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napoleonic-sexyman-tournament · 2 months ago

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Arthur Wellesley:

"So, I saw that you had no propaganda for the Iron Duke himself and thought that should be corrected, because I cannot let this man go unloved.

He is the ultimate sexyman. I don't really get that title or the requirements but I do know this man and he is the ultimate in Regency-era sexiness.

Field Marshal Sir Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington, whose full list of titles merits its own Wikipedia page, he had so many (including Prince of Waterloo of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), was so well known for his debonairness that he was often called "the Beau" or Beau Wellesley.

Our dear Duke with his eyes of "a brilliant light blue," is quite the underdog made good. The fourth son of an Anglo-Irish aristocratic family, he was a bit of a loner as a child, whose star was eclipsed by the academic success of his older and younger brothers. Yet he had a remarkable talent for the violin, which as we know from Mrs. Jefferson is quite a good quality for a man to have. As a young man he was considered extremely good humored and drew "much attention" from female society. The Napiers of Celbridge thought he was a "saucy stripling" and he was also considered quite mischievous. Yet he also had a rich inner life, reading and contemplating the great philosophers of the day.

Yes, we know about his military victories in the Peninsula (the position of Field Marshal of the British Army and the accompanying baton were created for him) and his success at Waterloo, but he was also both romantic and a ladies' man. (I could go on about the military success but that's not really what this is about, is it?)

Want the romantic side? He fell in love with Kitty Pakenham while a lowly aide-de-camp in Dublin but, with no real position or prospects, was laughed away by her brother when he sought to marry her. In a fit of pique he destroyed his violin and turned firmly toward progressing his career. Over a decade later, after he had made something of himself in India, he learned she hadn't married, supposedly because she was still pining for him. Reader, he married her, despite thinking she'd grown ugly, and got two children from her in less than two years. I'm not kidding, this man was virile. They married in April of 1806, their first son was born in February, 1807, and their second son was born in January 1808. Although he wasn't sexual faithful to her, Wellington wore an amulet she gave him for over twenty years, and was still wearing it when he sat with her on her deathbed. When she was surprised he still wore it, he told her if she'd just bothered to check in the last twenty years, she'd have found it. Despite surviving her by twenty years, the Duke never remarried.

Now, please don't think badly of him for the lack of sexual fidelity. It was the Georgian era. Sexual fidelity was not a part of marriage in high society. Men didn't sleep only with their wives and some wives could be quite happy with that (for one, it's much easier not to have one pregnancy after another when your husband is sleeping with someone else). Not that women weren't also sleeping around. Which brings me to one of Wellington's more… interesting conquests: Lady Caroline Lamb, wife of William Lamb (the future Second Viscount Melbourne and Prime Minister). Why do I know that name, you ask? The OG pixie manic dream girl, Caro's much more notably known for her affair with Lord Byron. After that particular bit of nonsense, she was in Brussels with the rest of the English aristocracy during the 100 Days/post Waterloo. She and the Duke supposedly slept together and she took his cloak away as a souvenir.

Who else did the Duke liaise with? Well, there were the usual flings with actresses and singers, such as La Grassini. As previously noted in another post on this tumblr, he was noted as a stronger, better lover than Napoleon by another of their mutual lovers. Wellington also was a client of Harriette Wilson. He visited her when she was in Paris after the Duke of Beaufort bought her off, though this was before Beaufort stopped paying her, prompting her to publish her memoirs. She canvassed her old lovers, including Wellington, to see if they'd pay her not to be in them. Wellington send her a note in return saying "Publish and be Damned." Something about his succinct dismissal of her is just so hot.

Oh, want a bit more of Wellington being a bad boy? In 1829, while Prime Minister, he got into a duel that still is commemorated almost two hundred years later. King's College, London, was set up while Wellington was also advocating for Catholic Emancipation and this led to Lord Winchilsea publicly insulting Wellington's honor to the point that the Duke (who'd never dueled before or supported dueling generally) called him out. They went to Battersea Fields and settled the matter with pistols. Wellington won and Winchelsea apologized. King's College celebrates "Duel Day" every March.

Even better, want to read about Elizabeth Bennet and the Duke being witty and falling in love? Complete with scenes of the Duke showing he knows what to do with his cannon? Then let me recommend the third variation of An Ever Fixed Mark, A Dalliance with the Duke. I dare you not to vote for him for all eternity with that portrayal in your head."

Emma, Lady Hamilton:

a. “Her boyfriend got bored with her and passed her onto his uncle. Reader, she married him, and started having threesomes with Lord Nelson. She basically bullied her way into social acceptance despite being a former courtesan. Also, she was hot as hell.”

#napoleonic sexyman tournament

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amateurvoltaire · 2 months ago

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Wait a minute, Napoleon praised the Vendée resistance?... Why....?

Hi! Thanks so much for your question!

Yes, Napoleon did show a certain admiration for the Vendée resistance, though this was mostly for practical reasons: he wanted them to like him. Why? Because they were a semi-metaphorical powder keg! Throughout his reign, he approached the Vendée with extreme caution, often using a carrot-and-stick method to keep the region in check. The flattery was part of the "carrot."

Unsurprisingly, this cautionary attitude existed long before he was in power. Napoleon’s initial stance towards the West (1) was one of deliberate neutrality. Essentially, he avoided it like the plague. Since 1795, when he refused his appointment to the Army of the West, he consistently steered clear of the region’s affairs despite repeatedly stating that peace there was essential.

Why so passive? My guess is that he saw it as career suicide. Nothing good ever came to generals who tangled with the West...

By the time Napoleon became First Consul in 1799, the West was still a problem—a hotbed of rebellion, in fact. The Law of Hostages (2), the deportation of refractory priests, and conscription had stirred things up enough that Charles d’Autichamp and others were raising armies. Although this uprising fizzled out by November, it was a reminder that the region was still volatile.

From a strategic viewpoint, the West also represented a vulnerable border for France, especially with the ever-looming threat of English intervention. Controlling it was necessary to prevent foreign interference, whether driven by émigrés or other factions.

Politically, the Vendée was a glaring reminder of the revolutionary regimes’ failures (3) and became an emotional anchor for both royalists and revolutionaries. The French, weary of war, had seen two failed peace efforts in the region. The first attempt, from December 1794 to June 1795, collapsed over fundamental disagreements about religion and loyalty to the Republic. By May 1795, Vendéen leaders, bolstered by the Anglo-émigré alliance and promises from the Count of Artois, reignited conflict. The second peace attempt, led by General Hoche from 1796 to 1799, initially showed promise, but the coup of 18 Fructidor sabotaged his efforts, and by the summer of 1799, things were back to square one.

In short, achieving peace in the Vendée was important but elusive. Successfully doing so would be a huge PR win for the young First Consul. And Napoleon definitely loved his wins.

His immediate dilemma was how to secure lasting peace. Six years of repression had proven useless. As such, he turned to diplomacy, carefully crafted laws, a hefty dose of charm, and a focus on economic recovery.

Napoleon’s previous neutrality paid off by earning him a decent amount of public trust in the region. And, whether he genuinely believed it or not, flattering the Vendéens by praising their military prowess and describing the conflict as "le Combat des Géants” helped. This, along with his correct understanding that religion, not royalism, was the crux of the rebellion, earned him the support of key figures like Abbé Bernier.

Economically, Napoleon took a "throw-money-at-the-problem" approach. He launched an ambitious reconstruction programme, allocating millions of francs to rebuild roads (4) and houses and even create a new city (5). Alongside this, he doled out aid to the needy, offered grants for rebuilding, prioritised education, gave tax exemptions, and moderated military conscription. He was focused on rebuilding the region and erasing as many of the markings of war as he could. His propaganda visit to the area in 1808 basically sought to ingratiate him further with the locals by showing interest in their history and the war.

But despite these gestures, Napoleon remained cautious. His reconciliatory actions were paired with close surveillance of former Vendéen leaders and potential troublemakers. For better control, he also attempted to co-opt the families of former Vendéen commanders into his army, though with mixed results. For example, Louis de La Rochejaquelein (6) dodged service by pleading poor health and a large family. At the same time, his brother Auguste wasn’t so lucky, ending up as a sub-lieutenant under threat of imprisonment. Meanwhile, Charette’s nephew Louis joined Napoleon’s honour guard, only to later be arrested on suspicion of plotting. Talmont’s son was also a sub-lieutenant. Others, like Guillaume Faugaret (7) and the Viscount of Scépeau (8), were allowed to retreat into public life, becoming mayors and avoiding overt political involvement.

In short, Napoleon was trying really hard to win these people over—for entirely pragmatic reasons. Despite his flattery and attempts at charm, the region remained difficult to control. Don’t get me wrong, he arguably did better than the regimes before him, but incidents like the Lead Affair, the rise of Le Petit Église, and various plots showed that the West was still a risky and volatile region.

Notes

(1) The conflict went beyond the department of the Vendee and encompassed most of the north-west of France.

(2) The Law of Hostages, passed by the Directory in 1799, allowed for the detention of relatives of émigrés or rebels as "hostages" to ensure their good behaviour. If any anti-revolutionary actions occurred, these hostages could be fined, imprisoned, or even deported, effectively using them as leverage to maintain order.

(3) Fun-fact: since 1793, every year , one government or another would announce the end of the war in the Vendee, only for it to start again…

(4) One of the main reasons why the various insurgencies were so successful were because the whole region was mostly forests/marshes and had very few roads, and those roads were bordered by bushes in which the insurgents would hide and wait for the republican armies.

(5) In 1804, Napoleon decreed the creation of a new city of 12,000 to 15,000 inhabitants at La Roche-sur-Yon, which was named Napoléon. This wasn’t a vanity project but was part of his strategy to establish regional administrative control⁠.

(6) Louis and Auguste de la Rochejaquelein were the brothers of the late Henri de la Rochejaquelein. Louis was married to Lescure’s widow, of Memoirs fame.

(7) Guillaume Faugaret was one of Charette’s former leuterrants

(8) He was the brother-in-law of Bonchamps

#frev #french revolution #vendee #napoleon #vendee war

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whencyclopedia · 10 days ago

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Siege of Toulon

The Siege of Toulon (29 August to 19 December 1793) was a decisive military operation during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802), conducted by a French Republican army to retake the port city of Toulon from rebels, who were supported by allied forces. The siege was a significant milestone in the career of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821).

A Republic in Danger

By the summer of 1793, the French Revolution (1789-1799) was moving in increasingly radical directions. The Kingdom of France had been abolished in favor of a French Republic, King Louis XVI of France (r. 1774-1792) had been deposed and executed, and the guillotine had become a permanent fixture on the Place de la Revolution in Paris. The fall of the Girondins on 2 June left the destiny of France solely in the hands of the extremist Jacobins, and those who did not share their radical views faced the prospect of being arrested and executed as suspected counter-revolutionaries.

This led to a rapid expansion of the list of France's enemies. Austria and Prussia, who had been at war with France since 1792, were joined the following February by Great Britain, Spain, and the Dutch Republic; these nations coalesced into an alliance later known as the First Coalition, their purpose being the destruction of France's insolent revolution. Internally, the Jacobins' radicalism had caused moderate parts of the country to rebel, as important cities like Lyon, Bordeaux, Marseille, and Toulon cast off their Jacobin administrations and renounced the authority of Paris. These federalist revolts threatened to unravel the infant French Republic from the inside even as the nations of Europe were slowly chipping away at France's frontier defenses. It was no exaggeration when the Republic's legislative body, the National Convention, announced that the patrie (fatherland) was in danger.

The Convention scraped together enough soldiers to put down the rebellions in the south and placed this force under the command of General Jean-François Carteaux, who had been a painter before the war. Carteaux advanced toward the federalist rebels of Marseille, who had seized the nearby city of Avignon. These rebels put up little opposition; Avignon fell to Carteaux on 25 July, and Marseille was recaptured a month later. The victorious Republicans flooded Marseille with Jacobin propaganda and guillotined the main perpetrators of the revolt. After pacifying Marseille, Carteaux prepared to march against Toulon, but before he left, he received dire news: the citizens of Toulon had handed over their city to the Coalition.

#History #AdmiralSamuelHood #Admiral #Bonaparte #WHE #[#]

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thiswaycomessomethingwicked · 5 months ago

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Who was better and why?

General (or Consul) Bonaparte,

Emperor Napoleon,

Or Napoleon on Saint Helena?

ahhh interesting. I suppose my main question is: What is meant by "better"? Better in what way? How is "better" qualified?

If you're asking if I have a favourite, I don't. I think there are interesting aspects to Napoleon throughout the entirety of his life, no matter what hat he was wearing or persona he was seeking to embody.

In general, I have a particular fondness for Napoleon on Saint Helena because, in many respects, he feels the most accessible in terms of his base humanity.

It's there in Emperor Napoleon, for sure, but it's so hidden and walled over. Or, another way of putting it, he goes to great lengths to try and Perform Empire and that results in an interesting divorce of man and emperor. Josephine commented on this - the split between Napoleon and Bonaparte and how she wished more people knew Bonaparte, because there is a good man under the (at times harsh) imperial mask. Ditto to all the men who knew him pre-empire days saying they loved Bonaparte, not the emperor.

Yet, we still absolutely see aspects of the human under it all. It's just gilded and calcified.

Whereas Napoleon on Saint Helena is presented as more intimate and accessible. This was done on purpose, to a certain degree, because Saint Helena was one large imperial memory making machine. Napoleon was trying to control the post-Empire, posthumous narrative as much as he could. So allowing some intimacy for the viewing audience is important. (Napoleon was a good spin-doctor, never forget this.)

However, I think there are many truths to him as a person that we see at this time that we rarely catch sight of elsewhere:

Napoleon and his interest in the movement of ants and how they do their formations so he wouldn't let the line of them crawling up his bedside table be disturbed;

Napoleon the historian and writer with his millions of projects on the history of France, commentaries of Caesar etc.;

Napoleon the Dad who palled about with the children of his entourage, alongside Betsie Balcombe and others;

Napoleon the practical joker with an impish sense of humour;

Napoleon the man used to getting who he wanted when he wanted them showing a real ugly, nasty side when it came to Madam Bertrand turning down his advances;

Napoleon the man who hyper fixated on sheep at one point (or something in that ballpark) and read everything he could get his hands on then lectured Bertrand about it for a day straight because Napoleon was vibrating with a desire to talk about sheep husbandry;

Napoleon with all his arrogance, cynicism, and self-centeredness but also his personal pride, his sense of duty, his strong work ethic, his cleverness, his intelligence, his desire to be able to be generous even if he wasn't always able to be, the man who missed his family, who mourned the dead, who refused to ever give in and let other people define him etc.

All aspects of the above are present in Napoleon throughout his life, to varying degrees (some come and go with time), we are just able to see him most on Saint Helena.

Funnily enough, General Bonaparte never existed - it was never a military title he formally held. He held other ranks, including head of the army, but he was never simple General Bonaparte during his active military career. It was the name the British bestowed on him in exile so it should be General Bonaparte/Napoleon on Saint Helena.

But I take your point - young Napoleon. Artillery officer Bonaparte then first consul. Artillery officer Bonaparte presents a fascinating time when Napoleon was figuring out who he was in terms of French and Corsican identity. We see him shifting from Buonaparte to Bonaparte - finding his voice, his feet, who he thinks he wants to be and how that changes over time. It's very much a young person in transition and figuring out who he is, putting on different identities to see if they work for him - the way all young people do.

First Consul Bonaparte is actually one I don't have strong thoughts about. But I've always been interested in Old Man Napoleon and other select aspects, and so my interests rarely took me into the First Consul period.

---

thank you for the ask! Not sure if I answered it at all but you know...have some half-awake ramblings.

#napoleon #napoleon bonaparte #performing empire #ask #reply #anon #napoleonic

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empirearchives · 11 months ago

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Is it true that Napoleon Bonaparte used to know and associate with the Robespierre brothers? Like from what I've heard, he was pretty serious about it, to the point that it hampered his career post-thermidor. (It would make the stereotypical depictions of the Terror in Napoleon 2023 pretty hillarious, honestly.)

Yeah, it’s true. According to Saliceti (a Montagnard politician from Corsica), Napoleon was “their man” (1).

The first known mention of Robespierre by Napoleon was on 23 January 1791. He wrote a piece called Lettre à Buttafuoco. Matteo Buttafuoco was a Corsican politician. In it, he writes: “O Lameth! Oh Robespierre! O Pétion! O Volney! O Mirabeau! O Barnave! O Bailly! O La Fayette! This is the man who dares to sit next to you!” (2)

Napoleon was a political ally of the Robespierre brothers. As far as I know, he never met the older Robespierre brother in person, but he did meet and know the younger brother. They were associates and even became friends. Augustin Robespierre wrote to his older brother “the citizen Bonaparte commanding the artillery is of transcendent merit.” (2)

In 1794, Napoleon accepted an “unofficial” position in the Committee of Public Safety’s war office, specifically at the historical and topographical office. While he worked there, he wrote to his brother “I am swamped with work at the Committee.” (3)

This is how Pontécoulant, who oversaw him at the topographical bureau, described Napoleon at this job:

“It was not a mere sinecure that he had accepted, he sometimes worked fifteen hours a day, . . . and the considerable number of memoranda, reports, letters, and documents of all kinds that he wrote . . . would fill several volumes. Never, even during the campaign of 1794, had the topographical office of the Committee of Public Safety . . . deployed such activity; he maintained continuous communications with the leaders of the different armies, and their staffs, astonished, learned from then on to know this nervous style, full of precision, movement and masculine energy.” (4)

It was during this time that he was asked to write a general memorandum on grand strategy. It was titled Sur la position politique et militaire de nos armées de Piémont et d'Espagne (On the political and military position of our armies of Piedmont and Spain). The person he submitted it to was Augustin Robespierre in June 1794.

Frank McLynn’s description of the memoranda:

“Basing his strategy on the writings of Guibert de Bourcet, Napoleon devised a plan that enabled the Army of Italy to advance to the watershed of the Maritime Alps, having secured control of the passes of Col d'Argentière, Tende and St-Bernard. With the enthusiastic support of Augustin Robespierre, who took Bonaparte's memorandum to Paris with him, Napoleon argued that if the French attacked in Piedmont, Austria would be forced to come to the aid of her Austrian possessions and thus weaken her position on the Rhine, allowing the French to strike a knockout blow there. Napoleon's chances of getting the plan accepted looked good, for his new commander-in-chief, General Dumerbion, deferred in all things to the political commissars; Saliceti and Augustin Robespierre, in turn, nodded through anything military that came from the pen of Napoleon.” (5)

Augustin sent Napoleon to Genoa for a diplomatic mission on 11 July 1794. So, the Robespierres were behind the beginning of Napoleon’s long diplomatic career. In fact, Napoleon was still on this mission when he learned about the death of the Robespierre brothers (28 July 1794).

Earlier that year, the younger Robespierre brother had actually proposed that Napoleon take command as head of the Paris National Guard and replace François Hanriot in Paris. Napoleon considered it, but decided to keep his post instead.

Hanriot was executed the same day as the Robespierre brothers. Who knows, perhaps the same fate would have happened to Napoleon had he accepted the offer.

Nevertheless, according to Jean Tulard “the 9th of Thermidor opens a difficult period for him”. (2) He was arrested in the south of France for his association with the Robespierre brothers. The order was signed on August 6th, and he was imprisoned for over a week (August 9th-20th).

The fact that Napoleon had been in a foreign country (Genoa) on a mission for the Robespierre brothers at the time of 9 Thermidor was used against him.

According to Patrice Gueniffey, “Napoleon spent his spare time reading the history of Marshal Maillebois’s campaigns in Italy and writing a long, self-justifying memorandum addressed to the representatives […] without saying anything against Robespierre”. (3)

The appeal which released him specified his military acumen. He was considered too crucially important to the war effort to kill or keep imprisoned.

“We are convinced of the possible utility to us of this soldier's talents, which, we cannot deny it, are becoming very necessary in an army that he knows better than anyone, and in which men of this kind are extremely difficult to find.” (3)

So he was released, with his head still attached to his body. But, the situation had definitely changed for him. The representatives were cautious about him and refused to reemploy Napoleon as commander of the artillery. Nevertheless, he continued to work on the campaigns as part of the staff of General Dumerbion, and working his way up from there.

In 1797, Napoleon evoked Robespierre in a speech in Ancona to a surprised dinner party. He defended Robespierre for his “alleged crimes” and said of him:

“Since its origin,” he tells us, “France has had only one strong government: that of Robespierre.”

The impression of horror that the memory of this man had left on everyone’s minds was so recent, so profound, that it is difficult to imagine the painful surprise this opinion excited, and with what ardor it was opposed. Far from abandoning it, General Bonaparte tenaciously supported it:

“What,” he said, “is a strong government? It is one which has a well-determined useful purpose; the firm will to achieve it; the force capable of making will triumph; finally, the intelligence necessary to properly lead this force. Let’s examine if Robespierre combined all these advantages: What was his goal? The triumph of the revolution. He felt that a counter-revolution would be more bloody, would lead to more cruel, more lasting evils than those that our revolution had demanded and would still require. So he wanted to accomplish it at all costs.” (6)

Did this association have an effect on Napoleon’s career? I would say it definitely impacted his reputation and the perception everyone had of him.

To Madame de Staël (and eventually Victor Hugo), Napoleon was “Robespierre on horseback” (2). Mallet du Pan calls Napoleon “a Corsican terrorist” (7). The royalist pamphleteers had titles like “Robespierre and Buonaparte or the two tyrannies” and “The Jacobins and Buonaparte or historical essay on the alliance of the two tyrannies which oppressed the French nation” (2). In them, Napoleon was described as a “worshiper of Marat, accomplice of Robespierre, vile complacent of Barras” (2). To Metternich, “Napoleon seemed to me the incarnation of the Revolution” (8). He tried to warn the other countries in Europe against making peace with France, because, to him, “No peace is possible with a revolutionary system, whether with a Robespierre who declares war on chateaux or a Napoleon who declares war on Powers” (9). William Pitt the Younger spoke of the “jacobinism of Robespierre, of Barrere” and called Napoleon “the child and the champion of all its atrocities and horrors” (10).

This is a royalist caricature of Napoleon created by Pierre-Marie Bassompierre Gaston. The caption says “One is always faithful to one's first love”. (Source)

Here is Napoleon’s stance on Robespierre:

“Robespierre died because he tried to stop the effects of the Revolution, and not as a tyrant. Those who wanted to bring him down were crueler than he was: Billaud-Varenne, Collot d'Herbois, etc. He had against him Danton's party, which was powerful and immense. Probably he could not have acted otherwise. I believe that Robespierre was without ambition. . . . Everything I read in the Moniteur teaches me nothing, but it confirms me in the opinion that I had, and settles me in it even more. To be sure, Robespierre was not an ordinary man. He was very superior to everything around him. His discourse on the Supreme Being proves it. Disgusted by what he was hearing, he felt the necessity of a religious system among people who did not want anything, either religion or morals. Morality had to be raised up again. He had the courage to do it and he did it... That was great politics. No doubt he shed blood; that is the other side of the coin, but he is certainly less guilty than Tallien, who slaughtered Bordeaux, or Fréron whom I saw in Marseille taking poor unfortunates by the collar to have them shot. Those men were real killers. Had he [Robespierre] not succumbed, he would have been the most extraordinary man who appeared.” (3)

Sources:

(1) Adam Zamoyski, Napoleon: A Life

(2) Jean Tulard, De Napoléon et de quelques autres sujets: Robespierre vu par Napoléon

(3) Patrice Gueniffey, Bonaparte: 1769–1802

(4) Le Doulcet de Pontécoulant, Souvenirs historiques et parlementaires

(5) Frank McLynn, Napoleon: A Biography

(6) J. P. Collot, La chute de Napoléon

(7) Albert Sorel, L'Europe et la Révolution française, V. 5

(8) Memoirs of Prince Metternich 1773-1815 Vol. 1

(9) Henry Kissinger, A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the Problems of Peace 1812–1822

(10) The speeches of the Right Honourable William Pitt, in the House of Commons, V. 3

#Napoleon #napoleon bonaparte #napoleonic era #napoleonic #first french empire #19th century #french empire #france #history #asks #my answers #answers #ask #augustin robespierre #robespierre

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empiredesimparte · 6 months ago

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POINT ROYAL Magazine | Special Edition | Coronation: portrait of H.I.M Emperor Napoleon V, the young emperor out to prove himself

Emperor Napoleon V is one of the world's youngest rulers. Among the pantheon of Napoleons, he is sometimes compared by the French people to l'Aiglon (Napoleon II). In any case, this is the affectionate nickname that the imperial family has given him since he was a child. Soon, in a grandiose ceremony, l'Aiglon will be crowned Emperor at Notre-Dame de Paris. In the run-up to the event, we invite you to rediscover His Majesty's extraordinary first 19 years through our pages packed with illustrations and memorabilia.

Who is emperor Napoleon V?

One of the first official photographs of Prince Imperial Louis, shortly after his christening.

Emperor Napoleon V was born Louis Napoleon Simparte on 22 October 2002 at the Tuileries Palace in the heart of Paris. He and his twin sister, Hortense Rose Simparte, became known as the Children of Francesim. Since the 12th century, this title has referred to the legitimate children of the French monarch. The following days, Louis and Hortense were baptised at Notre-Dame de Paris by the Archbishop of Paris.

Left: As a toddler, he attended Emperor David of Pierreland's state visit to Francesim. Right: A little later, aged just 8, Louis made his first public speech on the occasion of the Napoleonic events.

From the moment he was born, the young imperial prince was already the first in the order of succession to the throne, so he was quickly associated with the Crown's public appearances and activities.

Left: 1st official portrait of the Prince Imperial wearing the Imperial Guard uniform. Right: Francesim's children receive their first riding lessons at the Versailles stables.

From an early age, Louis showed a keen interest in a military career. He wore the uniforms of the various regiments to which he belonged. Even today, the young emperor has a vast wardrobe of uniforms, which he prefers to wear instead of civilian ceremonial dress. Not surprising for a Napoleon.

Louis and Hortense have a modern educational background, having been educated at illustrious Parisian public schools such as Sainte-Barbe. Outgoing and charming, Louis has always had the profile of a charismatic leader. Unlike his sister Hortense, who was quieter and more shy, Louis always surrounded himself with friends quickly. Little is known about this period of their lives, in accordance with the wishes of the late Emperor Napoleon IV.

Official portrait of the Children of Francesim on their 18th birthday. The photo was taken at the Château de Meudon, the official residence of the Imperial Princes of Francesim.

Last year, Louis and Hortense celebrated their 18th birthday. It was a very busy year for the Children of Francesim: Hortense took part in her first royal activities, while Louis spearheaded the maritime alliance project between the Pierreland Empire (@officalroyalsofpierreland) and the Empire of Francesim. Together with Duke Felipe, he inaugurated the Henry submarine, which combines the expertise of both armies.

The Prince Imperial and Duke Felipe on the day of the inauguration of the Francesim-Pierreland maritime alliance.

Portraits of Francesim's children taken at the Ecole Polytechnique. They are wearing the school uniform, which regularly takes part in military parades.

At the end of their respective engagements, the twins entered the Ecole Polytechnique together and became Polytechniciens. They completed their year and took part in the end-of-year gala held at the beginning of the summer at the Opéra Garnier.

The Ecole Polytechnique offered a combination of military, scientific and economic training.

While Hortense wished to continue her scientific studies at the Ecole Polytechnique, after the coronation Louis turned to the Francesim Naval School, which trained naval officers.

During his year at Polytechnique, Louis became Napoleon V at the age of 19, following the violent death of his father in an ambush in the middle of Paris.

The death of Emperor Napoleon IV is still shrouded in mystery, and an investigation is underway. It will give rise to an impressive trial, where many wonder whether Emperor Napoleon V will wish to sit as a judge - his imperial powers theoretically allow him to do so.

It was during the period of mourning that Napoleon V made his relationship with the future Empress Charlotte official. In fact, Their Imperial Majesties had known each other since the age of 3 and had grown up together. A little-known fact is that Charlotte accompanied Louis to the Ecole Polytechnique and even took part in military training! "Charlotte has always impressed me, she has a lot of presence, allure, and always the right words" confided Napoleon during the Cannes Film Festival, where the couple announced their engagement. He also admitted that he had long had feelings for his beloved (several years), but never dared to admit them until his father's death. The tragedy made him realise that he had to enjoy every moment of life.

The imperial couple shared with us some rare photos of their years before the rise of Napoleon V.

Charlotte brought much joy to the young emperor, who appreciated her advice and the "Mortemart spirit". After all, Empress Charlotte is a member of the famous and noble French family of Rochechouart-Mortemart. L'esprit Mortemart is a well-known expression that praises the family's caustic, natural and fine sense of humour. The imperial couple's entourage readily acknowledged that Charlotte had inherited this characteristic wit, which has the art of giving it to others.

The first official portrait of the married Emperor Napoleon V and Empress Charlotte. The Emperor wears the uniform of the Imperial Guard, and the Empress has reused Madame Mère's wedding dress as a tribute to her new family.

At the beginning of June, the emperor married Charlotte. It was a marriage that may have seemed rather hasty given the young age of the couple. However, Napoleon V always made it clear that he wanted to be crowned alongside Charlotte. To do so, he had to pass through the altar, as the coronation is a partly religious ceremony. Madame Mère supported her son's determination and was delighted for him. After all, "the two of them have been looking for each other since they were children, so it was bound to happen sooner or later", she assures us. Charlotte seems to have been well received by her in-laws, although there are rumours of a disagreement between the Empress and Madame Hortense.

After a well-deserved honeymoon in French Polynesia, the lovers are now devoting their full attention to preparations for the coronation. It was a year marked by many upheavals for the emperor, who courageously faced up to the trials of life. Without a doubt, the post-coronation period will be the real beginning of Napoleon V's reign, and we can't wait to see what the emperor's next initiatives will be.

⚜ Traduction française

POINT ROYAL Magazine | Edition spéciale | Couronnement : portrait de S.M l'Empereur Napoléon V, le jeune empereur qui veut faire ses preuves

L'empereur Napoléon V est l'un des dirigeants les plus jeunes au monde. Parmi le panthéon des Napoléons, il est parfois comparé par le peuple français à l'Aiglon (Napoléon II). C'est en tout cas le surnom affectueux que lui donne la famille impériale depuis sa plus tendre enfance. Bientôt, dans une cérémonie grandiose, l'Aiglon sera sacré Empereur à Notre-Dame de Paris. En vue de l'événement, nous vous proposons de redécouvrir, à travers nos pages riches d'illustrations et de souvenirs, les 19 premières années extraordinaires de Sa Majesté.

Qui est l'empereur Napoléon V ?

L'une des premières photographies officielles du prince impérial Louis, un peu après son baptême.

L'empereur Napoléon V est né Louis Napoléon Simparte, le 22 octobre 2002 au palais des Tuileries, en plein cœur de Paris. Lui et sa sœur jumelle, Hortense Rose Simparte, portent alors le titre d'Enfants de Francesim. Il désigne depuis le XIIIe siècle les enfants légitimes du monarque français. Les jours suivants, Louis et Hortense sont baptisés à Notre-Dame de Paris, par l'archevêque de Paris.

Dès sa naissance, le jeune prince impérial est d'ores et déjà premier dans l'ordre de succession au trône et il est donc associé rapidement aux apparitions publiques et activités de la Couronne. Bambin, il a assisté à la visite d'Etat de l'empereur David de Pierreland en Francesim. Un peu plus tard, à l'âge de 8 ans à peine, Louis fait son premier discours public à l'occasion des événements napoléoniens.

A gauche : 1er portrait officiel du prince impérial portant l'uniforme de la garde impériale. A droite : Les Enfants de Francesim reçoivent leurs premiers cours d'équitation à l'écurie de Versailles.

Très tôt, Louis a manifesté un grand intérêt pour une carrière militaire. Il porte d'ailleurs depuis son plus jeune âge des uniformes de divers régiments dont il fait partie. Encore aujourd'hui, le jeune empereur possède une grande garde-robe d'uniformes, qu'il préfère porter à la place des tenues civiles d'apparat. Rien d'étonnant pour un Napoléon.

Louis et Hortense ont un parcours scolaire moderne, puisqu'ils ont été formés dans des écoles privées parisiennes illustres comme Sainte-Barbe. D'un caractère sociable et charmeur, Louis a toujours eu le profil d'un leader charismatique. Contrairement à sa soeur Hortense, plus calme et timide, Louis s'est toujours entouré d'amis rapidement. Peu d'informations sont connues de cette période de leur vie, selon le souhait de feu l'empereur Napoléon IV.

Portrait officiel des Enfants de Francesim pour leurs 18 ans. Le cliché a été pris au château de Meudon, la demeure officielle des princes impériaux de Francesim.

L'an dernier, Louis et Hortense célébraient leurs 18 ans. Une année très riche pour les Enfants de Francesim : Hortense a participé à ses premières activités royales, tandis que Louis a mené de front le projet d'alliance maritime entre l'empire de Pierreland et l'empire de Francesim. Il a inauguré avec le duc Felipe le sous-marin Henry, qui allie le savoir-faire des deux armées.

Le prince impérial et le duc Felipe le jour de l'inauguration de l'alliance maritime Francesim-Pierreland.

Portraits des Enfants de Francesim réalisés à l'Ecole Polytechnique. Ils sont dans le grand uniforme de l'école, qui participe régulièrement aux défilés militaires.

A la fin de leurs engagements respectifs, les jumeaux sont entrés ensemble à l'Ecole Polytechnique et sont devenus des polytechniciens. Ils ont terminé leur année et ont participé au gala de fin d'année qui a eu lieu au début de l'été à l'Opéra Garnier.

L'Ecole Polytechnique offre à la fois une formation militaire, scientifique et économique.

Si Hortense souhaite continuer son cycle scientifique à l'Ecole Polytechnique, Louis va se tourner après le couronnement vers l'Ecole navale de Francesim, qui forme les officiers de la marine.

Pendant son année à Polytechnique, Louis devient Napoléon V à l'âge de 19 ans, suite au violent décès de son père dans une embuscade en plein Paris.

La mort de l'empereur Napoléon IV est encore entourée de mystères, une enquête est en cours. Elle donnera lieu à un procès impressionnant, où beaucoup se demandent si l'empereur Napoléon V souhaitera y siéger en tant que juge - ses pouvoirs impériaux le permettent, théoriquement.

C'est durant la période de deuil que Napoléon V officialise sa relation avec la future impératrice Charlotte. En réalité, Leurs Majestés Impériales se connaissent depuis l'âge de 3 ans et ont grandi ensemble. Fait peu connu, Charlotte a accompagné Louis à l'Ecole Polytechnique et a même participé aux formations militaires ! "Charlotte m'a toujours impressionné, elle a beaucoup de prestance, d'allure, et des mots toujours justes, une personnalité assurée." confie Napoléon durant le festival de Cannes, où le couple a annoncé leurs fiançailles. Il reconnaîtra aussi qu'il a longtemps eu des sentiments pour sa belle (depuis plusieurs années), mais qu'il n'a jamais osé les avouer avant la mort de son père. La tragédie lui aurait fait réaliser qu'il doit profiter de chaque instant de la vie.

Le couple impérial a partagé avec nous de rares clichés photographiques de leurs années avant l'ascension de Napoléon V.

Charlotte apporte beaucoup de joie au jeune empereur, qui apprécie ses conseils et "l'esprit Mortemart". Car l'impératrice Charlotte est un membre de la célèbre et noble famille française des Rochechouart-Mortemart. L'esprit Mortemart est une expression bien connue, qui vante l'humour caustique, naturel et fin de la famille. L'entourage du couple impérial reconnaît volontiers que Charlotte a hérité de cet esprit si caractéristique, qui a l'art d'en donner aux autres.

Premier portrait officiel de l'empereur Napoléon V et de l'impératrice Charlotte mariés. L'empereur porte l'uniforme de la garde impériale, et l'impératrice a réutilisé la robe de mariage de Madame Mère afin de rendre hommage à sa nouvelle famille.

Début juin, l'empereur épouse Charlotte. Un mariage qui a pu paraître assez précipité au-vu du jeune âge des mariés. Cependant, Napoléon V a toujours assuré qu'il souhaitait être couronné aux côtés de Charlotte. Pour cela, il devait passer par l'autel puisque le sacre est une cérémonie en partie religieuse. Madame Mère a soutenu la détermination de son fils et est ravie pour lui. Après tout, "les deux se cherchent depuis qu'ils sont enfants, ça allait forcément arriver un jour ou l'autre" assure-t-elle. Charlotte semble avoir été bien accueillie par sa belle-famille, bien que certaines rumeurs soupçonnent une mésentente entre l'impératrice et Madame Hortense.

Après un voyage de noces bien mérité en Polynésie française, les amoureux se dévouent désormais intégralement aux préparations du couronnement. C'est une année marquée par de nombreux bouleversements pour l'empereur, qui a su courageusement faire face aux épreuves de la vie. Sans nul doute, l'après couronnement sera le début véritable du règne de Napoléon V, et nous avons hâte de voir quelles seront les prochaines initiatives de l'empereur.

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josefavomjaaga · 2 days ago

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Hi,

This question is about Napoleon’s relationship with his stepson. It’s widely known that they had a good relationship and he referred to Eugene as my son while Eugene referred to him formally. Do u think there relationship was truly as good as people say?

Hi and thanks for the Ask! In short: I mostly think that, as with all things, their relationship gets more complicated the closer you look at it. When it comes to Napoleon, it's hard to separate private and political aspects, so Napoleon's personal feelings for Eugène may often have taken a back seat to political considerations.

First of all: When Napoleon adresses Eugène as "mon fils" in his letters, that is very much a formality. Charles von Baden, husband of Napoleon's adopted daughter Stéphanie de Beauharnais, is adressed the same way. Just to put things in perspective.

Of course that does not mean that Napoleon's relationship to Eugène cannot have been close. On the contrary. I keep thinking that what Napoleon had with Eugène was the closest thing to a real father-son-relationship he ever experienced, as the King of Rome was still a toddler when he saw him last, and as he barely had spent any time with him. However, father-son-relationships tend to have their ups and downs, especially when the son grows up and starts to get into his own 😊.

In Eugène's case, the "son" also became a political problem.

At the beginning, during the Consulate, I think the two well-mannered, polite and affable Beauharnais children were a great asset for Napoleon in Paris society. Eugène in particular was well-liked and had a reputation for being good-natured, personally brave, chivalrous, humble and without pretentions. The problems started with the Empire (or already with the Consulate for life), when the question of an heir grew increasingly important. Because with Eugène having played the role of Napoleon's son over several years, it's quite natural that many saw him as a potential heir (in the first place his mother, of course).

I do not know that this had ever been Napoleon's intention. I think he liked Eugène precisely because Eugène was only interested in his military career and had no political ambitions. The bigger Eugène's personal reputation got over the years, due to the fact that he administered Italy rather well, that he had the advantage of being married to a royal princess, that he gathered some prestige in the army etc., the more he became a problem, and the more potential for tensions with an increasingly irritable and suspicious stepfather.

Eugène of course was a very different character than Napoleon, and while he seems to have been truly in awe of his stepfather, he also had his own ideas about how to deal with problems (like, shooting bishops etc - not his kind of thing). He was an outwardly calm, stoic, even boring person, had a very different style of leading than Napoleon, was usually very friendly with his subordinates (there's only one scenario that I could think of where he really took offence and offended someone after an argument had escalated, and that's during the 1812 campaign), encouraged them rather than scolded them, was very willing to discuss problems and to change his mind when he felt somebody had better ideas, etc. - The way he himself was treated by Napoleon was, obviously, quite different and caused him quite some grief (there's an interesting letter from Duroc about this from 1805 that I would love to translate eventually). But this fate he shared with all of Napoleon's family and plenty of his magistrates.

As to specific disagreements: Napoleon had - more or less - promised to Eugène's wife that Eugène would eventually become king of (northern) Italy. And he did not want to keep that promise, especially after he had given Josephine the boot. On the other hand, he could not do without Eugène (or Hortense, for that matter) in his Empire, Eugène was the administrative hub not only for northern Italy but for the Italian peninsula as a whole and as far as the Illyrian provinces. Lots of tension there, especially as Auguste felt that her husband was treated unfairly - he had always done his duty, with much better results than plenty of others, and he was getting no reward for it.

There was much more tension during the final two years of the empire, especially after the Russian campaign. This campaign had greatly increased Eugène's military reputation. When Murat left the rests of the army in January 1813, Eugène had to take over command, something he considered an awful burden from the very beginning. He was showered with letters, orders, advice and (mostly) reprimands from his stepfather who sat in warm and cuddly Paris, and was unnerved by it to the point where he offered his resignation. Factually, Eugène managed to hold out in a very difficult situation, starting with barely 10,000 scared and discouraged men in a foreign country that turned increasingly hostile, and all he received for it was lecture after lecture. He must have been incredibly frustrated by it because we know he opened up to it on his journey home to his brother-in-law Ludwig, when he was finally allowed to return to his family in Milan - only to immediately raise a new army and try to fight the Austrians.

At this point, like most people in France, Eugène wanted, and expected, Napoleon to make peace with the allies. Peace at all costs. It was the only responsible thing to do. Yet Napoleon didn't. I think this also greatly contributed to Eugène's growing frustration with his stepfather.

Which brings us to Marmont and his accusations that Eugène had betrayed Napoleon in 1813. While i do think that Marmont has been misled and that the incident has been blown way out of proportion, it is true that Eugène refused to lead his army corps from Italy to France as Napoleon had ordered. He did so for good reasons because Napoleon's idea was pretty much rubbish in the first place, but fact is he did disobey a clear order, and he of course, even if he may not have admitted it to himself, had his eyes on the crown of Italy. But he wanted to receive it in the proper way, without openly betraying Napoleon: Wait until there is peace one way or another, then let's see. So he waited until Napoleon's abdication, then sent the French army home to France, then asked the Italian senat to put him on the throne. Which caused bloody uprisings in Milan, and Eugène had to flee the country.

That being said: Robert Wilson writes in his diary that Eugène cried when he received a letter by Hortense relating Napoleon's abdication. So, I guess all the political disputes had not killed the personal affection.

Eugène also will be the one trying to contact Napoleon on Elba, he seems to have contacted him from Vienna during the congress, he seems to have tried to contact him before Napoleon was sent to Saint Helena. Eugène will be the one sending money to Saint Helena, he will be the one publicly protesting to the monarchs against the way Napoleon was treated on that island. He did act like a son towards him until the end.

As to Napoleon: I'm not sure what he really thought about him. I don't think he could respect somebody who did not have the ambition and ruthlessness he himself was so proud to possess. (Obviously, I feel exactly the opposite 😋.)

Summing up: No, it was not always a rosy relationship but it was in fact a father-son-relationship.

Sorry for the long rambling, and thanks once more for the question!

#napoleon's family #eugene de beauharnais

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captainknell · 2 years ago

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Happy birthday Marshal Lannes! April 10, 1769

I got a few selections about Jean Lannes from "Napoleon's Military Career" by Montgomery B. Gibbs

The first three, from the Italian campaign 1796/1797

At Dego:

Here also, Lannes, who lives to be a marshal of the empire, first attracted the notice if Napoleon, and was promoted from lieutenant-colonel to colonel.

At Lodi:

Lannes, Napoleon, Berthier, and L'Allemand now hurried to the front, rallied and cheered the men, and as the column dashed across and over the dead bodies of the slain which covered the passageway, and in the face of a tempest of fire that thinned their ranks at every step, the leaders shouted: "Follow your generals, my brave fellows!"

At Bassano:

Lannes seized one of the standards with his own hands, and, in consequence, Bonaparte demanded for him the rank of general of brigade. "He was," he said, "the first who put the enemy to route at Dego, who the Po at Plaisance, the Adda at Lodi, and the first to enter Bassano."

At Marengo:

"The shower of balls from the Austrian musketry was at one time so intense that Lannes, speaking of it afterwards, described it's effect with a horrible, graphic homeliness. "Bones were cracking in my division," he said, "like a shower of hail upon a skylight." Lannes was subsequently created Duke of Montebello.

At Ratisbon:

Napoleon now sent an aid-de-camp to Lannes urging him to expedite the taking of Ratisbon. This intrepid marshal has directed all his artillery against a projecting house, which rose above the wall surrounding the town. The house was knocked down and the ruins fell into the ditch. Still there were two fortified positions to take. Ladders were procured and placed at the critical points by the grenadiers, but every time one of them appeared he was instantly brought down by the well-aimed balls of Austrian sharpshooters. After some men had been thus struck, the rest appeared to hang back. Thereupon Lannes advanced, covered with decorations, seized one of the ladders and cried out: "You shall see that your marshal, for all he is a marshal, has not ceased to be a grenadier!"

At Aspern-Essling:

Just as Napoleon was about to retire for a few hours' rest he was interrupted by a violent altercation between two of the chief lieutenants, Bessieres and Lannes, the former of whom complained of the language used by the latter, his inferior in rank, in giving a necessary order for a charge of cuirassiers and Chasseurs, then under the orders of Marshal Bessieres himself. Massena, who was on the spot, was obligated to interfere between these gallant men, who, after having braces for a whole day the crossfire of three hundred pieces of cannon, were ready to draw their swords for the sake of their offended pride. Napoleon allayed their quarrel, which was to be terminated the best day by the enemy in the saddest way for themselves and for the army.

#napoleon #napoleon bonaparte #lannes #marshal lannes #jean lannes #napoleonic marshals #birthday #dego #lodi #bassano #marengo #ratisbon #Aspern-Essling #Napoleon's Military Career #Montgomery B. Gibbs

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cadmusfly · 8 months ago

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so for the RP blog shenanigans I was looking up a guy who @josefavomjaaga told me actually used to be Ney's ADC before tranferring to Soult's team, who has a really long name but let's call him Bory de Saint-Vincent because that's his last name

and this dude is fuckin wild, look at this description of him

Bory de Saint-Vincent's almost too colorful life story has sometimes overshadowed his reputation as one of the most thoughtful and productive naturalists of the early nineteenth century. A free spending extrovert who also dabbled in literary ventures, his career was complicated by involvement in a near-mutiny at sea, various political intrigues, and financial debts to the extent that he spent years at a time avoiding the authorities, or actually being incarcerated. Throughout it all, however, he managed to keep up a career as a natural history collector.

he's more known for being a naturalist than a military guy, but he's also just straight up nuts

even just looking at his wikipedia page

I dunno about you, but I feel like "precocious naturalist" should mean "discovered twenty new kinds of plants as a kid", not helping save a guy from prison (I initially read it as jailbreaking but it could have been more legal, not sure, but also apparently the ship the entomologist was meant to be on also sank so lil kid Bory saved this guy's life technically???)

Dude hopped on a expedition to Australia, got sick of the captain and decided to just go at it alone for a few years in the middle of the ocean

now my crack theory is that ney got sick of hearing about plants all the time and shoved him towards soult

and he had so many scientist friends, when he was exiled after waterloo, he was invited to stay in prussia by the king thanks to a scientist friend, got kicked out after 18 months, "offered a commission as General in Bolívar's new Republic of Colombia" by another scientist friend, declined that, and escaped to holland to meet the Sieyes guy who kinda was supposed to be a consul alongside this other dude called Bonaparte many years ago

dude got placed in debtor's prison for too many debts and these two fuckin notes attached to that

His scientist friends tried to cheer him up by parading a giraffe next to the debtor's prison so that he can climb onto the rooftop to look at it with a telescope

but he didnt want to leave prison because he could have his friends visit and had good food and good sleep, but his son in law against his wishes paid his debts so that he could actually go to the damn wedding

dude did have some weird racist ideas about human ethnicity but he was also anti-slavery and denounced the heritage peerage system while in a political position and ended up getting kicked out because of that so that's cool

this guy is like a french Stephen Maturin sort of, except he's real

and he is also contributing to the fact that none of soult's ADCs are normal people

i wish i'd learned about him earlier so i could submit him to the napoleonic sexyman tournament

#napoleonic era #napoleonic wars #jean-baptiste bory de saint-vincent #napoleon's marshals' adcs #napoleon's marshals #sort of #im characterising him as an exuberant outgoing extrovert who fucking loves plants and will not shut up about plants

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blackswaneuroparedux · 1 year ago

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I never admitted to anybody during my entire military service that I had been an actor. I was terrified that I would be put in charge of Ensa [Entertainments' National Service Association]. Not even my closest friends knew I was an actor. I told them I was reading English at St Andrews University.

- Richard Todd

In his heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, Richard Todd was Britain’s leading matinee idol. If you love old movies, you’ll have seen Todd in one of his starring roles in “The Virgin Queen” opposite Bette Davis, “Stage Struck” with Marlene Dietrich, or “The Dam Busters” for which he won a Golden Globe Award. He was the tough little Scotsman in the wartime weepie “The Hasty Heart” and had audiences madly hunting for hankies.

Those were the days when Todd streaked across North American film screens as virtually every romantic hero from Rob Roy to Robin Hood. Ian Fleming chose him to play James Bond in “Dr. No” in 1962, but a schedule clash meant Sean Connery stepped into the role.

Little less known is the fact that he was also among the first British soldiers and the first Irishman to land in Normandy on D Day. More specifically, he participated in Operation Tonga during the D-Day landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944.

So it must have been surreal for Richard Todd the hearthrob actor to find himself playing Major John Howard in the epic movie ‘The Longest Day’ (1962) based on Cornelius Ryan’s book. Not least because he served with Howard and took part in the fighting at Pegasus Bridge that Major John Howard was tasked to secure on D Day.

Richard Todd was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1919. His father was a medic in the British Army and, as his posting required, the early years of his life were spent in India. The family settled in Devon upon their return to England, and Richard was educated at Shrewsbury Public School, in Shropshire. The theatre was his first love, and he furthered his dramatic skills at the Italia Conti school, thereafter moving to Scotland where he helped to form the Dundee Repertory Theatre. When War was declared, Todd went to St. Andrew's University on the following day to volunteer. He was not a member of the University, but he not only convinced the selection unit that he was, but also added that he had been reading English there for six months, and that he had obtained a Cert A in his school cadet corps; a key point to being accepted as an officer. Despite success in passing off this invented career, Todd was to be disappointed by a lack of interest in him thereafter.

Becoming increasingly desperate to get into the War before it ended, he sent numerous letters to the War Office to press his case, which, in June 1940, was finally noticed.

Accepted by the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Todd went to Sandhurst to receive his officer training. He had a very lucky escape here when he was in a corridor on the second floor of a building when it was hit by a bomb, and he was blown into the garden outside by the blast. He got to his feet in the darkness and did not feel particularly affected by it, but an examination by torchlight revealed that his whole body was covered in blood from numerous small wounds.

A spell his hospital delayed his passing out from Sandhurst until early 1941. Celebrating in London, he narrowly avoided death again when he found his usual haunt, the Cafe de Paris, was too crowded to admit him and so he went elsewhere; it was hit by a bomb that same night and 84 people were killed.

His Battalion, the 2nd/4th Battalion The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was posted to XII Corps in defence of Kent, where a German invasion if it came would almost certainly land. Todd was given command of the infantry in the Dymchurch Redoubt, a fort of the Napoleonic era mounting two six-inch guns.

In the event of an invasion, this would certainly have been a primary target for the enemy, and those manning it were told that, with the main defensive line far to their rear, they would be left to fight to the end. General Montgomery commanded XII Corps at this time, and his characteristic emphasis on training and preparedness led to the formation of the first Battle Schools. Richard Todd attended one of these, and the experience allowed him to run his own School when, in December 1941, he was sent to Iceland with the 1st/4th King's Own Light Infantry to be trained in arctic and mountain warfare. Returning to England in September 1942, he eventually ended up in the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion of the 6th Airborne Division. He was among troops of the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion who, at 00:40 hours on 6 June 1944, landed behind the Normandy beaches in a cornfield, perilously close to tracer fire.

Todd scrambled into a wood and with 150 other paratroopers reached Pegasus and Ranville bridges, vital crossings to allow Allied forces to break out from the beachheads into Normandy. They had been seized by a glider force from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry under the command of Major John Howard, who needed reinforcements to fend off ferocious German attacks.

In his memoirs, Caught in the Act, Todd would write of the carnage, “There was no cessation in the Germans' probing with patrols and counter-attacks, some led by tanks, and the regimental aid post was overrun in the early hours. The wounded being tended there were all killed where they lay. There was sporadic enemy mortar and artillery fire we could do nothing about. One shell landed in a hedge near me, killing a couple of our men.”

Todd would go on and see action at the Battle of the Bulge and push into the Rhine into Germany. After VE day, his division returned to the UK for a few weeks, then was sent on counter-insurgency operations in Palestine. During this posting he was seriously injured when his Jeep overturned, breaking both shoulders and receiving a concussion. He returned to the UK to be demobilised in 1946.

In 1962, Todd was given the part of Major John Howard in the film adaptation of Cornelius Ryan's book about the D-Day landings, ‘The Longest Day’ (1962). Due to the nature of cinema, it was impossible for the film to give a thorough reflection of the role of the 6th Airborne Division during the Invasion, and as such their activities were solely represented by a reconstruction of the capture of Bénouville Bridge by Howard's coup-de-main force. Although briefly mentioned, the role of the 7th Battalion in the defence of the western bridgehead was largely ignored, and so it appeared as if the defence of the bridge rested only on Howard's men.

Naturally, the omission of their fierce defence of Bénouville caused some resentment amongst veterans, not least because one of their own was championing this re-working of history. Todd, however, regarded ‘The Longest Day’ (1962) as a film rather than a documentary, and his part in it was simply that of an actor doing as he was told.

Richard Todd would never have guessed, that in 17 years since he was on Pegasus Bridge as a paratrooper that he would standing there again as an actor portraying Major John Howard who was given the order: 'Hold,… until relieved'. It had to be Richard Todd’s 'twilight-zone' moment.

The ‘relieve’ for Howard had to come from Lord Lovat and his troops, who had landed on SWORD Beach, and were legging it towards Pegasus Bridge.

Before the shooting of the scenes were started at Pegasus Bridge, the film producer of The Longest Day, Darryl F. Zanuck, had the real life Lord Lovat and Major John Howard brought over to meet the men who were going to portray them (Peter Lawford portrayed Lord Lovat). The men had not seen each other since 6 June 1944.

Photo (above). From L-R: Peter Lawford, Lord Lovat, Richard Todd, Major John Howard.

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maximumwobblerbanditdonut · 3 months ago

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Alain Delon, the giant French actor and film producer who worked with some of Europe’s most revered 20th-century directors, died at 88 💔 in Douchy-Montcorbon (Centre-Val de Loire). Celebrated actor and star of Plein Soleil Le Samouraï, The Leopard, and many more, was immortal, his talent, charisma, aura and melancholic unforgettable face shook up our lives and made him destined for a Hollywood career at a young age, but he chose France, which made him an international icon, and earned him enduring popularity.

Born in 1935 in Sceaux in the Paris 🇫🇷 suburbs, Delon was expelled from several schools before leaving at 14 to work in a butcher’s shop. After a stint in the navy - French Navy Fusiliers(during which he saw combat in France’s colonial war in Vietnam), he was dishonourably discharged in 1956 and drifted into acting. He was spotted by the Hollywood producer David O Selznick at Cannes and signed to a contract, but decided to try his luck in French cinema and made his debut with a small role in Yves Allégret’s 1957 thriller Send a Woman When the Devil Fails.

Alain Delon. CLH** ; Born. Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon, actor and film producer received numerous accolades, including Honorary Palme d'Or 2019; National Order of Merit 1995; Cesar Award for Best Actor 1985; Ordre des Arts et des Lettres; David di Donatello Special Award 1972; TIFF Award for Lifetime Achievement 2017; Berlin International Film Festival Award -Honorary Golden Bear 1995; Locarno International Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award 2012; Chevalier 1991; Officier 2005

The most beautiful man to ever live.

Alain Delon in his breakout film Plein Soleil (Purple Noon) 1960 ‧ Thriller/Crime. Everything captured in this film is beautiful... the locations, the light, and above all the people. You should watch it... obviously.

Originally the 1960 French thriller Plein Soleil – was remade for a modern audience as The Talented Mr Ripley.

The fictional town Mongibello, where most of the film takes place, was filmed around Naples, Italy. The location adds an exquisite touch to the storyline.

Adieu Alain!

RIP Alain Delon 1935-2024 🥀 🖤

**The National Order of the Legion of Honour 🎖(French: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur) ⚜️ formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre royal de la Légion d'honneur), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil and currently comprises five classes. Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, it has been retained (with occasional slight alterations) by all later French governments and regimes.

#Alain Delon #actor #French #filmproducer #Sceaux #Douchy-Montcorbon #PleinSoleil #LeSamouraï #TheLeopard #unforgettable #OrdrenationaldelaLégiond'honneur

Posted 18th August 2024

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napoleonic-sexyman-tournament · 7 months ago

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So, I saw that you had no propaganda for the Iron Duke himself and thought that should be corrected, because I cannot let this man go unloved.

He is the ultimate sexyman. I don't really get that title or the requirements but I do know this man and he is the ultimate in Regency-era sexiness.

Now, please don't think badly of him for the lack of sexual fidelity. It was the Georgian era. Sexual fidelity was not a part of marriage in high society. Men didn't sleep only with their wives and some wives could be quite happy with that (for one, it's much easier not to have one pregnancy after another when your husband is sleeping with someone else). Not that women weren't also sleeping around. Which brings me to one of Wellington's more... interesting conquests: Lady Caroline Lamb, wife of William Lamb (the future Second Viscount Melbourne and Prime Minister). Why do I know that name, you ask? The OG pixie manic dream girl, Caro's much more notably known for her affair with Lord Byron. After that particular bit of nonsense, she was in Brussels with the rest of the English aristocracy during the 100 Days/post Waterloo. She and the Duke supposedly slept together and she took his cloak away as a souvenir.

#extensive wellington propaganda

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