[NAPOLEON] BERTRAND HENRI GATIEN & MONTHOLON CHARLES TRISTAN: An exceptional archive of seven letters of historical content, being original manuscript copies of the letters written to Empress Marie Louise of Austria and to Prince Metternich, in Vienna, by Generals Bertrand and Montholon in their capacity as executors of Napoleon´s will. All the letters are written in the months following Napoleon´s death at Saint Helena and report on the Emperor´s last will and his last instructions to his loyal Generals. The archive comprises one A.L., by Montholon, two pages, folio, London, 7th July 1821, to Empress Marie Louise; one A.L.S. by Bertrand `Le C.te Bertrand´, also signed by Montholon `Le Cte de Montholon´, one page, 4to, Paris, 10th February 1822, to Empress Marie Louise; one L.S. by Bertrand, two pages, folio, 12th May 1822, to Empress Marie Louise; one A.L., by General Bertrand, two pages, folio, to Prince Metternich; one A.L., by General Bertrand, one page, folio, Paris, 16th May 1822, to Empress Marie Louise; one A.L., by General Bertrand, two pages, folio, Paris, 18th May 1822, to Empress Marie Louise; and one A.L., by General Bertrand, three pages, Paris 18th May 1822, to Prince Metternich, also adding at the base of the letter an eight lines autograph note, dated Paris, 24th May 1822, addressed to an Ambassador. Henri Gatien Bertrand (1773-1844) French General. Count Bertrand and Grand Marshal of the Palace. Bertrand was aide-de-camp to Napoleon I and the closest officer to the Emperor who had full confidence in him. He served during the expedition to Egypt and the Battles of Austerlitz, Wagram, Leipzig and Waterloo and accompanied Napoleon I to Elba in 1814 and to Saint Helena in 1815. Bertrand was condemned to death in 1816 but did not return to France until Napoleon´s death when King Louis XVIII granted his amnesty. In 1840 Bertrand went to Saint Helena to bring Napoleon´s remains to France; & Charles Tristan, Marquis de Montholon (1783-1853) French General during the Napoleonic Wars. He chose to go into exile on Saint Helena with Napoleon I after the Emperor´s second abdication. Napoleon dictated to Montholon the notes on his career, a trustworthy commentary on the events of the first part of his life. 1-To the first letter in the hand of Montholon, he states in part `Doctor Antommarchi qui aura l´honneur de remettre cette letter à V.M. a soigné l´Empereur V. auguste époux dans la maladie à laquelle il a succombé. Dans les derniers moments l´Empereur nous a chargé de faire connaitre a V.M. qu´il la priait de faire payer Mr. Antommarchi une pension de 6000 fr comme recompense de ses services a St. Hélene´ ("Doctor Antommarchi who will have the honour to deliver this letter to Y.M. has looked after the Emperor Y. August husband in the disease to which he succumbed. In his last moments the Emperor asked us to inform Y.M., asking you to make pay to Mr. Antommarchi a pension of 6000 fr as a reward for his services to St. Helene.") further referring to another pension in favour of Abbot Vignali. 2-To the autograph letter signed by Bertrand and also signed by Montholon, they state in part `Madame, Chargés par l´Empereur Napoleon de l´Execution de ses dernieres volontés. Nous avons l´honneur de vous transmettre un extrait de ses dernieres dispositions. Jusqu´à present nous n´avons pas pu en donner commission a Votre Majesté, parce que nous n´avions pas de moyen certain de lui faire parvenir une lettre. Nous sommes chargés de remettre au Prince votre fils à Sa majorité divers objets qui ont été à l´Empereur.´ ("Madam, Charged by the Emperor Napoleon with the task of Execution of his last will, we have the honour to send you an extract of his last provisions. So far we have not been able to give these letters to Your Majesty, because we did not have a secure way to do so. We are responsible for handing over to the Prince your son when he will become adult various objects of the Emperor.") 3-To the third letter, Bertrand explains few important matters to the Empress, stating in part `D´apres le Code Civil des Lois Françaises, un pere ne peut disposer que de la moitié de ses biens lorsqu´en mourant il laisse un fils; mais ces lois qui régissent les particuliers, ne furent point applicables au Souverain don't les domaines étaient gouvernés par des lois spéciales. Ce n´est pas a la Veuve et au fils de l´Empereur Napoleon qu´il est nécessaire de dire que pour avoir perdu son trone il n´était pas cependant devenu un simple particulier; il y a dans la pourpre et dans l´onction sainte et sacrée, des caractères qui ne s´éffacent jamais´ ("According to the Civil Code of French Laws, a father can only dispose of half of his property when he dies and leaves a son; but these laws which govern individuals, were not applicable to the Sovereign since the domains were governed by special laws. It is not to the Widow and to the son of the Emperor Napoleon that it is necessary to say that for having lost his throne he had not, however, become a private individual; there are in the purple and in the holy and sacred unction, characters that never fade") further pointing out the real situation and value of the legacy, stating in part `V.M. pensera sans doute comme feu l´Empereur son époux qu´après avoir commandé à l´univers et dispose de tant de trésors, ce n´était pas un heritage de quelques millions, qui fut bien précieux pour son fils… Supplier V.M. d´observer que la somme que feu l´Empereur a légué excedent beaucoup celles qui se trouvent disponibles..´ ("Y.M. will undoubtedly think like the late Emperor Your husband that after having commanded the universe and having obtained so many treasures, it was not an inheritance of a few million, which was very precious for his son… We beg you to observe that the sum that the late Emperor bequeathed greatly exceeds what is available…") 4-To the fourth letter, Bertrand kindly requests Prince Metternich´s help to deliver a letter to the Empress and expects his support to facilitate the execution of Napoleon´s will. 5-To the fifth letter, Bertrand states `Le plus illustre des captifs don't l´histoire puisse jamais faire mention, le genie immortel qui joignit a la gloire d´imposer silence a l´Europe pendant un quart de siècle….. exprima dans les derniers jours de sa vie le désir que sa dépouille mortelle fut transportée dans un coin de la France; Ses exécuteurs testamentaires avant de quitter Londres addresserent au Roi Georges IV une requête a l´effet d´obtenir l´accomplissement de ces voeux de feu L´empereur Napoleon…´ ("The most illustrious of the captives that history can ever mention, the immortal genius who joined the glory of imposing silence on Europe for a quarter of a century… expressed in the last days of his life the desire that his remains were taken to France; His will executors before leaving London addressed to King George IV a request for the fulfilment of these wishes of the late Emperor Napoleon...") 6-To the sixth letter, Bertrand reminds and claims his family rights on a Duchy according to the Emperor´s decisions, referring to the Treaty of Fontainebleau and to Napoleon´s last will and codicil.OWING TO LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE SALEROOM THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED HERE. Please contact us directly for further information.
![[MOROCCO]: MATRA JAMES: (1746-1806) American Sailor and Diplomat who had accompanied James Cook on his voyage to Botany Bay i](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/ce7d8d81-6c8c-4c2c-99d1-ae5800fe9415/58e3e2ba-44a8-446e-addf-ae5b00daf0ff/468x382.jpg)
![[NAPOLEON] BERTRAND HENRI GATIEN & MONTHOLON CHARLES TRISTAN: An exceptional archive of seven letters of historical content,](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/ce7d8d81-6c8c-4c2c-99d1-ae5800fe9415/cfc7a100-8996-4dc3-824c-ae5b00d9826d/468x382.jpg)
