Description:

Napoleon Bonaparte
Dresden, Confederation of the Rhine, May 27, n.y. [1812 or 1813]
Napoleon & Talleyrand DS Permitting Captain To Continue Serving King of Two Sicilies as Long as He Reserved Ultimate Allegiance for the French Empire! Probably Dating Just Prior to Moscow Campaign, Unique!
PPDS

A 1p military document in French boldly signed by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), as "Napole" near the center. Dresden, Confederation of the Rhine. May 27, n.y. but likely either 1812 or 1813. Countersigned by Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), under the title of Archchancellor of the Empire, as "pc de talleyrand" at lower center; and by Claude Ambroise Régnier, Duke de Massa (1746-1814), in his role as Grand-Judge and Minister of Justice, as "le Duc de Massa" at lower left; and by Pierre-Antoine-Noël Bruno, Count Daru (1767-1829), in his role as Secretary of State, as "Da--" at lower right. Partly printed and partly manuscript document on vellum. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds and wrinkles. Isolated loss to the printed text, with some faded or partly illegible ink. Very skillful professional restoration of scattered areas including an oblong section bordering Talleyrand's signature, and just touching the paraph of Napoleon's signature. Of the signatures, only Daru's is partly worn away; the rest are dark and bold. Else good to very good. 17.75" x 14.5." Accompanied by an invoice dated June 26, 1968 from Doris Harris Autographs (San Pedro, California) listing this Napoleon and Talleyrand signed document for a purchase price of $89.25.

A note on the dates: The mention of the August 26, 1811 imperial decree in this document means that it dates after 1811. Napoleon was in Dresden from May 9 - 29, 1812, before he undertook his invasion of Russia. He was also in the city between May 8 - August 27, 1813, during which time he celebrated his 44th birthday and prepared for the Battle of Dresden. Whether the document dates from either May 1812 or May 1813, Napoleon was in Dresden, occupied with preparing for some military operation, be it the march towards Moscow, or repelling the Russian, Austrian, and Prussians' attempt to expel French forces from Central Europe.

Napoleon granted permission for one Captain Louis Raiberti to continue his military service in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, a geographical region covering much of present day southern Italy, including the territory surrounding Naples as well as the island of Sicily. Napoleon's authorization was strictly conditional; it came with limitations ensuring the individual's ultimate allegiance to one entity: the French Empire. These restrictions, more fully outlined in imperial decrees (notably the August 26, 1811 edict mentioned in this document), dictated terms relating to French citizen's military service abroad, and a French citizen's naturalization in a foreign country. By establishing a tightly controlled bureaucracy, Napoleon could guarantee that any Frenchmen working abroad, living abroad, or soldiering abroad, were still bound under rigidly imposed French laws.

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 of those who will see these present letters, Greeting.

The Sieur Louis Raiberti, born at Turin… [illegible] from the age of forty three Captain with subsidy in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies

We having ascertained the circumstances and the motives which bring him to want to stay in the service of S.M. ["Son Majesté"] the King of the Two Sicilies, and we having very humbly beseeched [you] to grant him your authorization to these ends, we having truly wanted his demand in this regard.

In consequence, under the account of the our Grand-Judge Minister of Justice, we have accorded and by these present do accord to the aforementioned Sieur [apparently left blank] the permission to stay in the service of the aforementioned Majesty the King of the Two Sicilies under the conditions expressed in title IV of our imperial decree of 26 August 1811, and especially to return if we recall him, either by a general provision, or a direct order; as also only to pledge an oath to S. M. ["Son Majesté"] the King of the Two Sicilies under the restriction of never taking arms against us, nor against any of our allies, and to quit the said service, even without being recalled, in the case of war, which God forbid, breaks out between us and S.M. ["Son Majesté"] the King of the Two Sicilies; all under risk of being transferred to our Courts, and condemned by the punishment that he would incur in accordance with the terms of our decrees of 6 April 1809 and 26 August 1811…"

Joachim Murat (1767-1815) was the King of Naples when this document was issued. Previously one of Napoleon's most dashing military commanders, Murat later became his brother-in-law after marrying Napoleon's younger sister Caroline Bonaparte. He served as King of Naples after 1808, when the legitimate King of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand I had been deposed, and until 1815, when "Joachim-Napoleon" was apprehended and executed.

Captain Raiberti was born in Turin sometime in the 1760s or 1770s, according to this document. Turin was then part of the Kingdom of Italy, a satellite state of the French Empire. The surname "Raiberti" is associated with an ancient aristocratic family in Nice, an area which was incorporated into the French Empire during the Napoleonic Era but then returned to Sardinia in 1814. The existence of Captain Raiberti and those like him underscores the territorial fluidity of southeastern France and northwestern Italy during this time period.

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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  • Dimensions: 17.75" x 14.5"
  • Medium: PPDS

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