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A VERY NAPOLEONIC AUTUMN
Not perhaps, very surprisingly, France is going to get one of its most Napoleonic Autumns for many years. Très "Napoléon", as they would put it.
Five Napoleonic books by the publisher Tallendier and, of course, two in the "Bibliothèque Napoléon" series organised by the Fondation Napoléon and Nouveau Monde éditions (an excellent Schulmeister and a collected edition of the treaties of the Consulate period).
For those who like to 'goggle at the box', there's the new "Napoleon" on France 2, starring Christian Clavier as Napoleon and Gérard Depardieu as Fouché. It starts on 30 September and includes four 90-minute episodes. And since Napoleon is the flavour of the month (and pretty much of the last two centuries), the French channel M6 is preparing a special discussion programme, and Canal+ is bringing out a DVD of the David Grubin documentary (which won one of the Fondation Napoléon's Grand Prix in 2001). And that's only the tip of the iceberg.
For moviegoers, coming soon is Antoine de Caunes's Monsieur N. (in cinemas spring 2003), not to mention the general release of The Emperor's New Clothes, by the director of the 'Full Monty', with Ian Holm as Napoleon.
A grand spectacle by Robert Hossein entitled 'Bonaparte' is to open in Paris at Palais des Sports on 1 October.
And the printed press is also joining in the fun, with numerous 'specials' to go with the France extravaganza (notably a special Figaro Magazine).
As for concerts, the Fondation Napoléon and the Paris Musée de l'Armée are organising two events: on 10 December, the principal band of the French army is to give a concert at the church Val de Grâce (Music of the Empire Period) and on 12 December, the Symphony Orchestra of the Garde républicaine will perform a concert entitled 'Beethoven and Bonaparte' at a gala evening held at Unesco. Make a note ni your diaries: recipiants of the letter will get priority on invitations.
And we will bring you your regular weekly "Napoleon".
I wish you an excellent, Napoleonic, Autumn.
Thierry Lentz
BOOK OF THE MONTH
Henry Addington, Prime Minister, 1801-1804: Peace, War and Parliamentary politics, by John Fedorak is a scholarly attempt to rehabilitate Addington and his 'weak and ineffectual' prime ministership of 1801-1804.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO
3 September, 1802 (16 Fructidor, An X), death of General Richepance in Guadeloupe: the island was in revolt because of the re-establishment of slavery. On the same days, the Consuls passed a bill forcing white slave owners to stay on their plantations, under penalty of having their estate confiscated. No exceptions were to be made, unless the slave owner left a "european" manager "who would be able to run the plantation in an suitable fashion" (art. III)
4 septembre 1802 (17 Fructidor, An X), Abrial was replaced as Minister of Justice by Regnier, who took on the title "Grand-Juge". Both were appointed senators on 28 Fructidor, An XI.
André-Joseph, Comte Abrial (born in 1750, lawyer in 1771), played a role in the administration of the Ministère des Affaires étrangères up until the fall the minister, the Duc d'Aiguillon. Abandoning his legal career because of bad stammer, he took over the direction of a trading post in Senegal, but was forced to return to France for health reasons. Working in the Cour de cassation during the Directoire, he rallied to Bonaparte, who appointed him Ministre de la Justice on 25 December, 1799, because of his upright qualities and probity. Largely Ancien Régime in his sympathies, he opposed the First Consul and his organisation of society, notably in terms of marriage and the state attitude towards death etc.
Claude-Ambroise Regnier, born in 1746, began a career as a lawyer in Nancy. Supporting the Coup d'etat of 18 Brumaire, he was appointed to the Conseil d'état in the first wave, 25 December, 1799, and he replaced Abrial as Ministre de la Justice, 4 September, 1802, remaining at the head of the Ministère de la Justice until 20 November, 1813.
At the Mairie of the Xth arrondissement, rue de Verneuil, on 10 September, 1802 (23 Fructidor, An X), Talleyrand married Madame Catherine-Noël Worlée, his mistress 1797, a divorcee from an englishman, George Grand, adventurer, probably spy and well-known courtier. Catherine-Noël was born in 1762 in Tranquebar, in India, daughter of a officer from Pondichéry. She arrived in Paris after her divorce for adultery, where she was looked after by the banker Waldec de Lessart, a close acquaintance of Talleyrand's at the end of the Ancien Régime. A woman of great beauty, she was painted by Madame Vigée-Lebrun in 1783. However she was infamous amongst her contemporaries for her lack wit and intelligence. People mockingly repeated her gauche remark concerning her origins "je suis d'Inde" (I'm from India/I'm a turkey)! She died on 10 December, 1835, after an eventful life, much of which spent physically apart from Talleyrand.
Wishing you an excellent, Napoleonic, week!
Peter Hicks
Historian and Web editor
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THIS WEEK:
Snippets
- Bodies of Napoleonic soldiers found in Vilnius, Lithuania
- Napoleon's exhumation - again
Press review
- History Today, Johnson, David, 'Amiens 1802: The Phoney Peace'
- Military History Magazine, Brooks, Richard, 'The Italian Campaign of 1859'
What's on
- Festival: The Day of Borodino - A military historical festival
- Exhibition: Nelson & Emma, Personal Pots and Lasting Mementos
- Exhibition: Seat of Empire
- Conference: Historical Convention and Napoleonic Commemoration
New web sites
Nelson's navy
(click on Websites and then Militaria)
The monthly titles
- Book of the Month: Henry Addington, Prime Minister, 1801-1804: Peace, War and Parliamentary politics, by John Fedorak
- This month's picture, The beach at Trouville by Eugène Boudin
- Article of the Month, Napoleon and Saint Helena, 1815-1816, by Roger Morriss
- In the Collectors Corner, the First Consul's glaive, by Nicolas Boutet
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