The 1809 International Research Society Newsletter a SUMMARY of TALKS and ARTICLES October/November, 2019
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The 1809 International Research Society Newsletter A SUMMARY OF TALKS AND ARTICLES October/November, 2019 also went far in guaranteeing that all existing liberties and privileges in the conquered land would be respected and upheld, including the A Tale of Two Lands: constitutional charter, the right to In this issue A Comparative popular participation in provincial Perspective on Grounds assemblies, and to raise and organize their armed forces in much the same A Tale of Two Lands 01 for Rebellion in the way as they had before. However, Morten Nordhagen Ottosen despite such guarantees, there was a Tyrol and Norway Napoleon II: general feeling in the conquered land L’aiglon or „Little Franz“? 02 during the Napoleonic that it would somehow be deprived Glenda Pérez López Wars of the privileged position and and autonomy they had enjoyed in the Victory and Marriage and the empire to which they had hitherto heroification of Napoleons son, Morten Nordhagen Ottosen, belonged. Perhaps above all, the the Duke of Reichstadt Associate Professor, inhabitants feared the introduction of Agnieszka Fulinska Norwegian Military Academy conscription into the conqueror’s Severoli 09 army, which they suspected would Having virtually been brought to his Ciro Paoletti mean endless wars in foreign lands – knees by his main foe shortly before as opposed to only defending their Archäologische Untersuchungen Christmas, the subsequent peace own homeland, the only military duty bei Wagram 11 forced the imperial monarch to cede required from them by their previous Slawomir Konik one of his most treasured lands, monarch. known for its mountains and scenery, Two inhabitants of Pressburg As a crude overview, the above sentenced by the French military its deep-seated dynastic allegiance, paragraph stands as a fairly accurate court in Vienna in 1809 14 the special privileges and liberties depiction of the situation in Matej Čapo enjoyed by its inhabitants and its Scandinavia in the winter of 1813- autonomy within the empire of which Napoleon in East Prussia 16 1814 and the circumstances it was part, and its long traditions for Elena Khonineva surrounding Denmark’s cession of popular military activity. A union that Norway to Sweden in January 1814. Joseph Haydn und Frankreich 21 had lasted since the fourteenth Yet, what it does describe – however Margit Kopp century was thus brought to an abrupt crudely – is what happened in end. The land in question was ceded „Austerlitz 1805“ – Central Europe in late 1805, when to the kingdom adjacent to it, which Die Dreikaiserschlacht Emperor Francis I had made numerous attempts to auf die Wand gebannt 24 of Austria had to cede the Tyrol to conquer it in the past and now saw a Astrid Arnold Bavaria after having been decisively long-standing ambition fulfilled. Yet defeated by Napoleon at Austerlitz. Die Stelle, an der Napoleon for the inhabitants this switch of Not only were the contexts in which in Regensburg am 23. April 1809 rulers needed not bring far-reaching Norway was ceded to Sweden and verwundet wurde 25 changes. They already had the Tyrol to Bavaria quite similar; the Thomas Schuler widespread economic relations with Tyrol and Norway also had very the kingdom to which they were now Die Schlacht von Raszyn 28 much in common politically, socially ceded and also shared language, Harald Dousek and geographically. As such, these religious confession and many other and two cases do offer plenty of ground The Austro-Polish War of 1809: customs and cultural features. Indeed for comparison. The Archduke vs. the Prince the similarities were such that the David Stefancic neighbouring kingdom had long argued that they were basically one The Grenoble INS Congress 36 and the same nation. The new ruler ➥ Continued on page 9 Shlomo Targan THE 1809 INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 Napoleon II: Victory and L’aiglon or Marriage and the „Little Franz“? heroification of Napoleons son, the Duke of Reichstadt Glenda Pérez López Museologist at the Napoleonic Museum of MA, PhD Agnieszka Fulinska Havana Jagiellonian University, University of Havana Faculty of History Understandable summary Had there been no Wagram made by NapOleOn II abOut – there would have been no his life when he uttered King of Rome as he was. After these wOrds in his last the defeat at Wagram, Austria breath. HOwever, frOm a was on the brink of bank- cOntempOrary viewpOint, ruptcy. Another war – and the other assessments given by emperor Francis would proba- the develOpment Of bly have been for one – and research and the gathering the Habsburg monarchy could Of variOus sOurces, bOth have collapsed, especially that visual and literary, show us Napoleon would probably that his existence, althOugh have no more patience for its shOrt, was truly intense and ruler. In such circumstances interesting. Metternich came up with an This research shOws a The King of Rome idea of salvation: an Austrian series of reflections on the Thomas Lawrence (1818-1819) archduchess for the second pOsitiOn Of NapOleOn II wife of Napoleon, who shortly befOre his passage frOm after the victory announced French imperial heir tO German prince. FrOm the the divorce with the empress Josephine. The situation had analysis Of everyday scenes established by the not been very easy for the Austrian chancellor at the begin- bibliOgraphy and the visual infOrmatiOn prOvided by ning: Napoleon intended to bind his house with the Russian paintings and engravings related tO his persOn, are one, and had it not been for the reluctance of the tsar’s mo- exposed some significant elements about the essence ther, negotiations for a marriage with Alexander’s sister, Of this cOntradictOry existence Of the eaglet, having Anna Pavlovna, could have resulted in a success. However, been the prOduct Of an alliance and victim Of a on hearing that the decision keeps being postponed, Met- rupture. The first years Of life Of little NapOleOn in ternich came up with a new proposal: the Austrian empe- France were of such intensity that even being so few, ror’s eldest daughter, the archduchess Marie-Louise. they wOuld remain in his memOry and determine Napoleon, who was well aware of Alexander’s fickleness, many Of his future attitudes until his death. But if at jumped for this offer. (Interestingly, in his memoirs, written the same time it is logical to think about the high level after Napoleon’s fall, Metternich diminishes his role in this Of mental sensitivity that human beings have as intrigue, as if he was reluctant to admit that he had orches- children when Observing, imitating and trated the marriage.) experimenting; it is of great relevance this process of Had Napoleon married the tsarevna, or a princess of any apprehension and learning not in any child, but in one other ruling house the heir to the throne could still be styled that was going to be one of the most powerful heirs of King of Rome, but one of the reasons for the title’s choice the wOrld. The reflectiOns Of the hybridity given by his bicultural Origin were inevitable, fOr example we cOuld mentiOn the difficulties he had as a child with the prOnunciatiOn Of French, having as referents the Corsican accent of his father and the German one of his mOther. HOwever, everything was aimed at the prevalence of the French idiosyncrasy in his training as future emperor. Under the care of the imperial governess, Madame de MOntesquiOu Or like little NapOleOn called her: Mamma QuiOu, and the staff at his dispOsal at the MaisOn des Enfants de France; he had an intense educatiOnal prOcess in Order tO intrOduce him nOt Only tO all the pOssible knOwledge related tO the intellectual Roman motifs development of a king, but also to the sensitivity and in iconography THE 1809 INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 Madame de Montesquiou prevented the kidnapping of the King of Rome from Schönbrunn. cOmmitment he shOuld have as an heir. The (Private property) respOnsibility that this destiny tOOk upOn him was taken in a pleasant way: he showed himself reciprocal tO the ideals that were taught tO him and with his great intelligence retained the great amOunt Of academic infOrmatiOn that he was required tO carry. He had a would have been absent. One of these was the recent an- prodigal memory he demonstrated by memorizing at nexation of Rome and the Papal States to the French Empire, the age of 2 years no less than 30 La Fontaine fables. as Italian departments. This was a major political achieve- He was reciprOcal and Open tO the daily mental ment, and the symbolic meaning of Rome could have been activity required tO him nOt Only explicitly during considered for the prince’s title. However, a more important lessOns but alsO in his leisure time and meals, which reason for this choice was the long tradition of the title included didactic games tO keep pace and input “King of the Romans” associated with the heirs to the im- knowledge. The decoration of the walls of his rooms, perial throne of the Holy Roman Empire – by adopting it Na- the tapestry Of the chairs and even the special poleon was assessing his superiority over the former power, tableware fOr him, entrusted tO the manufacture Of dissolved after Austerlitz. It is hard to judge whether Napo- Sevres pOrcelain; had scenes related tO what was being leon would have felt compelled to use this title in case he taught in lessOns such as, fOr example, GeOgraphy allied himself with another European house. references with the Niagara Falls Or the Tibet; and above all, they had images of Ancient History and the Thus, the first period of heroization of Napoleon’s son is only French Empire including ROme and excerpts frOm the indirectly connected with the victory at Wagram.