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READING ROOM => THIS MONTH'S ARTICLE
'Napoleon's Courtesans, Citoyennes, and Cantinières', by Susan P. Conner
The eighteenth century was an age of women. "The women reigned then; the revolution dethroned them," wrote painter Elizabeth Vigée-Lebrun. Susan P. Conner, Professor of History at Florida Southern College, gives us the details. Courtesy of the Napoleonic Society of America.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
26 Floréal, An XI (16 May, 1803), the de facto breaking of the Peace of Amiens, with Britain deciding an embargo on all French and Dutch commercial ships.
On the same day, the Premier Prix for medicine and surgery (founded during the Consulate) was awarded Laennec, who was to be the inventor of the stethoscope in 1816.
30 Floréal, An XI (20 May, 1803), war officially declared between France and Britain, French government spokesmen made an announcement to both assemblies.
On the following day, 1 Prairial, the Moniteur published the text, of which here are some excerpts:
"The English ambassador has been recalled; as a result of this, the ambassador of the Republic has left that country in which words of peace can no longer be heard.
[…]
Nothing could stop this rush of projects designed to re-ignite discord between the two nations. The Treaty of Amiens was negociated amidst the clamour of a party dead set against peace. No sooner completed than it was the object of bitter censure: it was painted as bad for England because it was not shameful for France. […]
In the end, an unexpected message suddenly made England fear imaginary armaments in France and the Batavian Republic and serious discussions were invented between the two countries, whereas no such discussion was known to the French government.
Immediately, fearsome armaments were prepared on the coasts and in the ports of Great Britain; the sea was covered with warships; and amidst all these preparations, the Cabinet in London demanded that France abrogate an article fundamental to the Treaty of Amiens.
They wanted new guarantees. […] In vain, France invoked her word given in good faith […] in vain she proposed recourse to the mediation of powers that had been called to guarantee the stipulation, the abrogation of which was being demanded. […]
It is not in the principles of the government to bow to threats. […] Negociations are suspended and we are ready to fight if we are attacked.
Almost immediately, 1 Prairial (21 May, 1803), the Préfet Maritime de Brest, Caffarelli, sent a telegraph dispatch to the Ministre de la Marine, to tell him that "two English frigates [had] seized two French vessels in the Baie d'Audierne; one was fetching wood for construction work in Quimper, the other was loaded with salt for Fécamp".
Le Moniteur, 2 Prairial, An XI
2 Prairial, An XI (22 May, 1803), British subjects present on French soil were arrested.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
What's on
- Exhibition: Napoleon Bonaparte: Emperor and Man, Hong Kong
- Festival: Australian Napoleonic Congress, New South Wales
- Exhibition: Louisiana Purchases
- Re-enactment: Ligny 2003
Web sites
Three historical databases on the web
Go to the Napoleonic Directory, then 'Web sites', and select 'Databases'.
- Great Britain Historical Databases Online
- The Learning Curve - Britain - 1750 - 1900
- EH.Net - Economic History Services
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: Napoleon's Jailer: Lt. Gen. Sir Hudson Lowe. A life, by Desmond Gregory
- This month's picture, The Downpour (L'Averse), by Louis Léopold Boilly
- Article of the Month, 'Napoleon's Courtesans, Citoyennes, and Cantinières', by Susan P. Conner
- In the Collectors Corner, Josephine's wedding basket
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