Napoleon Bonaparte's will

[Strengthandhonour]

NAPOLEON.
This 15th April, 1821, at Longwood, Island of St. Helena.
This is my Testament, or act of my last will.

1. I DIE in the Apostolical Roman religion, in the bosom of which I was born more than fifty years since.

2. It is my wish that my ashes may repose on the banks of the Seine, in the midst of the French people, whom I have loved so well.

3. I have always had reason to be pleased with my dearest wife, Maria Louisa. I retain for her, to my last moment, the most tender sentiments-I beseech her to watch, in order to preserve, my son from the snares which yet environ his infancy.

4. I recommend to my son never to forget that he was born a French prince, and never to allow himself to become an instrument in the hands of the triumvirs who oppress the nations of Europe: he ought never to fight against France, or to injure her in any manner; he ought to adopt my motto: "Everything for the French people."

5. I die prematurely, assassinated by the English oligarchy and its tool. The English nation will not be slow in avenging me.

6. The two unfortunate results of the invasions of France, when she had still so many resources, are to be attributed to the treason of Marmont, Augereau, Talleyrand, and La Fayette. I forgive them--May the posterity of France forgive them as I do.

7. I thank my good and most excellent mother, the Cardinal, my brothers, Joseph, Lucien, Jerome, Pauline, Caroline, Julie, Hortense, Catarine, Eugene, for the interest they have continued to feel for me. I pardon Louis for the libel he published in 1820: it is replete with false assertions and falsified documents.

8. I disavow the "Manuscript of St. Helena," and other works, under the title of Maxims, Sayings, &c., which persons have been pleased to publish for the last six years. Such are not the rules which have guided my life. I caused the Duc d'Enghien to be arrested and tried, because that step was essential to the safety, interest, and honour of the French people, when the Count d'Artois was maintaining, by his own confession, sixty assassins at Paris. Under similar circumstances, I should act in the same way.

II.

1. I bequeath to my son the boxes, orders, and other articles; such as my plate, field-bed, saddles, spurs, chapel-plate, books, linen which I have been accustomed to wear and use, according to the list annexed

(A). It is my wish that this slight bequest may he dear to him, as coming from a father of whom the whole world will remind him.

2. I bequeath to Lady Holland the antique Cameo which Pope Pius VI. gave me at Tolentino.

3. I bequeath to Count Montholon, two millions of francs, as a proof of my satisfaction for the filial attentions be has paid me during six years, and as an indemnity for the loses his residence at St. Helena has occasioned him.

4. I bequeath to Count Bertrand, five hundred thousand francs.

5. I bequeath to Marchand, my first valet-de-chambre; four hundred thousand francs. The services he has rendered me are those of a friend; it is my wish that he should marry the widow sister, or daughter, of an officer of my old Guard.

6. Item. To St. Denis, one hundred thousand francs.



7. Item. To Novarre (Noverraz,) one hundred thousand francs.

8. Item. To Pielon, one hundred thousand francs.

9. Item. To Archambaud, fifty thousand francs.

10. Item. To Cursot, twenty-five thousand francs.

11. Item. To Chandellier, twenty-five thousand francs.

12. To the Abbé Vignali, one hundred thousand francs. It is my wish that he should build his house near the Ponte Novo di Rostino.

13. Item. To Count Las Cases, one hundred thousand francs.

14. Item. To Count Lavalette, one hundred thousand francs.

15. Item. To Larrey, surgeon-in-chief, one hundred thousand francs.--He is the most virtuous man I have known.

16. Item. To General Brayher, one hundred thousand francs.

17. Item. To General Le Fevre Desnouettes one hundred thousand francs.

18. Item. To General Drouot, one hundred thousand francs.

19. Item. To General Cambrone, one hundred thousand francs.

20. Item. To the children of General Mouton Duvernet, one hundred thousand francs.

21. Item. To the children of the brave Labedoyère, one hundred thousand francs.

22. Item. To the children of General Girard, killed at Ligny, one hundred thousand francs.

23. Item. To the children of General Chartrand one hundred thousand francs.

24. Item. To the children of the virtuous General Travot, one hundred thousand francs.

25. Item. To General Lallemand the elder, one hundred thousand francs.

26. Item. To Count Real, one hundred thousand francs.

27. Item. To Costa de Bastelica, in Corsica, one hundred thousand francs.

28. Item. To General Clausel, one hundred thousand francs.

29. Item. To Baron de Mennevalle, one hundred thousand francs.

30. Item. To Arnault, the author of Marius, one hundred thousand francs.

31. Item. To Colonel Marbot, one hundred thousand francs.--I recommend him to continue to write in defence of the glory of the French armies, and to confound their calumniators and apostates.

[Theobald]

Great thread !

Ah, Napoleon was a man (although he did some bad things), unlike most of our leaders since his death.

2. It is my wish that my ashes may repose on the banks of the Seine, in the midst of the French people, whom I have loved so well.

4. I recommend to my son never to forget that he was born a French prince, and never to allow himself to become an instrument in the hands of the triumvirs who oppress the nations of Europe: he ought never to fight against France, or to injure her in any manner; he ought to adopt my motto: "Everything for the French people."

This contradicts the thesis of an "anti-French Napoleon". "Everything for the French people", "Impossible isn't French", ...

5. I die prematurely, assassinated by the English oligarchy and its tool.

Yes again an English treason. Napoleon voluntarily surrendered to England, as a free man, instead of fleeing in the USA or elsewhere (hoping to have a "normal" life in England, as the English had promised to him). He was immediately imprisoned and sent to St-Helena...

6. The two unfortunate results of the invasions of France, when she had still so many resources, are to be attributed to the treason of Marmont, Augereau, Talleyrand, and La Fayette. I forgive them--May the posterity of France forgive them as I do.

Again totally right about that thing. Without all those treasons, Napoleon would certainly have been able to win France's campaign in 1814 (although he was always outnumbered; sometimes 5-6 to 1), perhaps even Waterloo (without Grouchy's stupidity/treason : he refused to take part in the battle, because he hadn't Napoleon's orders, and although his generals advised him to do it).
It is often said that Napoleon's Marechals all betrayed him and caused the defeat (soldiers stayed faithful to Napoleon), but that's not totally true, since some French Marechals also died for him (Murat and Ney were shot; Lannes, Bessières and Poniatowski were killed at the fight).

[Strengthandhonour]

Glad that you liked it

I think Napoleon was an interesting historical figure. I had heard about Napoleon wanting to go to America after he was defeated. I heard he planned to travel throughout the entire continent studying the wildlife and writing down his memoirs. It would had been interesting.

[Theobald]

Originally Posted by Strengthandhonour

I think Napoleon was an interesting historical figure.

That's for sure. I think a thread about him would be especially interesting here.

I had heard about Napoleon wanting to go to America after he was defeated. I heard he planned to travel throughout the entire continent studying the wildlife and writing down his memoirs. It would had been interesting

Mm yes I also heard this. I think he hesitated between living in England and travelling to America. Anyway I think he could not have "quietly" stayed in England or in America, he would have tried to come back to France once again...

[Revolutionary]

Originally Posted by Der Elsasser

I think he hesitated between living in England and travelling to America. Anyway I think he could not have "quietly" stayed in England or in America, he would have tried to come back to France once again...

Napoleon was going to board a ship heading for America after his final defeat but he was blocked by the British and sent to St. Helena. The British feared that the American government would give him command of an army with which he would return to Europe.

What a sad day for Europe that was! Such a great man, condemned to such a cruel fate! Dying thousands of miles away from his beloved Europe, on a God-forsaken island.