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THIS MONTH'S BOOK
The Russian Officer Corps of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815, by Alexander Mikaberidze
Based on research in Russian and EU archives, this splendid biographical dictionary gives more than 800 biographical sketches of Russian officers, from the Bagrations downwards. In addition there is an introductory essay giving an overview of the organisation and training of the Russian officer corps. The essential handbook for all those interested in the subject.
150 YEARS AGO
25 October, 1854, saw one of the key battles of the Crimean War around the British base at Balaklava. During the course of this encounter took place the renowned but pointless 'Charge of the Light Brigade'led by Lord Cardigan: of his 673 lancers, 113 were to fall under the hail of Russian cannon balls - 247 were wounded. Ten years later, Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his famous homage to the charge the light brigade.
See our Battle of Balaclava web dossier
200 YEARS AGO
On 7 Brumaire, An XIII (29 October, 1804), Pope Pius VII agreed to come to Paris to officiate at the coronation of Napoleon. This was an act of reconciliation and an attempt by the holy father to re-negotiate the content of the Actes organiques in the Concordat of 1801.
On 13 Brumaire, An XIII (4 November, 1804), Napoleon made a brief visit to the Château de Rambouillet. This house had become one of the official imperial residences as a result of the sénatus-consulte of 18 April, 1804, which attributed to Napoleon Louis XVI's civil list and placed at his disposal what had been crown residences.
On 13 Brumaire, An XIII (4 November, 1804), Napoleon explained to Roederer that he wanted Josephine to take part in his coronation, despite (or perhaps because) of the disagreements amongst Bonaparte family members: "My wife is a good woman who does them no harm. she is happy enough to be an empress, to have diamonds, beautiful dresses and the misfortunes of her time of life. I never loved her blindly. I am making her an empress, because it is just that I should do so. I am above all a just man. If it had been my lot to be thrown into prison rather than to sit on the throne, she would have shared my misfortunes. It is only right that she should share in my grandeur."
Works of Comte P.-L. Roederer. Published by his son, Baron A.M. Roederer, Paris: Firmin Didot Frères, 1854, Tome 3, p. 515.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
Snippets
- Ravenhall Books: A New Napoleonic Press
Just published
- Betsy and the Emperor, by Staton Rabin
- William Pitt the Younger: a biography, by William Hague
- The Second Empire and its downfall: the Correspondence of the Emperor Napoleon III and His Cousin Prince Napoleon, ed. Hauterive
- Napoleon on Elba: Diary of an Eyewitness to Exile, by Sir Neil Campbell
- Metternich: an Autobiography, 1773-1815
- The Letters of Napoléon to Josephine
What's on
- Dance: Josephine Bonaparte: Martinique to Malmaison, St Louis, Missouri, USA
- Re-enactment: The Battle of the Three Emperors 2004 - Battle of Austerlitz, Czech Republic
- Exhibition: The Treasures of the Fondation Napoléon, Paris, France
- Conference: International Conference: Visions of Napoleon's European politique, Paris, France
- Study Day: Napoleon and Rome, Rome, Italy
- Exhibition: Images of the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon
- Exhibition: Giovanni Spadolini's passion for Napoleon: a tale of history, politics and culture, Elba, Italy
The monthly titles
- This month's book: The Russian Officer Corps of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 1792-1815, by Alexander Mikaberidze
- This month's painting: Portrait of Madame Fouler, Comtesse de Relingue, by Louis Leopold Boilly
- This month's article: Beethoven, Byron, and Bonaparte - part 1, by John Clubbe
- In the Collectors Corner, Letter from Napoleon to Champagny, Minister for Foreign Affairs, 7 Sept., 1807
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