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Battle of Austerlitz: Notes from Exile
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Around 215 years after the costly Battle of Austerlitz in Bohemia, a detailed account of Napoleon is available in Paris for one million euros.
The 74-page manuscript came from the pen of Napoleon's follower Henri-Gatien Bertrand and was written in exile on the island of St. Helena, as the Paris gallery "Arts et autographes" confirmed on Wednesday.
In the text there are several comments by Napoleon.
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Ruler Napoleon (painting)
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In December 1805, Emperor Napoleon I of France and his troops fought victoriously against the armies of Russia and Austria near Austerlitz (now Slavkov in the Czech Republic).
History books speak of the "Battle of the Three Emperors".
At that time Austria was led by Emperor Franz II, Russia by Tsar Alexander I. According to the German Historical Museum, there were around 15,000 dead and wounded on the Austro-Russian side and around 8,500 in the French army.
The gallery intends to exhibit the manuscript for several days from next Wednesday, January 27th.
The text has been in the gallery's inventory since the mid-1970s.
The AFP news agency reported that owner Jean-Emmanuel Raux discovered the manuscript when papers from the descendants of General Bertrand were sold in a castle.
The reason for the sale is now the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's death (1769 to 1821) on May 5th, said Alizée Raux from "Arts et autographes".
The name Austerlitz is well known in Paris: one of the capital's train stations is named after the battle, as is a Seine bridge.
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Napoleon's notes in General Bertrand's manuscript
Photo: dpa
Napoleon Bonaparte had swept through Europe like a storm and swept away the old order.
The French ruler conquered half the continent with his armies until he suffered his greatest defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 and was banished to the remote British island of St. Helena, where he also died.
Henri-Gatien Bertrand was one of the few men who followed the emperor to St. Helena.
Because of his services at the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon had appointed him adjutant general and later count.
He stayed by his side until Napoleon's death on May 5, 1821, brought the remains back to France and prepared the publication of Napoleon's memoirs.
Collectors still spend a lot on Napoleon memorabilia today.
The 13 centimeter long key to his death room on the Atlantic island was auctioned just this week - and brought the equivalent of around 92,000 euros, 16 times the estimated value, as the auction house Sotheby's announced.
The buyer remained unknown.
Attached was a handwritten note from officer Charles Richard Fox: "Key to the room on St. Helena where Napoleon died and which I pulled out the door in 1822." Fox gave the historical item to his mother, the Baroness Holland, who was a great one Fan of Napoleon and collected various souvenirs.
Descendants found the key in a country house near Edinburgh when they unpacked an old box.
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