Napoleon on Elba: An Exile of Consent

Type:

Book Chapter

Author:

Peter Hicks

Published:

2011

Publisher:

Palgrave Macmillan UK

This paper is a description of the court which Napoleon briefly established on the island of Elba — a mere ten months. It is also a reflection upon Napoleon in terms of his legitimacy and kingship, and the way in which he dealt with his brief exile on the island. I have focused on this first exile, and not the second on St Helena, because here Napoleon not only maintained a fully-fledged court but also had pretensions to a return from exile. It is true that there are the outward signs of a court in exile on St Helena: Napoleon's insistence upon being addressed as Emperor;1 the establishment of Tuileries etiquette at Longwood, with no admittance to the Emperor except via the Grand Maréchal Bertrand. And we know that there were plans to steal Napoleon away from that island (though not for a return to a rightful throne). But it is only the keeping up of appearances. The Grand Maréchal Bertrand decided to live off-site at Hutt's Gate, choosing when to come to formal dinner. Never does Napoleon describe Longwood as 'my palace'.2 As far as escape is concerned, this seems to have been a chimaera in the minds of his supporters, Napoleon preferring to spend his time writing his way into posterity.3 Indeed, the fallen emperor's manner of dressing on St Helena was an indication that this exile was not really monarchical and emperorship had been set to one side. At Longwood, Napoleon did not wear military uniform as he had done on Elba.KeywordsBread RollImperial CourtFormal DinnerMili…

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