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THIS WEEK'S LETTER
2009 is starting to look rather busy: following announcements in the last few weeks of the upcoming commemorations and bicentennial celebrations that will be taking place over Europe this year, the town of Lectoure, in southern France and the birthplace of Maréchal Lannes, is also getting in on the act. Read below for some preliminary details on what they have in store. Elsewhere, the letter this week has a distinctly south-Asian feel: our painting of the month this time around is the exotic and sumptuous Reception of the Ambassadors from Siam at the Château de Fontainebleau by Gérôme, and in 150 years ago, French forces under Admiral Rigault de Genouilly seize Saigon, an important city in what was then Cochinchina. For those interested in Napoleonic expressions and phrases will also find two new additions to our period glossary, and our 200 years ago sees Napoleon combating Austrian influence in the Confederation of the Rhine.
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PAINTING OF THE MONTH
Reception of the Ambassadors from Siam at the Château de Fontainebleau by Jean-Léon Gérôme
"This painting was an official commission by the Ministère d'Etat in commemoration of the reception of the ambassadors of the king of Siam, Rama IV, by Napoleon III and the Empress Eugénie in the great Salle de Bal in the Château de Fontainebleau, 27 June, 1861. The event not only marked the re-establishment of diplomatic relations (broken off since the 17th century) but also the signature of the treaty between France and Siam, 15 August, 1856, which ensured peace between the two countries, religious freedom for missionaries, and commercial dealings."
Click here for the full text.
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PERIOD GLOSSARY
New additions
We are always looking to add to our period glossary, our section dedicated to the interesting, and often unusual, Napoleonic origins of expressions and words that are still around today. This week, we have two new additions:
"A Walcheren Expedition"
A well-devised scheme, ruined by the stupidity of the agent chosen to carry it out...
"Johnny Crapaud"
A Frenchman, so called by the English sailors in the long Napoleon contest...
(Source, Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 1898)
Click here for the period glossary and the full entries.
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COMMEMORATION
Bicentennial of the death of Maréchal Lannes
This year, from April through to September, the town of Lectoure, in the south of France, will be organising a number of exhibitions and events as part of the bicentenary of the death of one of its famous sons, Maréchal Lannes. As well as exhibitions taking place in Lectoure, Auch and elsewhere in the region, there will also be a commemorative stamp released, an historical book fair, film showings, a concert and other events, details of which will be released shortly.
Click here for more information.
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200 YEARS AGO
The insidious influence of Austria
On 15 February, 1809, Napoleon had a round robin (lettre circulaire) sent to all the princes of the Confederation of the Rhine. This group of southern and western German territories was of key importance in the context of the coming conflict with Austria. Any French army in Austria would have these lands between them and France. It was crucial that they remained allies and that any subversive behaviour was nipped in the bud. This letter makes clear to the Princes of these territories that the engagements they made to France when they joined the Rhine confederation were to remain legally binding. And with French troops on Austrian soil, nothing was to be left to chance.
Click here (and then scroll down) to read Napoleon's plans, and click here for our close-up on the Confederation of the Rhine.
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150 YEARS AGO
Saigon falls
On 17 February 1859, Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City, Viet-Nam) fell to French forces under the command of Admiral Rigault de Genouilly. It was just one step in the rather long and arduous campaign which would nevertheless secure France's presence for nearly one hundred years in the Cochinchina area. For more details of French intervention in Cochinchina, see Bulletin N° 475.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week,
Peter Hicks and Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 485, 13 - 19 February 2009
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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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THE BIBLIOTHEQUE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
Winter opening times:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 1pm-6pm
Thursday: 10am-3pm
(Closed Friday)
The library will be closed exceptionally on 10 March 2009.
THE MAGAZINE
Book of the month
Heinrich Euler, Napoleon III. in seiner Zeit
Fondation Napoléon History Prizes 2008
- Francis and Madeleine Ambrière, Talma, ou l'histoire du théâtre
- Alain Decaux, Coup d'état à l'Elysée
- Edgardo Donati, La Toscana nell'impero napoleonico
Fondation Napoléon news
- Fondation Napoléon Research Grants 2008
WHAT'S ON
Conferences
- Napoleon and Europe, 1800-1815, Oxford (UK), 7-9 March, 2009
- Seventh annual conference of the Society of Dix-Neuviémistes, Bristol (UK), 27-29 March, 2009
Commemorations
- Bicentennial commemoration of the death of Maréchal Lannes
- French presence in South Africa
Re-enactments
- Second Empire costume ball, Florence (Italy), 14-15 February, 2009
- Bivouac and the Battle of Oostmalle, Oostmalle (Belgium), 5-6 September, 2009
Exhibitions
- "Romania on the road to modernity: 150 years since the unification of the principalities under Prince Cuza", Bucharest, Romania [22/01/2009 - 24/05/2009]
Full details
- "Coinage at War. Catalonia in Napoleonic Europe", Barcelona, Spain [04/06/08 - 03/05/09]
Full details
- "The Crinoline Empire (1852-1870)", Paris, France [29/11/2008 - 26/04/2009]
Full details
- "The Eagle and the quill: the 'retour des manuscrits'", Paris, France [03/12/2008 - 01/03/2009]
Full details
- "Ben Weider Collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts", Montreal, Canada [Permanent]
Full details
- "Bonaparte and Egypt", Paris, France [14/10/2008 - 29/03/2009]
Full details
- "From Pompei to Malmaison", Rueil-Malmaison, France [22/10/2008 - 02/03/2009]
This exhibition has been extended until 2 March 2009.
Full details<<
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