Napoleonic Trivia #25 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Grognard
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trooper
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While putting it on one of the leafs fell off, Isabey tried to replace it but was told to desist by Napoleon who then gave it to Isabey as a "reminder of his clumbsiness" That leaf is now the only surviving part as the wreath was destroyed after the restoration. Trooper
trooper
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One at the back apparently. Trooper
Napoleon1er
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Salut Grognard,
As you are the Forum's premier Napoleonic expert ({bravo}}) can you enlighten me on various crowns used by/associated with Napoleon? I mean there is the wreath, then is there one with some cameos, and another that is rather more standard? What happened to them/do they still exist/where are they?
Thanks,
Sandor:salute::
P.S. The reason I have not been as quick to respond to recent trivia is that as a sophomore in high school, I can't respond during the school day (eastern standard time).
As you are the Forum's premier Napoleonic expert ({bravo}}) can you enlighten me on various crowns used by/associated with Napoleon? I mean there is the wreath, then is there one with some cameos, and another that is rather more standard? What happened to them/do they still exist/where are they?
Thanks,
Sandor:salute::
P.S. The reason I have not been as quick to respond to recent trivia is that as a sophomore in high school, I can't respond during the school day (eastern standard time).
trooper
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The wreath as described before was destroyed apart from a single leaf. Napoleon's crown made in 1804 is in the Louvre. Trooper
Grognard
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Not sure we have a winner! The answer I have is that just before the ceremony the golden laurel wreath was found too heavy and Biennais has to remove six leaves. He offered one to each of his daughters...
Besides the roman laurel wreath, Napoléon's crown was a copy of Charlemagne's who was the only French emperor before Napoléon.
Besides the roman laurel wreath, Napoléon's crown was a copy of Charlemagne's who was the only French emperor before Napoléon.
Napoleon1er
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DO we still have those 6 leaves?
Grognard
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I could not find any records on what happened to these leaves afterward...
trooper
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Reference my post regarding the leaf given to Isabey. He had it mounted in a snuff box bearing the following inscription.
"At Saint-Cloud in 1805, before the departure for Milan I was helping the Emperor as he tried on the royal crown which was supposed to go above the gold laurel wreath made for the coronation in Notre -Dame. One of the leaves fell off. Just as I was about to hand it to the head Chamberlain, his Majesty said to me; "Keep it; it will make a good souvenir of you clumsiness.""
The leaf and snuff box are now in the Musee de Fontainebleau. Trooper
trooper
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Reading back through the entire post it now seems obvious that we are refering to two seperate incidents. The deliberate removal of six leafs before the coronation, and the later accident with Isabey. So it would seem that overall seven leafs came off the wreath which was originally composed of 44 large leafs, 42 detachable berries, and 12 smaller leafs all set on an oval band. Trooper