| |
| |
EDITORIAL
Napoleon meets Marlborough - though not at Waterloo…
The "Treasures of the Fondation Napoléon" are back in France. A large part of our collection is to be on view, from 15 March, at the Château de Malbrouck in an exhibition entitled "Splendeurs de l'Empire" ("Imperial Splendour"). The mediaeval château was built in Manderen, on the border between French, Luxembourg and Germany, and it has been magnificently restored by the Conseil général of the Moselle region so as to become a remarkable museum space. The renowned exhibition «Dragoons» opened here and this has subsequently been round the world. The château takes its name from the Duke of Marlborough, who set up his headquarters there during the Wars of the Spanish Succession.
And indeed there are connections between the Marlborough family and Napoleon. Not only do we know from eyewitness accounts that Napoleon whistled the French folk tune "Malbrouck s'en va-t-en guerre" (Marlborough's off to war) before starting out for Russia, Marlborough for his part was (like the Emperor of the French) also to lose at that famous site on the road between Charleroi and Brussels.
Marborough met his Waterloo on 17 August, 1705, against the troops of Jacques Pastur. Louis XIV had ordered Jacques, a native of Waterloo, to watch and defend the Charleroi-Brussels road. The battle on that day in August was divided into two parts: initially Marlborough drove Pastur into the forest, but Pastur launched a counter-attack in the evening, inflicting heavy casualties.
Whilst it is true that this Waterloo has almost totally disappeared from history (and has been replaced, alas, by that which took place 110 years later), and whilst Marlborough's illustrious descendant, Winston Churchill, wrote in his biography of the general that this Battle of Waterloo had "never taken place", Pastur was celebrated in France as a hero. Louis XIV received him at Versailles and gave him a golden chain and the Croix de Chevalier of the order of St-Lazare and Mont Carmel. Pastur was to be appointed Maréchal de camp several years later.
And so, having made this historical point, we invite you to the Château de Malbrouck where hundreds of objects and works of art, loaned by the Fondation Napoléon, many major French museums and a number of private collectors, will be on display. On a beautiful day, the riverbanks of the Moselle are particularly pleasant, with charming surroundings, delicious local specialties and a rather nice white wine produced in the region. It really is a delightful way to combine Napoleonic culture and the Moselle experience.
Thierry Lentz
Director, Fondation Napoléon
|
|
|
| |
FONDATION NAPOLEON EXHIBITIONS
Splendeurs de l'Empire
Malbrouck château, built in the 15th century at the crossroads between three countries, is getting ready to welcome the "Imperial Splendour". The exhibition has been put together by the Conseil général of Moselle and the Fondation Napoléon, with the participation of eighteen museums and cultural institutions and several private collections. Nearly three-hundred works of arts, historical objects, documents, manuscripts and other original items first of all tell the story of Napoleon through the major events of his extraordinary life. However, the pieces on display also form part of a more general treatment of society of the period.
Napoleon, Feldherr, Kaiser und Genie
The core of Schallaburg castle, situated in Lower Austria just 5km from Melk, dates from the mediaeval period, but its distinctive architecture dates in particular from 1572. Heavily influenced by the Italian Renaissance, its interior court houses a splendid gallery, and its archways are decorated with an ornate terracotta mosaic, a unique architectural characteristic of the castle. Schallaburg is today well-known for its cultural, historical and archaeological exhibitions. Napoleon, Feldherr, Kaiser und Genie, organised by the Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, will display nearly 400 items and objects which retrace the life of the Emperor, from his childhood to his death. His greatest triumphs and the most important events of his life are discussed, as well as a particular focus on his relationship with Austria. The Fondation Napoléon has loaned almost one hundred items from its collection for the exhibition. Other institutions involved include KHM and the Hermitage Museum as well as other large public and private collections.
|
|
|
| |
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Soldiers, Citizens and Civilians: Experiences and Perceptions of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1790-1820, edited by Alan Forrest, Karen Hagemann and Jane Rendall
"The Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars have been described as the first 'total war', which affected millions of people's lives and brought a whole continent into contact with armies and bloodshed. But the extent to which the constant state of war that existed between 1792 and 1815 shaped everyday experience has been much less studied, even although these wars, conducted by mass armies and often mobilized by patriotism, led to the circulation of millions of people throughout Europe and beyond. The changing nature of warfare had far-reaching consequences for civil society as well as for those directly engaged in fighting. This volume of essays by international scholars examines the formative experiences of men and women – soldiers, citizens and civilians – in the years 1792-1815, drawing particularly on their personal documents and social and cultural practices, to offer a perspective on the wars which is at some distance from broader and more familiar historical narratives."
|
|
|
| |
EXHIBITION
Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet, aux origines de la légende napoléonienne, Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris
Despite the frequent occurrence of Napoleonic exhibitions worldwide, very few of these look to discuss the Napoleonic legend and its development from the Romantic period (the 1820s) until the fall of the Second Empire (1870). In that fifty-year period, painters and illustrators embraced the historical and political image of Bonaparte/Napoleon, thus creating what is known as the 'myth' of the Napoleonic epic. A great many well-known artists were commissioned to produce such works, including Horace Vernet. However, others also greatly contributed to this movement, including the illustrator Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet (1792-1845), whose drawings, engravings, paintings and illustrations make up this intriguing exhibition taking place at the Bibliothèque Paul Marmottan.
|
|
|
| |
NAPOLEON AROUND THE WORLD
Australia
Australia does not immediately spring to mind when one thinks of Napoleon. It's the other side of the world, took months to get to from Europe and was a British colony. Yet, upon closer inspection, there is more to it than meets the eye. William Balcombe, who was posted to St. Helena when Napoleon arrived and with whom he developed a close relationship, took the post of colonial treasurer in New South Wales in 1824 until his death in 1829. The Briars, his home during that time, is now open to the public and includes an original 1840s homestead and a collection of Napoleonic memorabilia, established by Dame Mabel Brookes, Balcombe's granddaughter. Another intriguing link is the François Péron National Park, near Shark Bay in Western Australia, which takes its name from the French zoologist (pictured here, left) who fought during the Revolutionary Wars before becoming an explorer and embarking on an expedition to Australian waters. He played an important role in developing the understanding of Australia's natural history as well as oceanography and anthropology. His map, including landmarks such as "la Terre Napoléon", "le Golfe Joséph Bonaparte" and "l'île Decrés", is on display in the national park in Botany Bay. And our Antipodean Napoleonic enthusiasts have no need to feel left out either, for in October and November of this year, the Australian Napoleonic Congress will take place, with guest speakers, wargaming and other events to be announced.
|
|
|
| |
200 YEARS AGO
Austria and the Tyrol
With war between Austria and France approaching, Napoleon wrote to Eugène, viceroy in Italy, instructing him to dispatch troops for Augsburg and to secure the position between Tarvisio and Osoppo (a mountainous region at the border between Austria and Italy) against any Austrian advance. "Mon Fils, have the régiment de marche* of cuirassiers, which is in Brescia, depart for Augsburg, where each detachment will rejoin its corps; have it cross the Tyrol as quickly as possible, making good time and without delays." [Letter from Napoleon to Eugène Napoleon dated 11 March, 1809]
By the beginning of April, Austrian troops were amassing at the Austro-Italian border: Archiduke John's HQ was based in Graz, the 8th corps was between Tarvisio and Vallach, and the 9th was between Ljubjana and the Isonzo river. John sought to bring the north Italian states over to the Austrian camp, promising them freedom from the French yoke, as well as open a second theatre of war, away from the concentration of troops in Germany.
The Tyrol, a region in central Europe, had traditionally been part of the Holy Roman Empire and thus under the influence of Austria. After 1805 and Napoleon's defeat of Austria, the Treaty of Pressburg ceded the Tyrol to the Kingdom of Bavaria. Economic pressures began to tell on the region and after it was fully integrated into Bavaria, and thus part of the Confederation of the Rhine, conscription demands began to be placed on the ex-Tyrol districts. 1809 eventually saw the recruitment instructions delivered to the area: local reluctance to obligatory military service as well as rumours that they might be called on to participate in a new war with Austria meant that many young Tyrolians deserted into the mountains. In February and March, very few of the men summoned for service actually turned up. Many fled to Austria. Faced with this local opposition, conscription was abandoned. With this small but important victory, open insurrection in the Tyrol would not be long in coming.
For more on experience of life as part of the 'Grand Empire', including conscription, occupation, troop movements and insurrection, see our new book of the month, Soldiers, Citizens and Civilians: Experiences and Perceptions of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1790-1820, edited by Alan Forrest, Karen Hagemann and Jane Rendall. Equally, for our French-speaking readers, we recommend the new book of the month for the French side: 1809, les Français à Vienne. Chronique d'une occupation, by Robert Ouvrard.
Keep an eye also on napoleon.org in the next month or so for our close up on the Tyrol and Andreas Hofer, the leader of the insurrection.
* the régiment de marche was a temporary regiment formed purely for the march which would then be broken up on arrival and dispatched to the various other regiments.
150 YEARS AGO
The Prince Napoléon resigns
On 8 March, 1859, the Moniteur printed the Prince Napoléon's resignation as Minister for Algeria and the Colonies. The ministry was short-lived; indeed it had only been in place since June 1858 (see Bulletin n°s 462 and 477). Plon-Plon's tenure as minister (and indeed his character) had been heavily criticised, particularly by 'chatterer-in-chief', Comte Horace Viel Castel, but his attempts to modernise and streamline the ministerial process can be appreciated, even though this was not the case at the time. Displaying a clear understanding of the time-consuming and inefficient nature of French bureaucracy within the Ministry, Plon-Plon introduced certain preventative measures. François Berthet-Leleux records the Prince's reflections upon his ministry in Le vrai Prince Napoléon [1929]: "Bureaucracy [...] is a permanent frustration, letters and documents lie around the offices, only to be passed around never to be dealt with effectively. When I was at [the Ministry], I did away with all needless letters. I convened the service heads once a week, and anything that could be decided straight away was done so verbally. [...] I forbade all correspondence between the directors. I presided over everything, and in this way I knew of every matter and so could follow them all and resolve the problems." Unsurprisingly, this sort of hands-on approach and innovation caused much discontent and animosity amongst those working within the Ministry, and the noise discontent eventually made its way to the Emperor. The Prince's request for more extensive powers regarding Algeria was rejected by the government and his project of reforms was abandoned. The Prince was to be replaced by the Comte de Chasseloup-Laubat, and in 1860 the colony was once again to be run by a Governor-General.
Wishing you a very "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 488, 6 - 12 March 2009
Interested in the work of the Fondation Napoléon? Why not participate, either generally or in a specific project, by making a donation?
© 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 (English)
Soldiers, Citizens and Civilians: Experiences and Perceptions of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1790-1820
Book of the month (French)
1809, les Français à Vienne. Chronique d'une occupation
Seen on the web
- Interactive Elysée Palace panoramics
Press review
- Website review: '19th Century British Library Newspapers'
- Stuart Semmel, "Radicals, Loyalists and the Royal Jubilee of 1809", in Journal of British Studies, July 2007
- Empire: Total War demo released
- Gavin Daly, "Napoleon and the 'city of smugglers', 1810-1814", in The Historical Journal, 2007
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
- Les ateliers de la Fondation Napoléon: "Experience" of music in France during the Napoleonic period, Boulogne-Billancourt (France), 24 March, 2009
- Seventh annual conference of the Society of Dix-Neuviémistes, Bristol (UK), 27-29 March, 2009
- Napoléon, Montreal (Canada), 20 March - 3 April, 2009
- Australian Napoleonic Congress, Goulburn (Australia), 31 October - 1 November, 2009
Talks
- "Fetes du printemps: Sur les traces des batailles napoléoniennes", Paris (France), 18 March, 2009
Commemorations
- Bicentennial commemoration of the death of Maréchal Lannes
- French presence in South Africa
Re-enactments
- Znaim 1809 bicentenary re-enactment, Znojmo and Dobšice (Czech Republic), 11-12 July, 2009
- Bivouac and the Battle of Oostmalle, Oostmalle (Belgium), 5-6 September, 2009
Exhibitions
- "Imperial Splendour", Manderen, France [15/03/2009 - 31/08/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon, Commander, Emperor and Genius", Schallaburg, Germany [16/05/2009 - 01/11/2009]
Full details
- "Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet and the origins of the Napoleonic legend", Boulogne-Billancourt, France [05/03/2009 - 27/06/2009]
Full details
- Imperial painter: Pietro Benvenuti at the court of Napoleon and the Lorenas, Florence, Italy [10/03/2009 - 21/06/2009]
Full details
- "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
- "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
<<
|
|
