The Consortium on Revolutionary Europe, a scholarly organization that specializes in European history from 1750 to 1850, held its twenty-sixth annual conference 29 February-2 March, 1996. Sponsored by Georgia Southern University in Savannah, the conference had 52 papers and numerous commentaries in 24 sessions.
As always, Napoleonic topics were well represented, including "The Impact of Napoleon Bonaparte on American Opinion and Policy in 1796 and 1797" (Matthew Dawson); "The Failure of the levee en masse in 1814" (Harold Blanton); "The Origins of Napoleon's Methods of Governing: Corsica, Italy, and Malta" (Harold Parker); "Policy and Decay: The Handling of Portugal under Junot" (Charles MacKay); "Prisoners and Writers: Napoleon's British Captives and Their Stories" (David Markham); "Etienne Macdonald: Military Administrator of the Roman Republic, 1798" (Rick Parrish); "Marshal Victor, Governor of Berlin, 1807-1808" (John Weinzierl); "Framing the Discourse: Vivant Denon's Correspondence with Napoleon I on the Fine Arts" (Debra Schrishuhn); "The Creation of the Elting Collection of Napoleonic Uniforms" (Col. John Elting); "Henri Clarke and the Malet Conspiracy" (Everett Dague); "Malet: the Shadow of Impending Disaster" (Proctor Jones); "Bread and Circuses: Napoleonic Electoral Festivals" (Jeff Horn); "Island Hopping with Napoleon" (Raymond Maras); "La traverse' de la Me'diterrane'e par Bonaparte en 1798: un miracle" (Fernand Beaucour); "The Six Day Campaign of 1814" (Jean Lochet); and "The Aftermath of the Six Day Campaign" (Todd Fisher).
A recent development in Napoleonic studies is the thesis that Napoleon was murdered. The principle proponent of this thesis is Ben Weider, President of the International Napoleonic Society, who presented his research to a well-attended special session. Weider's writing has stirred up some considerable controversy, and the discussion after his talk was quite lively (see review of Weider's book in Napoleon #1).
The International Napoleonic Society has created the "Legion of Merit" award for
"outstanding scholarship and dedication to the preservation of Napoleonic History."
The numbered gold medal is made by the same Swiss company that makes the Olympic
medals. During the Consortium meeting, the award was presented to its first four
recipients by International Napoleonic Society President Ben Weider.
Military Innovation was the topic
of another special session. Thomas
Cornell of West Point spoke on
"Wellington and the Military Revolution."
Dr. Donald Horward of the Institute on
Napoleon and the French Revolution
gave an interesting paper on "Napoleonic
Tactics and the Gulf War." Finally, Col.
Stephen Bowman of West Point spoke on
"The U.S. Military Today and Napoleonic
Staff Rides."
A recent development in Napoleonic studies
is the thesis that Napoleon was murdered.
The papers are published in the Consortium's annual Proceedings. The 1995 edition is available for $20.00, postage included. A list of papers and prior year's editions, along with information on the 1997 Consortium, which will be held at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 20-23 February, can be obtained from Martha Keber, Georgia College, PO Box 9561, Savannah, GA 31412 USA.
The Consortium encourages the submission of paper and session proposals.
The deadline for such submissions is 15 October, 1996. For further information and a copy of the submission form, contact John Sevem, Department of History, University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL 35899 USA (phone 205 895-6310; e-mail SevernJ@email UAH.edu).
Florida State University's Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution is the largest single academic organization dedicated to Napoleonic scholarship. The Napoleonic collection at FSU now includes some 15,000 titles For further information on the Institute, contact Don Horward, FSU Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2029.
About the author:
J. David Markham, Vice-President and Editorin-Chief of the Napoleonic Society of America, has written articles in twelve publications world-wide. He is co-editor of one book and has chapters in two others that will be published soon. David is Editor-in-Chief of Napoleonic Scholarship: The Journal of the International Napoleonic Society, and a contributing editor to Napoleon magazine. He is currently organizing a series of international Napoleonic Congresses to be held in Europe.
Three of the four recipients of the I.N.S. Legion of Merit are shown from left to right: 1) Proctor Jones, President of the Napoleonic Society of America, has written a number of articles on Napoleonic topics. His recent book, Napoleon: An Intimate Account of the Years of Supremacy, is widely considered to be one of the most important in recent years, and he is working on an important new work on the years of captivity; 2) David Markham; 3) Ben Weider presenting the awards; 4) Don Horward, Director of the Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution and Napoleonic Society of America Board member. Don has written eight books and 24 papers on Napoleonic history, and has organized many conferences and other programs. Not shown, but also receiving an award was David Chandler, Department of Military History, The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
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© Copyright 1996 by Emperor's Press.
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