Description:

Bonaparte Napoleon

 

Napoleon DS Renewing Military Appointment of Provençal Soldier Assigned to Jerome Bonaparte, King of Westphalia's Army

 

1p military document in French boldly signed by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) as "Np" at center right. Partly printed and partly handwritten on a large vellum sheet measuring 22.5" x 17.5", issued on December 30, 1812 from the Tuileries Palace in Paris, France. Co-signed by Napoleon's Chief Judge and Minister of Justice, Claude Ambroise Regnier (1746-1814) as "Le duc de Moussa" at bottom left, and by the Interim Minister Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste de Nompere, Duke de Cadore (1756-1834) as "duc de cadore" at bottom right. With light expected paper folds and a few darkened edges, else near fine. Pencil inscribed verso.

Napoleon Bonaparte relied on family members and trusted friends to help him rule his extensive empire. His siblings, cousins, and in-laws married into the ruling families of territories that he had recently conquered or consolidated. In this way, Napoleon could rule by proxy through the House of Bonaparte in Italy, Naples, Spain, Holland, and Westphalia.

Napoleon's youngest brother Jerome Bonaparte (1784-1860) became the leader of one of these French puppet states, the Kingdom of Westphalia. Jerome ruled Westphalia, a region in modern day western Germany, between 1807-1813 after marrying a local princess, Catherine de Wurtemberg. Jerome was only 25 when he ascended the made-up throne, and was by all accounts a reckless and unpopular leader. He went into hiding after Napoleon's 1814 abdication.

Translated in part:

"Napoleon, by the grace of God, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Rhine Confederation, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation, &c. &c. &c., to all who shall see these present, Greetings.

The Lord Jean-Joseph Dejoannie, born in Nice, Department of the Alpes-Maritimes, aged forty-two years, director of army posts of the kingdom of Westphalia, having exposed us to circumstances and reasons that make him want to enter stay in the service of H.M. the King of Westphalia, and we having very humbly asked the king to authorize this request, that we have truly wanted in respect to his demand.

In consequence, under the authority of the Chief-Judge Minister of Justice, we have accorded, and by those present will accord, to the said Lord Jean-Joseph Dejoannie, permission to enter stay in the service of his said Majesty the King of Westphalia under conditions expressed in title IV of our imperial decree of 26 August 1811, and especially to come back if we call him, either by a general disposition, or by direct order; and also to pledge loyalty to H.M. the King of Westphalia, and never to bear arms against us, neither against any of our allies, and to quit the said service, even without being recalled, in the case of war, what would displease God, if it should erupt between us and H.M. the King of Westphalia; all on pain of being reviewed in front of our Courts, and condemned in terms of penalties as outlined in our decrees of 6 April 1809 and 26 August 1811. In faith of all that, we have to those present, signed by our hand, counter-signed by our Minister Secretary of State, and reviewed by our Cousin the Prince Archichancelier, affixed the seal of the Empire.

Mandated and ordered that the said present will insert it into the Bulletin of the Laws and record it at our imperial Court at the last residence of the applicant.

Given at our imperial Palace of Thuileriere [Tuileries] the thirtieth of the month of December of the year of grace one thousand eight hundred twelve."

This document dating from December 30, 1812 was signed in the aftermath of Napoleon's humiliating retreat from Moscow. His Grande Armée had marched into Russia in June 1812 with 685,000 men. Napoleon had reached Moscow in September 1812, but it was nothing but a Pyrrhic victory as the capital was already abandoned and Tsar Alexander I refused to negotiate a surrender. Napoleon eventually retreated through Western Russia with what was left of his armies. Costly battles, sickness, starvation, and the extreme cold had reduced his principal fighting force to 45% of its original number.

The document demonstrates Napoleon's resiliency in the face of defeat, and also anticipates his last military resurgence. Undeterred by the failed Russian invasion, Napoleon was already starting to rebuild his armies, and those of his satellites. Just two weeks after authorizing this military appointment, on January 11, 1813, the French Senate would approve the mobilization of 350,000 French troops.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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