly excavated tomb below the dome of Les Invalides. The 3 April edition of the Moniteur Universel reported on the ceremony, which saw the imperial family turn out to honour the first French emperor. The procession, which included the hat that Napoleon wore at Eylau and his sword from Austerlitz, was attended by the emperor, empress and prince imperial as well as "the princes of the imperial family, ministers, marshals and officers of the crown. The nation was nevertheless there in heart, nobly represented by these veterans of every war from the Pyramids to Solferino.
The article continued: "The most illustrious of these elite soldiers, General Ornano, governor of Les Invalides, received - surrounded by his old comrades - the glorious reward for his long and brilliant service. The emperor presented him with a Maréchal de France baton, a great honour which was made doubly so for the doyen of all the empire's generals as it was accepted from the hands of his emperor at the tomb of his first leader, the glorious founder of the Napoleonic dynasty."
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks & Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 578, 1 – 7 April, 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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OPERATION ST HELENA
The Fondation Napoléon and the Souvenir Napoléonien, in association with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have announced an international fund-raising campaign to restore and save Napoleon I's residence on the island of St Helena. All the details regarding the campaign as well as donation forms and advice for donating from outside France, can be found on napoleon.org.
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...
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.
Talks
- National Maritime Greenwich seminars: "Fighting on the periphery: the Crimean War in the Arctic, 1854–55", London, UK [05/04/2011]
Full details
- Britain's Greatest General, London, UK [09/04/2011]
Full details
- Mark Gerges: "Napoleon Bonaparte", Kansas City, USA [16/04/2011]
Full details
NAPOLEON.ORG
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NAPOLEONICA.LA REVUE
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