There was an eye to see in this man, and a soul to dare and do. He rose naturally to be King. ALl men saw that he was such. --Thomas Carlyle ARE YOU INTERESTED in the Age of Napoleon? You are not alone - there are thousands of other enthusiasts waiting for you to join them in celebrating this exciting period of history. The Napoleonic Alliance is an educational, academic and social association, with no commercial activities, devoted to the study of Napoleon and the Napoleonic era. Our membership reflects a wide variety of interests; our number includes both admirers and critics of Napoleon and his Empire, avid readers, film buffs, and collectors of everything from military antiques to porcelain souvenirs. Every aspect of the Napoleonic period is covered: the Imperial family, the Emperor's marshals and generals, the courtiers and enemies, the Napoleonic Civil Code, the fine and decorative arts, the fashions and uniforms, and the military campaigns of the period. Distinguished members include direct descendants of the Empire, most notably the present Princes Napoleon and Murat. Many of our members are acknowledged authorities in their fields: Napoleonic educators and scholars, including Donald Horward, Gerry Gallaher, John McErlean, and Robert Brier; distinguished authors such as David Chandler, John Elting, Ben Weider, Scott Bowden, and George Nafziger; and well-known artists and miniaturists like Keith Rocco, Sheperd Paine, Bill Ottinger, Joe Berton and Peter Twist. Of course you need not be an authority to join; most of our members are people from all walks of life who simply enjoy this fascinating historical period. As a member of the NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE, each year you will receive four issues of The Napoleonic Gazette, a magazine featuring historical articles on Napoleonic personalities and events, book reviews, museum descriptions, notices on upcoming events of Napoleonic interest, and anything else that might delight a Napoleonic buff. For example, did you know there are more than fifty Napoleonic Museums in the world, or that there are at least a dozen Napoleonic libraries in the United States open to members of the NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE? The gazette also includes arcane tidbits and unusual anecdotes such as Napoleon's penchant for cheating at cards with his family and friends, taking boyish delight in seeing how outrageous he could be without getting caught? Also included as a benefit of your membership in the NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE is a subscription to Napoleon, a deluxe full-color quarterly journal. Each issue is a cornucopia of articles on the Emperor, and every aspect of his life and times. The enjoyment value of your membership in the NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE extends well beyond simply receiving publications in the mail. As a member you have the opportunity to develop friendships with people of similar interests. In addition to receiving The Napoleonic Gazette, and the quarterly journal Napoleon, there are a number of other activities in which members can participate. Each year the NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE holds a weekend-long conference where our members can meet each other and participate in a series of lectures and seminars covering all aspects of the period, vendor areas which include books, prints, ephemera and militaria, and social events honoring the Emperor and his achievements. Although the presentations at the conferences reflect the latest historical research on the period, each conference is more than just an academic gathering; the location changes each year, and the meeting site is always chosen for its historical and entertainment opportunities. The 1997 conference was held at the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec; in 1998 we enjoyed the pageantry of Colonial Williamsburg. Good fellowship abounds, and the meals reflect the attention to cuisine that is such a significant part of French culture. In addition to our annual conference we hold regional dinners and other informal meetings throughout Canada and the U.S. Recent events have included dinners and programs in Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, and Charleston, SC. At the regional level the NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE also enthusiastically supports museum shows, films, plays, consular receptions, and cultural activities related to the Napoleonic period. Every year we organize a tour of battlefields, museums, and other sites connected with Napoleonic History. During the current bicentennial of the Napoleonic era, these tours will take us to places where the events actually occurred 200 years ago. Recent tours have visited sites significant in Napoleon's early career, following the young general from his birthplace in Corsica, through his early military career in France and Italy. Our 1998 tour celebrated his daring expedition to Egypt and Palestine. As the years unfold, future tours will follow the Emperor's travels through Austria, Italy, Germany, Poland, Russia, England, Elba and even St. Helena, as each in turn plays its part in the Napoleonic saga. Because of our close association with historians and museum directors in Europe, we are often able to visit places that are closed to the public and to get "behind the scenes" looks at museum collections beyond the reach of the casual visitor. Recently, for example, we were given private tours of Malmaison and Versailles; the latter, conducted by the Director General of the Museum, included magnificent Napoleonic rooms that are seen by fewer than a hundred visitors a year. We are especially proud that for the past several years we have been one of the few organizations in the world honored with laying a wreath at the tomb of Napoleon on the anniversary of his death. Whenever the annual tour is in Europe this event is a highlight of our schedule. All this awaits you as a NAPOLEONIC ALLIANCE member. Won't you join us? Back to Table of Contents -- Napoleon #14 Back to Napoleon List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Napoleon LLC. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. The full text and graphics from other military history magazines and gaming magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com Order Napoleon magazine direct