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EDITORIAL
A book not to be missed!
Napoleonic book publishing in France is currently somewhat in the doldrums. Perhaps some publishing houses who thought they had found the right approach have become disillusioned, and as is often the case have started to take cover. But this may in effect be a good thing, since often fewer books means better books, some with new material or others old material seen from a different angle. And so it is this spring. I would like to draw your attention to a jewel of book which has just come into French bookshops. I am talking about Pierre Branda's book, Le prix de la gloire. Napoléon et l'argent, published by Fayard.
We are giving it an exceptionally detailed presentation on the site for three reasons:
The first is that Branda uses money as the compass to take "a different reading on the Napoleonic epic". This new approach, taken by a specialist in this field, changes the viewing angle and in certain respects gives a completely new vision not only of financial matters in general but also that of the Consulate and Empire.
The second reasons is that Pierre Branda has managed to make a difficult discourse easy to read and intelligible; and without falling back on lists of numbers (it's true there are some, but it's far from excessive). To paraphrase John Paul II, you could say: "Have no fear". You will learn a great deal (about Napoleon's personal finances, his fiscal action, how he financed the wars, his opinion on loans) without headaches or frequent need for a dictionary of public finance.
The third reason is that the study of the finance and budgetary practices of yesteryear helps us understand those of today.
In short, it's book not to be missed.
Enjoy your read!
Thierry Lentz
Director of the Fondation Napoléon
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THIS MONTH'S BOOK
Pierre Branda, Le prix de la gloire. Napoléon et l'argent, Fayard
Napoleon is often thought to have been a simple man who took no particular interest in money. And yet money was his constant companion throughout the Consulate and Empire. To ignore Napoleon and his relationship with finance is to forget that the French Revolution, to which Napoleon owed everything, was the direct result of financial crisis which the Ancien Régime could not control …
© Fayard
For an interview with Pierre Branda, click here.
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THE MASS FOR THE 5th OF MAY, 2007
As every year, a solemn mass will be celebrated on Saturday 5 May, at 11am, in Saint-Louis des Invalides in Paris in memory of Napoleon I (d. 5 May, 1821) and the soldiers of the Grande Armée.
The emperor's tomb © HDC
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200 YEARS AGO
Josephine graced with her presence the 9th ‘exercice' (concert) given by the Imperial Music Conservatoire on 26 April, 1807: “She was accompanied by His Excellency the Interior Minister [Champagny] and Councillor of State, Monsieur Fourcroy, Director General of Public Education. […] Her Majesty was pleased to show her satisfaction to Monsieur Sarrette, director of the Conservatoire, regarding the brilliant playing during the concert, clearly the result of his efforts and assiduity and to the teaching of the distinguished professors presiding over the establishment. As a sign of particular appreciation, Her Majesty graciously promised to Monsieur Sarrette that she would take on in her service Monsieur Habeneck the elder, pupil, who given a remarkable performance of a violin concerto which was singled out by the public and by his comrades for special appreciation.”
(Moniteur, 28 April, 1807)
Architecture
April 1807, the newspapers noted developments at the Louvre, notably on the gateway facing the Pont des Arts: “The public has been delighted by the presence of great spread eagle crowned with two genii loci […]. They were also however enchanted to see the same motifs lower down, but rendered more massively”. (Journal de Paris, 29 April, 1807) The Gazette de France (dated 30 April, 1807) remarked that “this portico has a wealth of decoration and gives an intimation of the magnificent effect the majestic building will have when completed”.
150 YEARS AGO
On 1 May, 1857, the Moniteur Universel announced the death of “HRH the Duchess of Gloucester, aunt of the HM the Queen of England”. Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester, was born in 1776 and died aged 81 on 30 April, 1857, in Gloucester House, Piccadilly, Victoria's favourite aunt. She was the fourth and last surviving daughter of Georges III and Queen Charlotte. She married her cousin, the Duke of Gloucester on 22 July, 1816; the duke was to die without issue in 1834. The court was to have official mourning for four days starting on 1 May.
30 April, 1857, the Russian Grand Duke Constantin arrived on an official visit to Paris: “The railway station Gare de Lyon was brilliantly decorated with the colours of France and Russia. One of the waiting rooms had been made into a reception room. […]. H.I.H. the Prince Napoleon, accompanied by his ADCs, received the Grand Duke at the station.” Napoleon III was waiting for the Grand Duke at the Tuileries Palace.
1 May, 1857, funeral of Général de division Aupick (1789-1857).
General Aupick, Charles Baudelaire's stepfather (Aupick had married Baudelaire's mother on 8 November, 1828), and was elected senator on 8 March, 1853.
His body was placed in a simple tomb in the Montparnasse cemetery and no eulogy was pronounced after the funeral service, in accordance with the instructions of the deceased. (Moniteur Universel, 1 May, 1857)
On 2 May, 1857, the writer and poet Alfred de Musset died aged 46. With his works Confessions d'un enfant du siècle (1836), des caprices de Marianne (1833) and Lorenzaccio (1834), de Musset was successful at a young age. His love life was particularly involved, and his relationship with George Sand (1833-1835) was to affect his physical and mental health definitively. He was however to received one final accolade in that he was elected to the Académie française in 1852.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, Week.
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, No 413, 27 April - 3 May, 2007
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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
Just published:
- La última campaña del Emperador. Napoleón y la independencia de América (The emperor's last campaign. Napoleon and the independence of America), by Emilio Ocampo
WHAT'S ON
Re-enactments:
- Re-enactment and festivities in Cherasco, Cherasco, Italy
- Re-enactment of the Battle of Rivoli, 1797-2007, Rivoli, Italy
Fairs:
- The 14th International Napoleonic Fair, Cressing Temple, UK
Conferences:
- Napoleon at the Zenith: a bi-centennial seminar, Liverpool, UK
Exhibitions:
- People, portraits, places and the abolition of the Slave trade, National Portrait gallery, London, UK
- "König Lustik!": Jérôme Bonaparte und der Modellstaat Königreich Westphalen ("The merry monarch": Jerome Bonaparte and the model state, the Kingdom of Westphalia), Museum Fridericianum, Kassel, Germany
- Napoleon's Description de L'Egypte, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Napoleon, Trikolore und Kaiseradler über Rhein und Weser, Wesel and Minden, Germany
- "The trace of the eagle", the Invalides dome, Paris, France
Got a problem with the letter? Try the home page: http://www.napoleon.org
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