The Countess Napoleon and St Helena In Exile With The Emperor 1815 to 1821 eBook Lally Brown
Download As PDF : The Countess Napoleon and St Helena In Exile With The Emperor 1815 to 1821 eBook Lally Brown 
“I congratulate you on your research efforts and dedicated work”
Ben Weider, founder of the International Napoleonic Society.
When Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the remote island of St. Helena after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 he took with him twenty-four people, including his doctor, servants and four of his Generals.
One of the Generals, Count Henri-Gatien Bertrand, was Napoleon’s Grand Marshal of the Palace. Count Bertrand was accompanied by his wife Countess Françoise Elisabeth (Fanny) Bertrand and their three children. Tall, elegant and aristocratic the Countess was a feisty and beautiful young woman who had shone in French Society. She hated the island of St. Helena ‘The Devil shit this place as he flew from one continent to the other’ she said on her arrival. But loyal to her husband she stayed by his side until Napoleon’s death on 5th May 1821 and was at the ex-Emperor’s bedside when he died.
I chose the genre of a diary to tell Fanny’s story of those five and a half years in an attempt to bring history alive. Every detail has been carefully researched from primary source, unpublished manuscripts in the British Library and from Count Bertrand’s own diary written at the time. It is an accurate, factual, detailed and fascinating account of the reality of life at Longwood between 1815 and 1821.
Read Napoleon’s views on the Battle of Waterloo - ‘I still cannot conceive how the Battle was lost …’; his opinions on religion and on his wives; about plans to escape from St. Helena and the truth regarding Napoleon’s health. Learn of Napoleon’s irrational reaction when Fanny refuses to become his mistress, and what actually happened at that last fateful meeting between Napoleon and the Governor Sir Hudson Lowe.
Finally, read the moving account of Napoleon’s death as Fanny and her children sit at his bedside, the harrowing details of Napoleon’s autopsy, and Napoleon’s extraordinary funeral.
As a modern contrast, scattered through Fanny’s ‘diary’ are occasional chapters about my own life on St. Helena living in Bertrand’s Cottage at Longwood. They reveal the very special nature of St. Helena and the wonderful warmth of the Saints who live there.
The Countess Napoleon and St Helena In Exile With The Emperor 1815 to 1821 eBook Lally Brown
Having studied the military and political events of 1815 for years, I have often returned to the writings from St Helena. While Napoleon is synonymous with Waterloo, his companions in exile had significant roles in the 100 days, far more than the conventional history records. Hence, the words and thoughts of Gaspard Gourgaud and Henri Bertrand are of extreme significance.Brown's book brings order to the chaos that was Napoleon's final exile. Over the years, the characters came and went, died suddenly, and were even born. There were plots and intrigue, and opportunists abound. These events were always a bit jumbled for me.
Brown's work presents a clear timeline of all events and persons in a manner so vivid that one can see the locations, and so authentic that I fear many will believe the diary to be Fanny Bertrand's actual work. Yet while the diary is not based on a contemporary manuscript, the meticulous research has created a thoroughly enjoyable and equally valuable reference.
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The Countess Napoleon and St Helena In Exile With The Emperor 1815 to 1821 eBook Lally Brown Reviews
This book is essential - if often disillusioning - reading for anybody interested in the life and career of Napoleon Bonaparte. It details his final years as an internee on St.Helena, almost on a day by day basis, as seen through the eyes of the wife of a senior member of his entourage. Her personal "diary" has been compiled from primary sources, unpublished manuscripts in the British Library, and it covers every aspect of the management of Napoleon's sojourn, as regards both his accommodation and his interface with the British authorities. It does not paint a pleasant picture - the heroic figure of the 1790s and the master tactician of the 1800s had declined into a petulant, self-pitying figure who is obsessed with his dignity and his creature comforts. He shows little concern for those around him, accepting the significant personal sacrifices they make to serve him as being only his due. The man who sent tens of thousands to their deaths, who destroyed the happiness of millions, and who deserted his faithful troops on the retreat from Moscow, has degenerated into lazy obesity in which his main concern is that he still be awarded the dignity of Emperor. If there is a hero in this story it is the island's governor, Sir Hudson Lowe, who showed endless patience in attempting, without much success, to make Napoleon's time on the island as agreeable as possible. Lowe is often portrayed as a mean-spirited persecutor but the impression gained here is of a decent man who is prepared to meet Napoleon's wishes more than half-way, but nevertheless getting rebuffed and insulted at every turn. It is notable that Lowe and his family maintained cordial relations with others of Napoleon's entourage.
The book is made even more interesting by the fact that the author lived for two-years on St.Helena and that she occupied the same house as the Countess of the title, immediately adjacent to Napoleon's villa. Ms. Brown has added a few chapters in which she brings latter-day St.Helena to life with wit and telling detail. Her knowledge of the island, its society, its climate and its isolation, add to the interest and immediacy of the account of the late Emperor's internment.
This is a splendid and original piece of work - very highly recommended and fully worthy of 5 Stars.
It was inspirational of this author to take a dusty list of chronological events, researched from 200 year old primary source documents, and use the journal format to transform them into an exciting non-fiction account of life on St. Helena 1815-1821. It makes a very convincing ‘diary’ and really brings history alive!
Through Countess Fanny Bertrand we learn of the grim realities of life at Longwood for Napoleon and his companions. We see how Fanny’s husband Count Bertrand was torn between his loyalty to his Emperor and his love for his wife and family. We witness arguments and petty squabbles between Napoleon’s followers and watch as Napoleon clashes with the Governor of St. Helena, his ‘jailor’ Sir Hudson Lowe. Sickness, depression and finally death comes to Longwood. Imagine poor Countess Bertrand sitting beside a dying Napoleon in a small stuffy room with fifteen others - all this is graphically described, together with a full autopsy report and meticulous funeral details.
Countess Bertrand endured it all, but not always with good grace, and there were rumours of lovers. Napoleon accused her of having an affair with his Italian Dr. Antommarchi. We do not learn the truth here, but other sources I have read suggest she was ‘intimate’ with one of the English Officers (allegedly a certain Major Jackson) and she seems extremely fond of the Irish Dr. O’Meara, and the Russian Commissioner on St. Helena, Count Balmain, makes no secret of his admiration for her, creeping up to the house to try and see her. Perhaps Ms Brown could write a sequel about the lovers of Longwood? She could include Napoleon’s young ladies ‘Rosebud’ and ‘The Nymph’ and of course Betsy Balcombe.
I did enjoy the few (far too few in my opinion) chapters on Ms Brown’s own life on St. Helena living in the house built for Count Bertrand and his family. She has a love and deep respect for the ‘Saints’ which shines through every word.
The new airport on St. Helena is almost ready, and I will be one of the first to visit, with this tucked firmly in my hand luggage!
Wonderful, well written book, can’t recommend it highly enough.
I was very excited when I came across this book. My obsession with Napoleon dates back decades and over the years I've read everything I could get my hands on about that period of French history. And Lally Brown didn't disappoint. I loved the way the book is written - as Fanny Bertrand's diary, detailing the last years of Emperor Napoleon. Fanny, who was married to one of Napoleon's generals and Grand Marshal of the Palace Count Bertrand, accompanied Napoleon to his final exile on the island of St Helena. Told from Fanny's point of view, the well-known story comes alive and draws the reader in. I also enjoyed chapters about the author's experiences on St Helena and what the island is like in present time. It made me want to visit as soon as possible, as it's one Napoleonic destination I haven't seen yet.
Having studied the military and political events of 1815 for years, I have often returned to the writings from St Helena. While Napoleon is synonymous with Waterloo, his companions in exile had significant roles in the 100 days, far more than the conventional history records. Hence, the words and thoughts of Gaspard Gourgaud and Henri Bertrand are of extreme significance.
Brown's book brings order to the chaos that was Napoleon's final exile. Over the years, the characters came and went, died suddenly, and were even born. There were plots and intrigue, and opportunists abound. These events were always a bit jumbled for me.
Brown's work presents a clear timeline of all events and persons in a manner so vivid that one can see the locations, and so authentic that I fear many will believe the diary to be Fanny Bertrand's actual work. Yet while the diary is not based on a contemporary manuscript, the meticulous research has created a thoroughly enjoyable and equally valuable reference.
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