Lot n° 107
Estimation :
15000 - 20000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 46 854EUR
Napoléon Ier (1769-1821) - Lot 107
Napoléon Ier (1769-1821)
23 L.S. "Napol," "Nap" or "NP," and one unsigned letter (L.A.S. by Baron FAIN), July 11-August 15, 1813, to Archchancellor CAMBACÉRÈS; 8 letters are written by Fain; 26 and a half pages and 8 half pages in-4. [725-746]
In Germany, from the armistice to the resumption of hostilities, before the battle of Dresden, and after the defeat of Vittoria in Spain.
Wittenberg July 11. Severe criticism of his brother Joseph, after the defeat of Vittoria (June 21). "I do not know the situation yet, and I have no details of the affairs in Spain. I ordered the Minister of War that Mal Jourdan be suspended; that he be ordered to go to his lands and finally to send a report of what happened; - to write also to each General-in-Chief, as well as to the commanders of the artillery and the engineers and to the commander to send also a report. I blamed the minister for the compliments in his letter to the King; I can be sparing in not letting the public know of my extreme displeasure with this prince; but it would be ridiculous and inappropriate for this Prince not to learn clearly that it is to him that I attribute all the faults which have been made in Spain for the last 5 years. He has neither the military talents nor the administrative care. I therefore desire that you make known to the minister that this prince cannot blind himself to my opinion in this respect. - He could not command, and he did not want to let those who knew it command. [...] the presence of the King could have inconveniences in Bayonne, my intention would be that he come to establish himself incognito in Morfontaine"... - The Council of State has done very well to sell the property of the Economic Society of
Geneva. Not only is this a good measure in financial terms, but also in political terms. It erases the traces of independence and of a separate state that were still present in this part of France"...
Magdeburg July 12. "I recognize the necessity of giving relief to the Spanish refugees. I charged the duke of Bassano to allocate one million from the extraordinary funds of his Budget"... - On the subject of "the treatment that the French prisoners in England are experiencing". He asked to "have an inquiry made before a commission composed of senators and marshals. This investigation will be public and printed. One will make appear there all the crippled men who returned from England"...
Dresden July 16. "I desire that the Empress leave on the 22nd so as to be in Mainz on the 24th. I will go to find her there. She will take with her the Duchess, 2 Ladies of the Palace, 2 red women, 2 black women, 1 Prefect of the Palace, 2 chamberlains, 2 squires, [...4 pages, which will be distributed on the road in order to lessen the fatigue of these young people, her secretary of the commandments [Méneval] if he is well, her doctor; and moreover She will lead with
She a service of mouth composed so that her table can be well served, seeing that I will not bring anybody with me and that it is possible that several Kings and Princes of Germany come to see her. It will be however useless to bring the service of vermeil. - Count Caffarelli will accompany the Empress to ensure the escorts ". He gives the itinerary with the stages, the procession comprising in all 12 cars... He writes an article to be inserted in the Moniteur the day of Marie-Louise's departure... - I see with pleasure what you tell me about the bonds of the Redemption Fund and the Customs bonds. It is the clearest way to ensure the service well"...
Dresden July 20 (unsigned letter). About his brother Joseph: "my intention was that the king of Spain went to Mortefontaine and that he kept the greatest incognito there. I want you not to see him. If he asked to see you, you would answer that I forbid it. My intention is that he should not see any of my ministers. [...] You will make it known to the King in the most positive way that until my return, my intention is that he should see no one. - He has just written me a letter in which he accuses the Minister of War and everyone else. -The fault for everything is his alone. The report of the English shows enough of the ineptitude with which this army was led [...] Undoubtedly the King was not a military man; but he is responsible for his immorality, and the greatest immorality is to do a job that one does not know. If the army lacked one thing, it was a man, and if the army lacked someone, it was the King. [...] If you were to be weak and not make my intentions clear, the King would receive people, would become a center of intrigue, and that would put me in the necessity of having him arrested, because my patience is at an end"...
Etc. Baron FAIN adds at the end: "His Majesty, immediately after having dictated this letter to me, went up in a car to make a 24 hours race in the low Lusace, on the side of Lu
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue