To Ireland!

I'm off to Ireland today with my family.  My son graduated from Ithaca College in May and wanted to visit the birthplace of his father's family.  I didn't want to drive, so we're renting a canal boat and exploring the inland waterways of the Grand Canal.

The James Gill is our home away from for the next week.  We're taking a MIFI with us, so maybe I will be posting daily, but if not, I'll be back in Desiree's world next week.

When I'll be starting to record THE QUEEN OF LAST :THE STORY OF MARGARET OF ANJOU by Susan Higginbotham http://www.amazon.com/Queen-Last-Hopes-Story-Margaret/dp/1402242816

go n-éiri an t-ádh leat le do thuras - happy trails!

Napoleon at the Louvre

Egyptian tea set






Egyptian wash basin

Influence of Napoleon on Civil War Tactics and Strategy

http://www.civilwarhome.com/napoleontactics.htm By
Kelly Snell

        At the onset of the American Civil war both North and South scrambled to establish powerful armies to support their causes. The military leaders on both sides, however, all shared the same basic military training as well as the basic concept of how an army should be built and how a war should be fought. The military training as well as tactics of the civil war was geared towards emulating the grand armies created by Napoleon.
        The campaigns of Napoleon formed the bases of formal military education through out the western world. At the start of the civil war European observers were anxious to see to what extent the American campaigns would conform to the accepted doctrines of Napoleonic warfare.⁽¹⁾ All of the military thinking of the day was influenced by Napoleon. These lessons learned from the "Great Corsican" were relayed through the writings of Antoine Henri Jominie. Through his writings an emphasis was put on the Napoleonic strategy. Keenly aware of the dominance of French military arms many civil war leaders looked back to the Napoleonic method of wagging war for enlightenment. Through 23 years of war the French army became the world's model of a fighting machine. Through the study of the tactics, training, and even mistakes of Napoleon it was hoped that a copy of the "Grande Armee" could be recreated in America.⁽²⁾ In West point the writings of Jomini were used as a textbook through Henry W. Halleck's "Elements of Military Art and Science", which was essentially a translation of Jomini. As the curriculum at West Point leaned in the direction of engineering, mathematics, fortifications and administration most cadets absorbed this text, as it was the only resource on military strategy. Today many of these tactics seem to be common sense, their application was so universal. These tactics were such concepts as, concentrate a mass of your own fore against a fraction of our enemy, menace the enemy's communications while protecting your own, attack the enemy's weak point with your own strength. These rules seem to echo the strategy and execution of Sherman's great march for "Salt water."⁽³⁾
        One of the lessons learned from Napoleon was his concept of concentration, as well as the rules of concentration. It was Napoleons strategy that when 2-3 armies begin a camping to conquer a territory they should converge at a place away from the enemy to prevent the opposing army from destroying the approaching armies piecemeal. This tactic was seen so often in the civil war that a compilation of examples would seem endless here. Among the many other maxims of Napoleon that found their way onto the American battle fields were the call for Skirmishers. When his army was on the move he would deploy advanced guards and flanking parties. This tactic became the standard operating procedure for armies on the move in the civil war, and even today. When not on the move encamped armies established picket lines, the same technique only stationary. Entrenching was also a Napoleonic device for the encamped armies to maximize its strength in order to hold off a superior force. This Maxim offered the Confederates their last bit of hope when Grant converged on Richmond. Had Lee himself not studied the many rules of Napoleonic warfare then perhaps the siege on Richmond would have simply been a battle.⁽⁴⁾
        Many of the General officers on both sides of the war had received their military training at West Pont. At West Point all cadets studied tactics under Mahan, the professor of engineering and the art of war from 1830-1871. Having studied the art of war in France Mahan was greatly influenced by Napoleon and would pass his fascination with Napoleonic Warfare on to his cadets. One of the texts used by Mahan's student was "Traite des Grandes Operations Miltaire" by Jomini, a Swiss aid of Napoleons. Jomini was intrigued by Napoleons strategies and sought to systematize his methods. Jomini emphasized the necessity of good internal lines of operations. Another concept, previously mentioned, was concentrating a superior force against an inferior one. This is easily said, but Jomini laid out Napoleons blue print for achieving this. This action could be carried out through effective establishment and exploitation of strong interior lines. Unfortunately the lesson was not long enough and found to be too short to adequately translate the Corsicans methods. To better impart the Great tacticians knowledge upon his students Mahan established the "Napoleon Club." Through this club cadets could study the campaigns and histories of the Great Corsican. Once war finally broke out this study did not cease. Sherman required that all of his officers study up on Napoleon through the works of Jomini.⁽⁵⁾ One of the troubles with this mode of independent study was that, at the time, all copies available were in French. At the academy, West Point, students were taught French so that they might be able to read the treatise and reports on the Napoleonic wars. The view was held, at West Point that since the time of the ancient Greeks wars had been getting bigger and better. Students were taught to see the battle field through the eyes of Napoleon, a chessboard where opposing armies faced off in complex deployments.⁽⁶⁾ Union General George B McClellan was another student of Napoleon, often referred to as "the young Napoleon".⁽⁷⁾ McClellan saw through his study of Napoleon that freedom of movement was essential. McClellan not only implemented these ideas in his marches but also in the design of his uniforms. He took the ideas from the French Napoleonic armies and rebuilt the motley Federal army. Under McClellan's Napoleon plan the Federal army became a model of a fighting force. Discipline and uniforms were not his only contribution. The "McClellan Saddle" found its way into the cavalry, based on those used by the French, and the Shelter Half has been standard issue ever since. Now soldiers could simply carry their shelter with them enabling quick set up and even faster evacuation of an encampment One of Napoleons greatest contribution to the American military, through McClellan, was the Bayonet Manuel, which McClellan translated from French into English.⁽⁸⁾ On the other side of the war was one of the countries greatest tacticians, Robert E. Lee. At West Pont the first book Lee ever checked out was a study of Napoleons campaigns, one which he became very familiar with while at the academy. Latter Lee became a master at using Napoleonic tactics of concentrating his armies against a weaker portion of the North's.(9)
        Napoleon emphasized the importance of turning movements. The ancient Spartan frontal assault featuring two armies pounding away at each other until one side would give way was gone. Napoleon developed the turning movement to effectively attack an enemy flank. The effect was that the enemy being turned would be forced to adjust, either through a retreat or reinforce the flank, exposing another area of its defense. What this tactic essentially did is forced an attacking or defending army to scrap its battle orders and attempt to make quick adjustments in the midst of battle. In the Civil war this was the goal of all Generals, to effectively execute turning movements against their enemies. McClellan's Peninsula campaign had this Maxim at the heart of his strategy.⁽¹⁰⁾ Examples set by Napoleon did not only appear on the battle field. A larger unit of army organization was introduced, the division. The division was a part of an army commanded by a General officer and was strong enough to engage an enemy successfully until other divisions arrived. No longer would one see large armies forming massive single line formations. This also enabled American Generals the flexibility to move rapidly across the battle field and take full advantage of the terrain. Rapid deployment of the large American armies was made possible due to this new organization of the army into divisions. In marching each division constituted a column. In separating on the march they cold move more rapidly while covering a wider area and never loose their unity. The commanding General could now ride out in advance and with great ease place his army accordingly. Now armies were extremely flexible and easier to command. Through this innovation alone battles would constantly turn from one side of victory to another. This new technique also enabled armies to remain engaged for days before finally being forced from the field.⁽¹¹⁾ In the South the Napoleonic concept of exploiting interior lines was greatly applied to all battle orders. Generals were reluctant to stretch their lines of communication to far. This influenced greatly Lee's strategy of drawing out the enemy. These interior lines were now more effective than even Napoleon could have imagined. The use of rail roads and the telegraph made possible the rapid communication of battle orders and troop movement reports.⁽¹²⁾
        The era of Napoleon produced armies with great maneuverability. Now capable of rapid deployment from March to battle formation and subdivided into corps and division's armies grew extremely flexible and more resistant to attacks and flanking movements. General P.G.T. Beauregard tirelessly preached the need to use the railroad and the telegraph to apply the Napoleonic strategy of an offensive concentration at the enemy's weak point. In the West, Beauregard's theater of operations, President Davis was aware that the confederate army could not meet the enemy with an equal force. He adhered to Beauregard's interpretations of warfare and ordered Johnston to coordinate Pemberton's Mississippi department with Brags and Kirby Smith to "Operate in Napoleons manner" and unite forces in Mississippi and Tennessee utilizing these interior lines. One can quite often see that when baffled by logistical dilemmas the Civil War tacticians simply copied the examples of Napoleon.(13)
        One of the wars greatest examples of Napoleonic influence can be found in P.G.T. Beauregard. Being fluent in French Beauregard was able to study the works of Jomini and other French histories of Napoleons campaigns. While Beauregard was always ready with elaborate Napoleonic battle orders, his green army was not quite up to the ask. At Blackburns Ford Beauregard proposed an effective, in theory, strategy of tacking the offensive against the Federal invaders. He proposed that the valley army of Johnston move in two columns. One army was to come by rail to Manassas, exploiting thier interior lines, while the other would cross the mountains to the North and in effect come in to the Federals rear. This was truly a Napoleonic battle order, but it had only one major flaw, Johnston's army was to "green" and small to undertake such an expedition. The Creoles ingenious interpretation of Napoleonic warfare was scraped. Beauregard devised his own strategy as well as his own interpretations of the rules of war based on his intensive study, almost obsession, of Napoleon. He would latter greatly criticize those who would deviate from these rules set by Napoleon. Early in the war, at Corinth, the Confederates were planning a defensive-offensive strategy hoping to cut Grants line of communications. When drawing up battle orders for the coming battle Beauregard was using a copy of Napoleons order for the battle of waterloo. The examples of Napoleon, even his greatest defeat, were so revered that even the Napoleonic bureaucracy found its way into civil war camps. An inexperienced class of Generals now faced off. They could not help but to rely, almost verbatim, on the lessons taught by Napoleon. There was a consensus among some of the Generals, Longstreet, Johnston, and Beauregard, that in order to crush the Union army in the west they must use European tactics, as established by the Great Corsican. The belief was that the tactics became the basic rules of war and conflict.⁽¹⁴⁾
        One of the best known campaigns of the Civil War was Sherman's march to the sea. Venturing deep into enemy territory it was impossible for him to maintain lines of communication. Sherman, rather than waist resources trying to do the impossible, also followed the example of Napoleon. Faced with a similar dilemma Napoleon, as did Sherman, supplied his army off the land. This not only eliminated the need to maintain long lines of communication but carried out a plan of exhaustion devastating the moral of the Southern people. Sherman's army swarmed across the country like a horde of locusts.⁽¹⁵⁾ McClellan's Peninsula campaign, early in the war, was another great example of Napoleonic innovations. His entire campaign was based on a massive waterborne turning movement. He believed that by forcing the Confederates to attack in order to preserve their interior lines he could take Richmond and essentially end the war. McClellan's campaign would have succeeded had the commander of the Confederate forces, General Johnston, not been inured. Johnston was replaced by another West Pointer and avid student of Napoleonic warfare, Robert E. Lee.(16)
        Unfortunately not all of the implemented tactics of Napoleon had practical application on the Civil War battlefield. Due to the inaccuracy of the earlier muskets close order formation was essential for maximizing firepower. With the advent of the new rifled musket accuracy, and their for lethality, was now greatly improved. While weaponry, artillery also benefited from riffling, advanced tactics on the battlefield did not. While many of the Napoleonic tactics helped Generals, on both sides, to victory this one out of date tactic imposed a high cost on victory. This tactic is the main cause for the ranking of the Civil war causalities as the highest in the history of American conflict.⁽¹⁷⁾ Napoleon warned not to allow gaps to develop in battle formation; this is one lesson that was better off left on the book shelves. Napoleon spoke of the inaccuracy of muskets. He preached that linear formations should only be two rows deep as the first line would be in danger of being struck by the third line. Though this tactic was essential to battlefield success prior to the Civil War it was now disastrous. The fact that the Civil War soldier could now hit what he aimed at made all the soldiers on the field in formation "sitting Ducks".⁽¹⁸⁾ A good comparison to the effectiveness of the weaponry of the two eras can be seen in the following journal entries from soldiers of that time. First from an American in the Revolutionary war followed by a Confederate soldier account. "One of the soldiers, thinking he could do a bit of mischief by killing some of us…kept firing at us as we passed along the bank. Several of his shots passed between our files, but we took little notice of him…"⁽¹⁹⁾ The weaponry advancement can be compared in the following exert of a similar scenario. "I had taken a rest for my gun by the side of a sapling… Finally wee saw him sort o' peep round the tree… and bang! We saw the Yankee tumble out like a squirrel." Two different wars, similar circumstance and different effects based on modern weaponry.⁽²⁰⁾ The reason for the great slaughter that the Civil war became is based on the error of studying the use of linear formations. Though the original concept of the tactic was sound it was the creation of the .58 caliber rifle brought together with the Minnie ball that made it obsolete. Though many military thinkers were aware of the new improvements in weaponry they had no idea of how this would change tactical relations on the battle field. Since the foundation of virtually all military thought had deep roots in Napoleonic thinking it is no wonder that no one questioned this, soon to be proven, suicidal technique. It is with great ease that we now look back and condemn the use of Napoleons linear formations, but we must remember that to the Antebellum and Civil War mind there existed no imaginable alternative.(21)
        The innovations of Napoleon were revolutionary in his time. In an era where technology was quickly approaching 20th century standards there was no manual instructing how to harness the power of these new advancements. Military trainers and tacticians could only look to the European wars of Napoleon for guidance. Through formal education as well as independent study the works of Jomini were encouraged reading material for all aspiring military officers. The Civil war has been called the first modern war, it began with the suicidal linear tactics of European warfare and ended with the nightmarish trench warfare, soon to be spread to Europe. Though many, if not all , Napoleonic maxims seems common sense today they were on the cutting edge of military thinking in Antebellum and civil war times and many of them have become a part of our modern military culture.

1. Luvaas, Legacy, 15.
2. Wood, Generalship,12.
3. McPherson, Battle, 331-332.
4. Chandler, Maxims, 56-61.
5. Hattaway & Jones, How, 14-5.
6. McFeely, Grant 15.
7. Beringer, Young, 503.
8. Pohonka, McCllelans.
9. Dederer, Orgins.
10. Chandler, Maxim, 65-66.
11. Earl, Makers, 62,66.
12. Lanham, Firearms.
13. Hattaway & Jones, How, 47, 279-281.
14. Williams, Napoleon, 77, 14-126, 182.
15. McPerson, Bale, 515.
16. Pohonka, McCllelans.
17. Mchearson, Battle, 472-473.
18. Chandler, Maxim, 72.
19. Martin, Narrative, 29.
20. Watkins, Co.Aytch, 51.
21. Lanham, Firearms.

Cairnes, William E. The Military maxims of Napoleon. Cambridge: DaCapo Press, 1995.
Chandler, David G. The Military Maxims of Napoleon. London: Da Capo Press1995.
Dederer, John Morgan. "The Origins of Robert E. Lee's Bold Generalship: A Reinterpretation," Military Affairs 49 (1985): 117-123.
Earl, Edward M. Makers of Modern Strategy: Military Thought from Machiavelli to Hitler. Princeton University Press, 1943.
Herman Hattaway and Archer Jones, How the North Won: A Military History of the Civil war Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 1991.
Lanham, Howard G. Fire Arms and Tactics of the American Civil War: A Minority Opinion. Americas Civil War (2001): 30-35.
Luvaas, Jay. The Legacy of the Civil War: The European Inheritance. University of Chicago Press, 1959.
Martin, Joseph Plumb. Private Yankee Doodle: A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 2001.
McFeely, Willian S. Grant. New York:W.W: Norton & Co.,1982.
McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989.
Pohonka, Brian. McClellan's Way. Produced and directed by Craig Haffner. 45 min. A&E Television Networks, 1993.  Videocassette.
Richard E Beringer, review of George B. McClellan: The Young Napoleon, by Stephens W. Sears, Journal of Military History 54 (Oct 90): 503-504, 127.
Watkins, Sam R. Co. Aytch: A Side Show of the Big Show. New York: Macmillan Publishing 1962.
Williams T. Harry. P.G.T. Beauregard: Napoleon in Gray. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1955.
Wood, W.J. Civil War Generalship: The Art of Command. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1997.

This page published 03/26/05

Royal Jewels

The best weekend viewing

• BY:SALLIE DON 
• From:The Australian 
• December 24, 2011 12:00AM

Much of the jewellery adorning Princess Mary and other Swedish royals has a long and interesting history. 

The Royal Jewels

Sunday, 7.30pm, SBS One
This documentary about jewels belonging to the Danish and Swedish royal families recently aired on Swedish television. The magnificent crowns, tiaras, bracelets, necklaces, rings and brooches all have a particularly long history attached to them.

As Queen Margrethe of Denmark says, "We don't count the carats, we count the centuries." It takes two episodes to encompass all this splendour, with the second part screening on New Year's Eve at 5.30pm. Could be fun with an early glass of bubbly. In part one we learn the exquisite ruby and diamond jewellery set given to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark before marrying Prince Frederik has an interesting past. In 1804 Desiree Clary, a former lover of Napoleon, wore it to his coronation. She later became queen of Sweden. The set was inspired by nature, the diamond leaves on the tiara decorated with deep pink rubies to mimic berries. The film weaves in one-on-one interviews with the Danish and Swedish royal families, who tell political and historical stories behind the gems.

History of Arenenberg Castle

Settlements on the southwestern bank on the Swiss shore of Lake Constance, where Arenenberg (formerly called “Narrenberg”, meaning the foul’s hill) is located, date back to the antiquity. First written proof of the castle exists from 1350. It then belonged to one of the powerful patrician families from Constance. Except for short intervals it remained their property. Between 1500 and 1530 Arenenberg belonged to the Buxheim Monastery, one of the largest and most important Carthusian monasteries of the Holy Roman Empire. Local monks appreciated Arenenberg and its wine in such a way that they composed a special scripture on the topic and probably started building a small monastery on the premises. Due to economic reasons they ended up reselling the estate to wealthy local aristocrats who made further extensions. The last reformist mayor of Constance, Sebastian Gaisberger, finally built himself a summer residence, which suggests that there must have been a respective garden. It is not possible to name every single owner of Arenenberg but the estate was definitely one of the most desired at Lake Constance.

In 1816, Hortense de Beauharnais, stepdaughter of Napoleon I and his heiress, visited this charming property for the first time. She began immediately to plan modification measures and bought the castle in 1817. The reconstruction took approximately two years. The medieval castle and its gardens turned into an island of French culture amidst the rather provincial region of Lake Constance. The castle was surrounded by a 12 ha park with hermitage, fountains, waterfalls and nymphaeum, steep paths and viewpoints. On the premises are the main building, house of the former Queen of Holland, and the “dependance” south of the main building, which consists of three wings. Here we find the theatre, the market garden and greenhouse, kitchen, administration, stabling, accommodations for domestics and last but not least, the official representative part of the building, and the private sleeping and living rooms of Prince Louis Napoléon, who made history as Napoleon III. Reconstruction and remodeling was done on several occasions, for the last time in 1834.

In 1838, one year after his mother Hortense died, the prince had to leave Lake Constance and sold the estate in 1843 to Mister Keller from Saxony. Twelve years later – the prince had become emperor – he managed to buy Arenenberg Castle back.

Substantial reconstruction began in 1855 to remodel everything back to its original state. This enterprise took about three years. It seems that the emperor and his family visited the castle for the first and only time in 1865. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 and uprisings in Paris brought Arenenberg Castle back into royal interest. Empress Eugénie and her son escaped to Great Britain. After the French defeat at Sedan, Napoleon III found a first exile in Kassel, Germany. (France was a republic.) The emperor first planned to move back to Arenenberg, and then decided shortly to join his wife and son in England where he died on January 9th, 1873.

His family continued to spend the summers at Arenenberg Castle. Eugénie had three rooms for her personal use built onto the existing terrace with magnificent oriels to the lakeside. She insisted on keeping the given Biedermeier and Empire style and to copy it in the new rooms. After the death of her only child, the crown prince Loulou, she lost all interest in the estate. The castle was more and more neglected. In 1905, the empress decided to give Arenenberg Castle to the Swiss canton Thurgau. She ordered to have all items precious to her removed from the premises and left it to her gardener’s daughter to redecorate the rooms after her own taste. The change in ownership took place officially in May 1906. Eugénie stated explicitly that she wanted the estate to be open to the public and that a museum should be installed in the castle. Thus the Napoleon Museum was founded in Arenenberg.

Since then, the canton Thurgau has renovated buildings according to modern times and necessities, sometimes causing massive changes outside the museum. Over the past years and presently different administrations, the building surveillance with extensive scientific help through the Napoleon Museum and the preservation of monuments and historic buildings are trying to reconstruct the “empirial” state of 1906. Thanks to a considerable amount of documentation this project is quite successful.

 A Brief History of the Palace

Documents indicate that a palatial country estate built along an east-west axis on the promontory called Arenenberg and located between Ermatingen, Mannenbach, and Salenstein has been around since at least the middle of the 15th century.
Arenenberg was a “Constance Estate,” in other words, under the ownership of different patrician families from that venerable city who had taken up residence in Thurgau.
In 1817, Johann Baptist von Streng sold the family property to Hortense de Beauharnais who was dwelling in Constance at that time.

Hortense had the late gothic palace rebuilt in the empire style by the Constance master builder John Baptist Wehrle from 1817-1820.  She completely redesigned Arenenberg in the French fashion.  Even the interior was decorated with wallpapers, furniture, statues, and paintings commemorating Napoleon I.
After the death of Hortense, her son Louis Napoleon sold the palace in 1837.
In 1855, he repurchased the estate as Emperor Napoleon III.

Out of gratitude, Eugénie donated the manor to the Canton of Thurgau in 1906.  The Canton has been managing the palace grounds with the Napoleon Museum and the BBZ (Educational and Advisory Center) since then.

The Napoleon Museum Thurgau at Arenenberg Palace and Park, which was founded in 1906, is the only museum in the German-speaking realms dedicated to Napoleonic history.  Just like in the past, it continues to be an open, friendly house in which today’s visitors feel as welcome as if they were the guests of Hortense.

Napoleon Bonaparte's Lovers

Josephine Beauharnais	Marie Louise of Austria	Marie Walewska
Desiree Clary	Pauline Foures	Mademoiselle Georges
Giuseppina Grassini

Napoleon's St Helena Sword up for Sale

First time Balcombe sword available in 200 years

By Richard Moore

Napoleonic collectors take note - you have the chance to pick up a very rare personal item from Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte himself.

It is Napoleon's ceremonial sword, pictured right, that the French emperor took with him into his final exile on St Helena.

The sword is currently in the possession of the last descendant of the Balcombe family - which lived on St Helena at the time of Napoleon's exile (1815 to 1821).

William Balcombe was a British merchant on St Helena and his family - particularly his daughter Betsy - became friendly with France's former leader.

In fact Betsy Balcombe was a favourite of Napoleon's - he spent a lot of time talking with the girl - and he allowed her to play with the sword that is now on offer.

As token of his affection for the Balcombes, Napoleon gifted many items to the family - including the ceremonial sword.

Many of the historically significant artefacts are on display at The Briars museum homestead, just south of Melbourne, in Australia.

They include furniture, a lock of Napoleon's hair and one of his death masks.

The sword remains in the Balcombe family some 200 years after being given it by Napoleon Bonaparte.

A fellow of the International Napoleonic Society Dr William Mayo says when William Balcombe moved to Australia from St Helena he brought the sword with him and it ended up with his grandson Alexander Balcombe and was then left to its present owner, who is also from the Balcombe family.

Dr Mayo says the provenance of this sword is outstanding - One of the main reasons being the unbroken link of 200 years it has been with the Balcombe's.

He has prepared an authentication letter for this historical gem.

Dr Mayo says he cannot give an exact dollar value for the weapon but the only other recent sale of one of Napoleon's swords was in Paris in 2008, where it fetched $6.8 million.

The Balcombe sword has a little damage, it was caught in a house fire, but Dr Mayo says the weapon still presents well.

Empire Furniture Found In Sweden

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500281068/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=shatteparadi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0500281068

The Empire style is often considered the second phase of Neoclassicism which flowed through Europe and America until around 1830. It gained footing outside these the major metropolitan centers well past the mid-nineteenth century. The style originated with the rule of Napoleon I, who was known as the First French Empire. The style corresponds to the Biedermeier style which was associated with King Carl XIV Johan who had strong German and Danish influences. Biedermeier styled furniture  expanded to many different areas  of Sweden and stretched to areas such as Vienna, Germany, Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Biedermeier furniture was not an individual movement in one area, but rather as a series of ideas that gained tremendous popularity that extended past regions and boundaries. (All pictures From Neoclassicism in the North: Swedish Furniture and Interiors 1770-1850)

It all started in Sweden when the Empire style first started to flourish in 1823 when Queen Desiree returned to Sweden after twelve years of being in Paris, and the prosperous middle-class families demanded quality, elegant, yet practical furniture at a reasonable price points.   Desiree who was once the fiancée of Napoleon Bonaparte, and lived and breathed in the Empire style for many years, so it was no wonder the style took shape when she returned to Sweden after being in France for so many years.

Empire Furniture Found in Sweden - Neoclassicism in the North: Swedish Furniture and Interiors 1770-1850

Desiree Clary's life was an interesting one. We often think that monarchy enjoys the best of the best, but her life seemed to be sadly puzzling.   Napoleon Bonaparte was once involved with Desiree Clary, but later became involved with Joséphine de Beauharnais whom he then married, and broke off his engagement with Désirée.   Désirée then moved in with her sister Julie and her brother-in-law Joseph, who was the French ambassador to Rome. Designers of Empire design drew their inspiration from Classical Imperial Rome, so it was interesting that she danced around the Roman design which could have influenced her interest, which later saw its emergance in Sweden.

Her husband Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte married Desiree Clary and was elected to the throne in Sweden in 1810. Désirée became quite depressed when she found out that she was to leave Paris. When she arrived in Sweden for the first time and she really had a tough time.   She must have felt so at home in France that she didn't entertain the idea of moving to a foreign country. She didn't comply to the demands of formal court etiquette, and the snobbery from the Queen and general court was too much for her to deal with. She never did learn the Swedish language, and kept her self quite distant in her new court. In addition, the harsh winters of Sweden were more than she could handle. She moved to Sweden in the middle of winter and shock of the cold weather left her endlessly crying.

She just didn't want to be there, and did not want to move from France.  She dug her heels in with her stubbornness, or perhaps the realization of the sad reality of what she left in France. The Queen found her to be spoiled and described Desiree as "a French woman in every inch," who disliked and complained about everything which was not French. She missed her home in Paris so much that she simply returned to Paris, and stayed there for twelve years, even leaving her husband and her son behind, and disregarded that it was a difficult period time for Sweden as they were at war with France.

 Her husband met her in Paris some time later, but again returned to Sweden without her as she didn't want to leave. She was ridiculed by the court of France, and felt hated in Sweden. After twelve years in France she returned to Sweden and it was then that the Empire style really took shape and became popular, mostly from Queen Desiree's love for France, and the neoclassical movement that surrounded her for many years. Perhaps she was bringing a bit of France (which she considered her her true home) to Sweden.

Neoclassicism in the North: Swedish Furniture and Interiors 1770-1850 features twenty houses and apartments elegantly furnished in the Swedish Neoclassical style. 

 From royal salons with exquisite Pompeian style to  modest spatter-painted Biedermeier halls, the beautiful Neoclassical houses of Sweden are of interest to any person who closely follows Empire Furniture.  

The text traces the evolution of the Neoclassical style in Sweden, placing it in its wider European context, and explores each of the buildings and its history. Plans, and original drawings are included in this book by the architects and designers.

This is one of my personal favorite books that can be found on Neoclassical furniture.  It combines some really rich interiors, but also those with a unique Swedish twist, - white washed floors, plank wood walls, painted interiors, much like French but entirely Swedish.  I know you will enjoy this variation of Empire furnishings.  This is one of the best books I have personally owned.

Napoleonic Artifacts

Napoleonic artifacts

http://napoleonartifacts.com/Photos.html

Waterloo part one

The Duke of Wellington and officers and soldiers of the Allied army at the end of the Battle of Waterloo.  Prince William of Orange lies wounded on the stretcher: picture by Jan Willem Pieneman in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

British Cavalry Charge Background to the battle





The Emperor Napoleon at Waterloo

The Emperor Napoleon addresses his Guard during the Battle of Waterloo

Napoleon resolved to attack the British, Prussian, Belgian and Dutch armies before the other powers could come to their assistance. He marched into Belgium.





Vivien Hussey’s British Hussar Brigade attacking French infantry at the Battle of Waterloo



Battle of Waterloo 18th June 1815 : Order of Battle at the Outset of the Battle
Map 1 of 3 by John Fawkes





French Cuirassiers attacking a Highland square





King's Dragoon Guards attacking French Dragoons











"The Battle of Waterloo at 2pm : D'Erlon's infantry attack past La Haye Sainte"
(this map appears in the best selling book, The Dangerous Book for Boys by
 Gonn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden, in the section Famous Battles-Part Two)











Marshall Ney's massed cavalry attack on the Allied line during the Battle of Waterloo







French Cuirassiers fight it out with a Highland Regiment by John Atkinson 







 Ney's massed cavalry attack on the Allied line at the Battle of Waterloo








French Cuirassiers, during Ney's cavalry attack, tumbling
into the sunken road that ran along the allied position


http://www.britishbattles.com/waterloo/waterloo-june-1815.htm

Military Regalia

http://www.militaryheritage.com/








Grenadier Bearskin Cap, 1790s











Grenadier Bearskin Cap 1800-15

 Gold Epaulet        


Epaulets







                                                                     Late 18th Century Embossed Gorget






Pioneer Crossed-Axes Plate 



 Bugle and Grenade Cartridge Pouch Plate








                                                                          


Crowned "N" Cartridge Pouch (Giberne) Plate 











French Cockade on Shako 




Lion's Heads and Snake Waistbelt clasp





General Officer's Waistbelt Plate



























French Marshal's Bicorn








Officer Bonnet de Police

Buff Leather and Gold Sword Tassel with Crimson CentreThis knot was used by various cavalry units at various times.  The 1st Life Guards used on and off throughout it history (1796 -1822, 1831-1857, 1872-1945).  The Heavy Cavalry used it from 1822 to 1883.