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185 - BEAUHARNAIS (EUGENE DE). Autograph letter signed "Eugène Nap…
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Estimate €600 - €800
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BEAUHARNAIS (EUGENE DE). Autograph letter signed "Eugène Napoléon" to King Maximilien I of Bavaria. Palais de Monza [north of Milan], 8 August [1813]. 2 pp. in-4 on a bifeuillet watermarked with the imperial eagle and the effigy of Napoleon I on gilt Johannot wove paper. "My father-in-law, I am driving up at the moment to go to Udine where the whole army is meeting the day after tomorrow. I am impatiently awaiting news from the places where world affairs are decided, and I will be obliged to you to give me some when you have any interesting news. WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF THE BAVARIA IN TERMS OF AUSTRIAN TROOPS? I am told of a camp at Lintz and another at Rotenmann [two Austrian towns]; the latter seems to be destined for Salzburg or rather Tirol. In the event of war, please tell me what direction your troops would take. The Salzburg point seems very interesting to me. I will have Archduke Jean in front of me. He is expected at Marburg; all their troops, including the frontier regiments, hardly amount to anything more than forty thousand men and 150 cannon. They are forming camps at Marburg, Pettau and Warajdin [now Maribor and Ptuj in Slovenia, and Varaždin in Croatia]. I renew to you, my father-in-law, the assurance of my inviolable and respectful attachment, your most devoted son... My respects to the Queen. THE EMPIRE UNDER SIEGE AND THE VICEROYALTY OF ITALY FACED WITH THE AUSTRIANS. After the retreat from Russia, the Allies converged on the Empire: Napoleon faced the Prussians and Russians in the north, relying on Prince Eugène, Viceroy of Italy, to stop the Austrians in the south. With the armistice signed at Pleiswitz due to expire on 10 August, military operations were soon to resume: Prince Eugène concentrated his troops in Udine, in the extreme north-east of Italy, to be in a position to counter an Austrian offensive. Prince Eugene would make every effort to repel and then delay the Austrian advance, only giving up when all was lost - he left power in April 1814. LETTER WRITTEN TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE REVERSAL OF BAVARIA'S ALLIANCE. Bordering on Austria, Bavaria was a historic ally of Napoleonic France: it owed its elevation to the rank of kingdom to the latter, and Prince Eugène, the adopted son of Napoleon I, had married a daughter of King Maximilian I. However, as the French alliance became increasingly burdensome (in terms of financial and human costs) and the birth of the King of Rome meant that the succession to the Empire was no longer in the hands of Eugène's children, Maximilian I finally agreed to join the allies by signing the Treaty of Ried on 8 October 1813. He would, however, continue to protect his son-in-law and welcome him to Munich. Attached is a copper-engraved portrait of Prince Eugène (foxing).
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About the sale The Empire at Fontainebleau - Second day
Auction location
Auction time 06/21/2026 at 10:30 AM
Pictures credits:
Michel Bury and Henri du Cray
See original version (French)
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