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THIS MONTH'S BOOK [The Magazine]
The Oxford History of the French Revolution, by William Doyle
Where did Napoleon come from? This comprehensive and scholarly history of the French Revolution, including analyses of the the impact of events both in France and in the rest of Europe, sets the scene for the rise of Bonaparte.
THE 'RELEASE' OF THE MURAT ARCHIVES AT THE FRENCH ARCHIVES NATIONALES
On 18 March, 2003 a short ceremony took place at the Archives Nationales marking the 'dation' (in effect the 'declassification') of the Murat papers at the archives. Although deposited at the Archives in 1939, these 61.6 shelf metres of papers of primary importance were only consultable permission from the Murat family. With this change of status, access permission is no longer required and researchers can dive into the collection at will. The shelfmark is 31 AP.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
30 Ventôse, An XI (21 March, 1803), the opening of the trial of the grocer Trumeau, who was accused of having poisoned his daughter, in cahoots with his mistress. The affair was the talk of the town and Parisians flocked to the court.
On the previous night, before a similarly large crowd, judgement had been passed concerning the robbery of the the Banque territoriale (500,000 Francs stolen on 20 Prairial previous): five people, including a member of the Bank staff (a certain Viguier), out of the fourteen accused, were sentenced to 14 years in irons and forced to pay 360,000 francs back to the administration.
Report of the Prefecture of Police, 30 Ventôse, An XI
"In accordance with a Prefectoral order, on 1 Germinal, An XI [22 march, 1803] Protestants in Paris were to take possession of the church of Sainte-Marie, Rue Sainte-Antoine, which had been granted to them by the government and in which they were to worship on the following Sunday. However, the outgoing Catholic priest of this parish, who was still officiating, made a representation to the Consistory stating that given that it was Easter and that he feared to interrupt divine service in such a solemn season, he would rather keep the church until after Quasimodo Sunday [that is, Low Sunday, or the Sunday after Easter, so called from the first words (in Latin) of the introit for that sunday, taken from 1 Peter, II, 2 'Quasimodo geniti infantes' (Like as newborn babes...)]. The Consistory debated the question and in conformity with the request agreed that the church should not be occupied before the date indicated."
Journal des Débats, 2 Germinal, An XI
2 Germinal, An XI (23 March, 1803), the poisoning grocer of Saint-Michel, Trumeau, was found guilty an condemned to death. His mistress however was acquitted.
3 Germinal, An XI (24 March, 1803), the ratification, by the Diet of Ratisbon, of the secularisation of the German ecclesiastical principalities completely changed the map of Germany.
112 small states and forty-five free towns (out of fifty-one) disappeared; 18 universities were secularised, as were all convents. With Wurtemberg, Bade and Hesse-Cassel becoming Electorates, the majority of the Diet fell into the hands of Protestants. Austria was to have difficulty in preserving her rights of imperial succession for much longer.
4 Germinal, An XI (25 March, 1803), the Paris Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de commerce) was elected by sixty merchants convened by the Préfet de la Seine.
6 Germinal, An XI (27 March, 1803), at the Tuileries Palace, Bonaparte created four new French Cardinals, in the presence of the the Legate a latere, Doria. The new cardinals were Fesch, the First Consul's uncle and Archbishop of Lyons, de Belloy, Archbishop of Paris, Boisgelin, of Tours, and Cambacérès, brother of the Second Consul and Archbishop of Rouen: they had been appointed by Pope Pius VII on 8 July, 1802, and then presented to the French Consistory on 17 January, 1803.
The fifth French cardinal, Lattier de Bayane had been made made 'Cardinal in petto' on 23 January, 1801, and then 'confirmed' in this by Bonaparte on 9 August, 1802, as Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Angelo in Peschiera.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
Snippets
- Christian Clavier's 'Napoleon' out on DVD in English
Press Review
Two articles on French history in the latest number of the Times Literary Supplement
Just published
- Nelson: love and fame, by Edgar Vincent
Websites
- Museo Glauco-Lombardi, Parma, Italy
- Royal Naval Museum, UK
- Musée Wellington/Wellington Museum
- Waterloo on the Net
Go to the Napoleonic Directory, and search 'Websites', 'Museums'
- Web Index for the Proceedings of the Consortium on Revolutionary Europe
Go to the Napoleonic Directory, and search 'Websites', 'Databases'
What's on
- Exhibition: Jefferson's America, Napoleon's France, New Orleans, US
- Talk: The Annual John Warsop Memorial Lecture, Rediscovering Nelson, by Colin White
- Conference: The British Army 'The dark side of the force' - starts tomorrow!
- Exhibition: Contemporary Paintings relating to Napoleonic Battles by David Fertig - ends tomorrow!
- Exhibition: Napoleon and Alexander I in Hildesheim (Germany)
- Exhibition: The first Italian Republic, 1802-1805
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: The Oxford History of the French Revolution, by William Doyle
- This month's picture, The Battle of Jena, 14 October 1806, by Horace Vernet
- Article of the Month, Napoleon's Administrative Army – His Prefects, by Robert D. Williams
- In the Collectors Corner, The Prince Impérial and his dog Néro, by Carpeaux
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