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The French- Nobility etc.
Quick reference wikis should be useful to track down some other personalities, if not for general knowledge anyway.
1- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobility_of_the_First_French_Empire
The English version, translated from the French site and lacking much of the artwork. Use this instead:-
2- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noblesse_d’Empire
Which however is the academic ‘regs’ if you like. For people, go:-
3- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_membres_de_la_noblesse_d’Empire
For the ‘Ancien Régime, we have:-
4- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_de_familles_éteintes_notoires_de_la_noblesse_française
cheers-davew
Research- J’étais Soldat de Napoléon!
A lot of examples, and that’s 200 of them, of research and decades of sweat has gone into it by the owner/ millionaire collector and author.
Complete with superb descriptions of not only the source, bona-fides and historical errors and mistakes that haunted some pieces, but explanations of the deals and trades that had to be made in the science of ‘Aquisitions’ (Ferengi cf).
Glorious full page captures, like this custom-made (of course) dolman of a General de Brigade of the Cavalerie Legére. Take the colour as gospel- it is not ‘French/ Royal/Empire’ blue! Full colour of the pelisse with brown fox fur as well!
Tells a much bigger story in the close up photos and excellent colour depictions; with a high degree of fluid text describing attributes; far more value I’d say than half a dozen so called traditional ‘artwork’ type prints and books that cover huge swathes of subjects.
More importantly, having been 34 years since I was in Europe/ France doing my research in multiple cities and museums- as well as private visits to collectors– if you can’t or havent been- this is the next best thing! Honestly, you will be repaid for the cost of it.
My thanks to Marcus Stein @ http://www.napoleon-online.de/ for facilitating my purchase- some French businesses just won’t make sales outside of France! Go figure! SO mine had to come ex-Berlin!
Simply breathtaking, well worthy of my 65th birthday (near when it eventually arrived) ~ Covid style~ two months later than expected.
regards davew
It has been around a while, and useful in past, but http://thierry.pouliquen.free.fr/LeshommesdenapoleonIer.htm continues to be updated.
In particular the sections includes “Les cohortes de la Légion d’honneur” http://thierry.pouliquen.free.fr/Cohortes_LH.htm so spend some hangout time there.
And “Les généraux” has a great technical analysis of the manpower, instead of the characters (dealt with in the main section) if like me, you like to see the ‘nature’ of the army and its’ social interactions.
cheers d
[The sites white text doesn’t show here, so I’ve copied and created a standalone header (prob. better than a linked one if the site ever goes poof anyway…].
Another interesting, French language hobbyist but well put together site, https://www.napopedia.fr/fr/accueil/index has useful tidbits and fill in commentary.
Not all original or exciting, but a different perspective on some people and events, cheers
d
Above I cite Marcus Stein and his fabulous work of love and labour for the fantastic French volume ‘J’étais Soldat de Napoléon!’. Here I correct my omission!
https://napoleon-online.de/ and https://uniformenportal.de/.Uniformenportal von Napoleon Online-
“Welcome to the picture area with uniform series, portraits and reals to the armies from 1789 to 1815.”An omission over his sites- multiple even though he’s split the subject matter, and has a Forum (in German- translator in my case), is densely packed with broadly available material.
But significantly, in a recognisable highly driven manner, he has sought out private and ‘public’ copies of exotic illustrations and engravings, some copies of missing originals (war damage etc.) it is true, obtained permission to reproduce these under copyright from the German institutions (museums and otherwise) on his sites!
Brilliant stuff if a bit chaotic –
Marcus has been published recently on https://uniformenportal.de/index.php?/category/138
“Created around 1860, published by the artist Alfred de Marbot (1812-1865), the plates ‘Costumes Militaire Francais depuis 1789 jusqu’à 1814’.”
Infamous, shall we say now, for the dreaded ‘interpretation’ of the Garde Grenadier a Cheval trumpeters white bearskin bonnet that became copyist folklore without there being any such items referenced in regimental histories or official documents.
((Here it is- https://uniformenportal.de/picture.php?/3756/category/138)).There are many other recognisable errors in the work, created under honest inspiration no doubt, without apparently much research on actual period uniforms as Detaille is said to have done (30 years later though not without errors himself).
Just as an example, and why such works all need to be used with caution- the same Garde Grenadier a Cheval bearskins wearing cords to the front under the Empire- not so; a feature of the regiment under the Garde Consulaire, and perhaps the most senior regimental commanders (ie Colonels/ Generaux de Brigade etc.) in later, but not within the regiment itself.
Another being the white piping to vests lower edges AND length of habit tails themselves in the legere- the former possibly a feature of ‘royalist’ units- but not Revolutionary and certainly not First Empire.
And the tails were dramatically cut short ‘en campagne’ during the Republican era and in fact enacted as a Government decree by about 1800 as well. (Reference Terry Crowdy and Incomparable).
So while the series is a ‘nice’ compilation, and I’ve owned a couple (reprints) for 40 odd years now as well, we are perpetuating the fallacies further and further along. Marcus does give a warning in the Introduction-
“In the evaluation of Marbot’s plates, a critical comparison with contemporary documents, is recommended because of the lack of basis for them. While in the accompanying text , the employment of contemporary documents, such as the Journal Miltiaire are visible, on which the graphic implementations are based, however, is not apparent.”
Enjoy_ davew
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