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EDITORIAL
The "mysteries" of St. Helena?
At the Fondation Napoléon, we are often asked for our opinion on the poisoning and substitution (Napoleon's body swapped with that of Cipriani) theories, otherwise known as the so-called "mysteries" of St. Helena. We have always responded to these often highly controversial questions in the same way: the publication of detailed and considered articles, sources, documents and commentaries, which of course does not preclude strongly-held convictions. Recent developments concerning the two theories and the continuing suspicion, sown in the minds of the public by the media, that there is something "wrong" regarding the death and burial of the Emperor in Les Invalides, have driven the Director of the Fondation Napoléon, Thierry Lentz, and the St. Helena specialist, Jacques Macé, to take a closer look. Their investigations have resulted in the work featured in the letter this week.
Aware of this project since the beginning, I have encouraged it and, having read the book, I think I can safely say that it answers those questions that we are frequently asked. In particular, it will contribute to distancing all serious and well-intentioned people from the idea, as appalling as it is revolting, of opening the tomb of the Emperor in order to analyse the body contained within.
This, in my opinion, is the sort of historical contribution that will serve to clarify the two theories. Once come to the end of the last page, I believe that many of the readers will come to the conclusion that the "mysteries" of St. Helena are in fact no more.
V.-A. Massena
President of the Fondation Napoléon
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BOOK OF THE MONTH
La Mort de Napoléon: Mythes, Légendes et Mystères by Thierry Lentz and Jacques Macé
As mentioned in the President's editorial this week, our new book of the month is La Mort de Napoléon: Mythes, Légendes et Mystères by Thierry Lentz and Jacques Macé. Rumours about Napoleon's death as well as his inhumation in Les Invalides continue to linger; this work sets out to set the record straight and put an end, once and for all, to both the poisoning and substitution theories. You can also find a recent interview with Thierry Lentz regarding his reasons behind writing such a book in our interview section
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NAPOLEON.ORG
Close-up on Andreas Hofer and the insurrection in the Tyrol
With the bicentennial of the outbreak of the insurrection of the Tyrol upon us, we have put together a close-up on Andreas Hofer and the events that took place between 1809 and 1810. In it you will find an article, a timeline, a selection of images and a detailed bibliography (including website links) that will serve to illustrate a fascinating, yet for many, little-known episode in the history of the First Empire.
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NAPOLEON.ORG
Bon appetit!
Just in time for Easter, we have recently added a recipe for boiled leg of lamb à la béchamel, an authentic First Empire dish, to our Bon appetit! section. As well as period information and the original guidelines, we have also added recommendations should you wish to try it out in your own home...
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NAPOLEON IN THE MEDIA
Great Lives: Napoleon
BBC Radio 4's biography series this week discusses the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. The programme includes an interview with the Fondation Napoléon's International Relations Manager, Peter Hicks, and is available online from the BBC website. For British readers, the programme will also be re-broadcast tonight (Friday 10 April) on Radio 4 at 11pm.
"Trafalgar's Forgotten Hero"
For our British readers, the History Channel (UK) is broadcasting a programme on Admiral Lord Collingwood and his role in the Battle of Trafalgar.
New film based on "Betsy and the Emperor"?
News has been released that Al Pacino may be starring in a big-screen adaption of Staton Rabin's "Betsy and the Emperor", the semi-fictionalised account of Betsy Balcombe's experiences on the island of St. Helena.
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200 YEARS AGO
Insurrection in the Tyrol
With the blessing of the Tyrolean flags on 10 April, 1809, the insurgency in the Tyrol, led by Andreas Hofer, officially began. By 12 April, 3,000 Bavarian troops had been killed, injured or taken prisoner. The entire region was in rebellion, and by 16 April, Austrian troops were installed in Innsbruck and region had been declared 'liberated'.
Click here for our new close-up on Andreas Hofer and the insurrection in the Tyrol.
150 YEARS AGO
Death of Alexis de Tocqueville
On 16 April, 1859, the French thinker, politician and writer (whose works include De la démocratie en Amérique and l'Ancien Régime et la Révolution), Alexis de Tocqueville, passed away. He was born into an old aristocratic family from Normandy (his ancestors fought in the Battle of Hastings in 1066) and was the great-grandson of Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, who defended Louis XVI before the Convention. De Tocqueville was well-known for his works on the French Revolution and America and is remembered as a defender of democracy. He also defended the abolition of slavery in the colonies in 1839. For his opposition to Napoleon III's coup d'Etat on 2 December, 1851, he was incarcerated at Vincennes. He was later freed and retired from public and political life to the Château de Tocqueville. He dedicated the rest of his life to his writings.
Wishing you an excellent "Napoleonic" week,
Peter Hicks and Hamish Davey Wright
Historians and web-editors
THE NAPOLEON.ORG BULLETIN, N° 493, 10 - 16 April 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.
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THE BIBLIOTHEQUE FONDATION NAPOLEON LIBRARY
Spring opening times:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: 1pm-6pm
Thursday: 10am-3pm
(Closed Friday)
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
Press review
- Great Lives: Napoleon Bonaparte
- Napoleon's black silk stockings: Bata Shoe Museum
- Exhibition review: "The Satirical Eye: comedy and critique from Hogarth to Daumier"
- The History Channel (USA): "The Weather At War: General Winter Takes Command"
- The History Channel (UK): "Trafalgar's Forgotten Hero"
- Al Pacino to star as Napoleon Bonaparte?
- BBC article: Could 19th-Century plan stop piracy?
Seen on the web (all links are external)
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
- "Breaking Boundaries: the 1790s in Germany, France and Britain. Revolution, Liberation and Excess", London (UK), 22-24 April, 2009
- "Civilians and War in Europe, c. 1640-1815", Liverpool (UK), 18-20 June, 2009
- Australian Napoleonic Congress, Goulburn (Australia), 31 October - 1 November, 2009
Commemorations
- Annual May Ceremony in the British Cemetery
- 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
- "The Plains of Mars: European War Prints, 1500—1825, from the Collection of the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation", Houston, USA [08/02/2009 - 10/05/2009]
Full details
- "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
- "Waldmüller (1793-1865)", Paris, France [26/02/2009 - 18/05/2009]
Full details
- "William Blake (1757-1827): the visionary genius of English Romanticism", Paris, France [02/04/2009 - 28/06/2009]
Full details
- "Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828)", Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [29/04/2009 - 05/07/2009]
Full details
- "Ingres and the Moderns", Quebec City, Canada [05/02/2009 - 31/05/2009]
Full details
- "Napoleon, genius and despot", Saarlouis, Germany [25/01/2009 - 10/05/2009]
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<<
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