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EDITORIAL
The bad weather is just beginning to stop here in Paris and people are looking towards their holidays. I've found that the spare time that this frees up is excellent for reading all those things you haven't had time to look at during the year. And in Napoleonic terms there's plenty to catch up on. Particularly if you look at the mass of material that has been published recently in French specifically on Napoleon I. Two books of major importance (which will not have passed you by unnoticed) are Napoléon, l'esclavage et les colonies by Thierry Lentz and Pierre Branda and Napoléon Bonaparte, Correspondance générale, volume III 1800-1802. The first gives a measured view of Napoleon's approach to slavery and his attempts to make the Caribbean into a "French lake". And the second brings words by Napoleon never before published. It seems to me that all those who are interested in things Napoleonic ought to know just a little French. So, if you don't read French, why not pick up a language course? Or simply sign up for the Bulletin in French and get out your dictionary. There's so much going on, and it is a shame to miss out!
Peter Hicks
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THIS MONTH'S PAINTNIG
Praise of the actions and virtues of the sovereign has ever been mission of official art, and the state ministry acted accordingly, perfectly in tune with the rules of propaganda art, commissioning several artists to provide works celebrating Napoleon III's paternal generosity. William Bouguereau's answer was his representation (shown here) of the emperor visiting the flood victims in Tarascon.
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200 YEARS AGO
On 5 June, 1806, Talleyrand became Duc de Bénévent and Bernadotte became Duc de PonteCorvo.
On the same day, Napoleon wrote a letter to Joseph, king of Naples:
«Taking everything into consideration, I thought that the enclaves of Benevento and PonteCorvo could only be a source of troubles for your kingdom. I have made them into two duchies: Benevento for Talleyrand, and PonteCorvo for Bernadotte. I know that these territories are not wealthy, but I shall make up for this with the financial remuneration in addition to the duchies. Talleyrand is rich enough not to need it. I shall personally deal with the money for Bernadotte.» Correspondance n°10314)
On the same day, he wrote as follows to the Senate: «The duchies of Benevento and Ponte-Corvo, were a source of discord between the king of Naples and Rome; we thought it suitable to put an end to these difficulties, making these duchies into fiefs of our empire. We have taken this occasion to reward the services given to us by our Grand chambellan and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Talleyrand, and by our cousin, the Maréchal de l'Empire, Bernadotte » (Correspondance n°10318)
After creating of the kingdom of Italy, Napoleon pursued a policy of consolidating his position in Italy by giving strategic roles to different members of his family and his entourage. Hence, his sister Elisa was made princess of Piombino, his brother Joseph, king of Naples and Sicily, and his sister Pauline, duchess of Gustalla… In pursuit of this policy, Napoleon asked Joseph to give Bernadotte (Joseph's brother-in-law) the fief of Tarento, which belonged to the Kingdom of Naples. On Joseph's refusal, Napoleon took advantage of Joseph's poor relations with the Pope to take possession of the two duchies, Benevento and PonteCorvo to attach them to the empire.
Napoleon I saw the theatre as a political tool and passed legislation (a decree dated 8 June, 1806) governing the theatres in Paris. The number of establishments was limited to 12 for the whole of Paris, and these were to be set in such a way as to avoid competing with each other. Authorisation was required for new theatres to be founded. What is more, the repertoire (Opera, French theatre and Comic opera) was dictated to each theatre by the Interior ministry. Hence only the Opéra was permitted to give masked balls and ballets (Art. 1). The number of theatres was further reduced in 1807 from 12 to 8: 4 principal theatres (the Théâtre-Français, the Opéra, the Opéra-Comique and the Opéra-Bouffe), and 4 secondary theatres (Vaudeville, founded in 1792, the Variétés, founded in 1777, the Ambigu-Comique, founded in 1769, and the Gaîté, founded in 1760).
For more on Napoleon and theatre, click here
150 YEARS AGO
Given the crisis caused by flooding in France at the end of May (see Bulletin n°373), Napoleon III decided to make an exceptional visit to the stricken areas from 1 to 7 June, 1856. He began in the south of France. The Moniteur universel dated 2 June, 1856 reported that : «The emperor had gone today [1 June] to Lyons. His majesty wished to be present in person to help the victims of the floods in the south of France»
Napoleon III went first to Lyons via Dijon, and then to Valence, Avignon and finally Arles, visiting on the way many other small towns which had suffered. He then decided to head for Tarascon «This town was completely cut off from Avignon, since the railway line had been cut by the flood waters of the Rhone in several places. His Majesty travelled the five kilometres between the two towns by boat over flooded fields. The emperor was deeply moved as his boat passed down the flooded streets of the town and he distributed aid to the inhabitants who had taken refuge on the upper floors of their houses». (Moniteur Universel, 4 June, 1856). It was this scene which Napoleon decided to have immortalised by the painter William Bouguereau. Returning to Paris on 5 June, Napoleon III left again the following day for the Loire where the flood waters were still high. He visited Orléans, Blois and Tours.
During the journey, measures were taken and loans were given to victims to help them to rebuild their lives. «Paris, 2 June. By decree, this day, the Emperor orders that a sum of 300,000 francs should be set aside for the victims of the floods in Lyons.» (Moniteur Universel, 2 June, 1856). All the other places were also to be given financial aid. Vienne received 10,000 fr., Tain and Tournon 7,000, Valence 5,000, Montélimar 4,000, La Palud 4,000. 20,000 fr. were handed to the prefect of the Drôme for the flood victims in the département, and 25,000 fr. were allocated to the Isère département, etc. Furthermore, 27 million francs were allocated for the repair of constructions such as bridges, chruches and fountains damaged by the waters.
Personal loans were made to the victims and appeals were launched. The Empress Eugénie had her own appeal organised amongst the mayors in the Département de la Seine (i.e., around Paris). Prince Jérôme gave 10,000 fr., and the Conseil municipal (town council) of Paris allocated 100,000 fr.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week.
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, No 374, 2-8 June, 2006
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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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THIS WEEK in the MAGAZINE
Press review:
The Member's Bulletin of the Napoleonic Society of America, Bulletin 81, Winter/Spring 2006
Talks:
John A. Davis, Naples, Napoleon and Europe, Naples, Italy
Commemorations:
- Commemoration of the 147th anniversary of the “BATTLE OF MAGENTA”, Magenta, Italy
- Rivoli Veronese, wreath laying ceremony, Rivoli Veronese, Italy
- Plancenoit 2006: 8th Napoleonic Bivouac, Plancenoit, Belgium
- Pultusk 2006, Pultusk, Poland
- Jena 1806-2006 - Rendezvous in Thuringia The "Journées de Thuringe 2006" and the bicentenary of the Battle of Jena/Auerstädt
Exhibitions:
- Napoleon on the Nile: Soldiers, Artists, and the Rediscovery of Egypt, New York, USA
- Géricault, a world of madness, Lyons, France
- Il tempo dell'Imperatore: gli orologi restaurati delle residenze di Napoleoni all'Elba
- Treasures of the Fondation, Mexico 2006, Monterrey, Mexico
- "Battle in a sittingroom." The Austerlitz wallpaper, Museo Napoleonico, Rome, Italy
- "Beauty celebrating power": Vincenzo Monti in the Napoleonic period, Milan, Italy
- Louis Napoleon: at the court of the first King of Holland, 1806-1810, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
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