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Websites This website contains links to other websites which are not under the control of and are not maintained by Channel 4 Television. Channel 4 Television is not responsible for the content of these sites and does not necessarily endorse the material on them. The Regency Collection http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/%7Eawoodley/Regency.html Excellent comprehensive site with first-hand accounts from veterans and civilians, quotes from diarists, book reviews plus information on women's rights, the role of servants and all things military. The Napoleon Foundation (Paris) www.napoleon.org Bilingual site with articles, downloadable screen saver, jigsaws, web postcards and an extensive filmography. Also has a good search facility. Napoleon Bonaparte Internet Guide www.napoleonbonaparte.nl/ With articles on the French revolution, Nelson, Napoleon, newspaper cuttings from the era and a forum. Napoleon Series www.napoleon-series.org/index.html Contains a reference library and information on battles and the military, biographies, fiction, games and rules, and memoirs. Napoleonic Guide www.napoleonguide.com Has information on all aspects of warfare, the Napoleonic era and Napoleon the man, with films and wargames. Broadside www.nelsonsnavy.co.uk Documents life in the Royal Navy in the late 18th and early 19th century, the time of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Contains eye-witness accounts and documents conditions aboard the ships. The War Times Journal Archives http://wtj.com/archives/ Contains archive orders and dispatches by Napoleon, Nelson, Wellington and Davout, memoirs by Macdonald and Savary as well as related articles and games. Napoleonic Medals www.napoleonicmedals.org Online collectibles such as medals and coins plus a nice selection of prints from the period. Napoleon Bonaparte Internet Guide http://come.to/napoleon Gateway site with links and articles. Napoleonic Literature http://napoleonic-literature.com Electronic books, excellent bibliography and history sections. French Revolution Homepage www.geocities.com/thefrenchrevolution/ Good online articles and information on the politics and people of that era including Marie Antoinette and Dr Guillotin, the inventor of the guillotine. Women in the French Revolution www.tcr.org/tcr/essays/CB_Women-French_Rev.pdf Well-written academic article about the Parisian women's movement in Revolutionary France. Games Warzone www.war-zone.com/wargame Wargamer's webring links wargaming webpages together into a community, with over 700 member sites. Old Trousers: Rules for Warfare in the Horse & Musket Era http://web1.greatbasin.net/~johnkelly/ Fast-playing set of battalion level rules covering the Napoleonic wars with tips on tactical and operational warfare. Download is free. Napoleon Wargames www.napoleonguide.com/wargames.htm Can download computer games relating to the Napoleonic era. Books The Soldiers' Accounts The Recollections of Rifleman Harris: As told to Henry Curling by Christopher Hibbert (Windrush Press, 2000) £9.99 A classic and harrowing recollection of the Peninsular War period. Adventures With the Connaught Rangers 1809-1814 by William Grattan (Greenhill Books, 2000) £18.50 One of the most graphic and picturesque for details of actual combat. The Autobiography of Sir Harry Smith 1787-1819 by Philip Haythornwaite (Constable & Co., 1999) £16.99 Written, by his own admission, in the same way he lived his life, at a gallop. This covers his military life as an officer in the 95th Regiment, from his first disastrous expedition to South America when he was still a teenager through his years campaigning in the Peninsular War(1808-1814), Waterloo and the occupation of France. Adventures in the Rifle Brigade by John Kincaid (Pen & Sword Books/Leo Cooper, 1997) £16.95 The real-life memoirs of the man who inspired the famous Sharpe novels and films. The text is informative and perceptive, containing hard fact mixed with humour, and a vivid portrayal of battle in the Napoleonic Wars with one of the most famous regiments in the British army. Letters of Private Wheeler 1809 - 1828 by B H Liddell Hart (Windrush, 1993) £16.99 A collection of letters which Private Wheeler sent to his family, peppered with incidents and moving references to life in the Peninsular War. Journal of the Waterloo Campaign Kept Throughout the Campaign of 1815 by Cavalie Mercer (Da Capo Press, 1995) £13.50 A classic work on the horrors of Waterloo and the nature of Napoleonic warfare. The battle scenes reveal the incredible suffering of men and horses and give a feel for the reality of war. Captain, later General, Mercer, kept this journal while commanding the G Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The Diary of a Cavalry Officer 1809-1815 by William Lt Col Tomkinson (Spellmount, 1999) £24.95 A detailed record of the Peninsular and Waterloo campaigns that looks at the difficulties of camp life, including Lord Wellington's working day from 6am until midnight and his infamous mood swings. He pulls no punches about the atrocities committed by all sides, or in his vivid descriptions of the wounded left on the fields of Waterloo. The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier by Jakob Walter (Windrush, 1997) £9.99 Walter was a young German stonemason, caught in the conscription net, who marched with the Corsican usurper's foreign legions on three campaigns, including the disastrous invasion of Russia, between 1806 and 1813. Women Following the Drum: Women in Wellington's wars by FCG Page (André Deutsch, 1986) £9.95 Few written accounts of women who followed their men on campaigns exist; this collection documents their lives. The Capel Letters 1814-1817 by the Marquess of Anglesey (Jonathon Cape, 1955). Out of print. Lady Caroline Capel and her adult daughters had moved to Brussels in 1814 to escape her husband's debtors. She was pregnant with her 13th child, her baby due sometime in June, and her brother Lord Uxbridge (later the Marquess of Anglesey) was one of Wellington's leading commanders. Her letters and those of her children provide an excellent source of information from a female, civilian perspective. The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft by Claire Tomalin (Penguin, 1992) £9.99 One of the most controversial figures of her day, she travelled to revolutionary France and lived through the terror and destruction of the incipient French feminist movement, produced an illegitimate daughter and married William Godwin before dying in childbirth at the age of 38. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft (Everyman's Library, 1992) £8.99 First published in 1792, this book was written in a spirit of outrage and enthusiasm. In an age of ferment, following the American and French revolutions, Mary Wollstonecraft took prevailing egalitarian principles and dared to apply them to women. Her book is both a sustained argument for emancipation and an attack on a social and economic system. Out of the Shadows: Women and Politics in the French Revolution 1789-95 by Shirley Elson Roessler (Peter Lang Publishers, 1996). US edition only; available through online bookshops. One of the few books that looks at the role of women during this period. Rebellious Hearts: British Women Writers and the French Revolution by Adriana Craciun & Kari Lokke (New York Press, June 2001) £14.99 Examines the full spectrum of women's participation in the social, economic, religious, and poetic debates surrounding the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. The Campaigns Waterloo: A Near Run Thing by David Howarth (Windrush Press, 1997) £12.99 Contains numerous eye-witness accounts, diaries and letters that describe life on the battlefield of Waterloo. Cowards at Waterloo? A re-examination of Bijlandt's Dutch-Belgian Brigade in the Campaign of 1815 by Matt Delamater (Napoleon Journal No.16, Stackpole Books, 2001). US edition only; available through online bookshops. Tackles accusations of cowardice regarding the performance of the Dutch-Belgian troops serving under the Duke of Wellington. The Peninsular and Waterloo Campaigns by Edward Costello (Longman, 1967). Out of print. Edward Costello was a soldier in the 95th Rifles. These are his memoirs. Borodino 1812 Revisiting Napoleon's Bloodiest Day by Matt Delamater (Napoleon Journal No.14, Stackpole Books, 2001). US edition only; available through online bookshops. Looks at the battle of Borodino, the largest single-day battle of the Napoleonic Wars, involving nearly 250,000 soldiers for both sides. Trafalgar: The Nelson Touch by David Howarth (Windrush Press,1997) £10.99 Records the Battle of Trafalgar through the eyes of the men who experienced it. Biographies Napoleon Napoleon by Vincent Cronin (Fontana, 1990) £9.99 Biography that takes a look at the intimate life and anecdotes of Napoleon as well as the battles and the politics. Mind of Napoleon edited by J Christopher Herold (Columbia University Press, 1961) £18 A selection of Napoleon's written and spoken words, he tells us what existence taught him about men, love, war, politics and God. The Military Maxims of Napoleon by William E Cairnes & David G Chandler (Da Capo Press, 1995). US edition only; available through online bookshops. A good read for anyone interested in military history or power politics. Chandler updates the edition of Napoleon's maxims produced in 1901 by Cairnes. The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte by Robert B Asprey (Little Brown, 2000) £25 Seeks to present Napoleon's life within the appropriate military context. Assassination at St Helena Revisited by Ben Weider, Sten Forshufvud (John Wiley & Sons, 1995) £21.50 The manner of Napoleon's death during his exile on St Helena is a matter of controversial debate. This study draws upon Napoleonic history and scientific evidence to claim that Napoleon was murdered. It goes on to establish who orchestrated and financed Napoleon's assassination. Anatomy of Glory: Napoleon and his Guard: A study in leadership by Henry Lachouque, Anne SK Brown and John R Elting (Greenhill Books, 1997) £35 Traces the Guard from its inception during the Revolution, its emergence as the Guard of the Consuls, and into its final evolution in 1804 as the Imperial Guard. Offers a good analysis of leadership style as practised by Napoleon. One Hundred Days: Napoleon's Road to Waterloo by Alan Schom (Penguin, 1994) £11 A definitive account of Napoleon's escape from Elba, return to power, and defeat at Waterloo, offering portraits of the many fascinating personalities surrounding him. Although Napoleon was perceived as a despot, Schom argues his military skills were exceptional, and he may have carried off a victory on the Belgian fields if his underlings hadn't bungled their duties. The Fall of Napoleon: The final betrayal by David Hamilton-Williams (John Wiley & Sons, 1996). US edition only; available through online bookshops. Offers an account of the causes of the emperor's decline, shedding new historical light on the well-organised deceit and betrayal that riddled Napoleon's military and political campaigns. Dreams of Empire: Napoleon and the First World War 1792-1814 by Paul Fregosi (Carol Publishing Group, 1996). US edition only; available through online bookshops. Provides some surprising revelations and sheds important light on the fact that Napoleon's dreams of world domination were frighteningly close to becoming reality. Napoleon and Josephine: An improbable marriage by Evangeline Bruce (Phoenix, 1996) £9.99 Drawn from previously censored correspondence and intimate journals, this provides a colourful portrait of the flamboyant French emperor, his sensual Creole wife, and the turbulent social, political and cultural world in which they lived. Campaigns of Napoleon: The mind and method of history's greatest soldier by David Chandler (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1967) £40 An exhaustive analysis and critique of Napoleon's art of war as he himself developed and perfected it in the major military campaigns of his career. Other Biographies Josephine : A life of the Empress by Carolly Erickson (Robsons Books, 1999) £17.95 This biography focuses at length on Josephine's psychology and personal life, with luscious descriptions of the period's clothes, food, and amusements. Nelson: The immortal memory by Stephen Howarth & David Howarth (Brassey's Conway Maritime, 1997) £12.99 Biography of Lord Nelson, recording his many failures and successes which, the author argues, he achieved by preparation, inspiration of others and bold personal example. Nelson Speaks: Admiral Lord Nelson in his own words by Joseph F Callo & Horatio Nelson (Naval Institute Press, 2001) £18 Contains the correspondence and military papers of Nelson. Wellington at Waterloo by Jac Weller (Greenhill Books, 1998) £12.95 Account of one of the world's most famous battles, the armies of the period are brought to life and the battles recreated from the viewpoint of both Wellington and Napoleon. Wellington: A Personal History by Christopher Hibbert (Harper Collins, 1998) £9.99 With an introduction to British history of the early 1800s, this takes a look at the conflict between Wellington's public and private lives, documenting his controversial support for Catholic emancipation in Ireland. The French Revolution The French Revolution by Georges Lefebvre (Routledge, May 2001) £9.99 A narrative of events in France and across Europe is combined with insights into the underlying forces that created the dynamics of the revolution, as well as the personalities responsible for day-to-day decisions during this momentous period. Britain in the Age of the French Revolution 1785-1820 by Jennifer Mori (Longman, 2000) £17.99 Examines the impact of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic aftermath on Britain and explores the revolutionary and democratic ideas, theories and philosophies of the period. Also looks at the state, society and institutions of the period and reviews the attitudes of pragmatism and nationalism. Britain and the French Revolution by Clive Emsley (Longman, 2000) £9.99 Provides an introduction to the impact of the French Revolution on Britain and discusses the works of Burke, Paine, Spence and Mary Wollstonecraft. Also looks at the causes and course of Britain's war with revolutionary France and the effects of the war on the home front, most notably the recurrent, serious food shortages. The Religious Origins of the French Revolution by Dale K Van Kley (Yale, 2000) £12.95 Although the French Revolution is associated with efforts to de-Christianise the French state, it actually had religious, even Christian, origins, claims this text. Looking back at the centuries preceding the revolution, it explores the religious strands that influenced political events. Glory and Dread: Seven deaths under the French Revolution by Charlotte Mandell & Antoine de Baecque (Routledge, July 2001) £18.99 History of the darker side of the French Revolution. Among the seven real-life cases on which the author focuses are the public autopsy performed on the corpse of Mirabeau; the exhumation and transportation of Voltaire's body to the Pantheon; the public torture, murder and subsequent mutilation of the Princesse de Lamballe; and the agonisingly slow death of Robespierre. Films Wild Flower (Fiorile) (1994) Directed by Paolo Taviani. An epic story of intrigue and romance from the Taviani brothers focusing on the Benedettis, a family in Tuscany cursed when an ancestor stole coins which belonged to one of Napoleon's regiments. Against the backdrop of sweeping social and political changes, the effects this act has on the family are portrayed. Colonel Chabert (1994) Directed by Yves Angelo. Ten years after being wounded in the devastating 1807 Battle of Eylau, army officer Depardieu returns to Paris in the hopes of continuing his life. However, when he discovers that his wife has claimed his fortune, remarried, and fails to recognise him as her former husband, he hires a dynamic lawyer to seek justice. Fanny Ardant co-stars in this adaptation of Honoré de Balzac's novel. The Duellists (1977) Directed by Ridley Scott. Ridley Scott's directorial debut adapts Joseph Conrad's story of two officers in Napoleon's army who carry on a fierce and increasingly brutal series of duels that span two decades. Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine are the bound-by-honour rivals. Love and Death (1975) Directed by Woody Allen. Woody Allen takes playful pokes at 19th-century Russian literature and Ingmar Bergman movies with his satire about an unlikely war hero (Allen) who hopes to bring about an end to the Napoleonic Wars by assassinating the Little Corporal in Moscow. A Bequest to the Nation (1973) Directed by James Cellan Jones. Looks at the relationship between Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton, played by Peter Finch and Glenda Jackson. Eagle in a Cage (1971) Directed by Fielder Cook. An inventive historical drama focusing on Napoleon's early days in exile on St Helena. British envoy Lord Sissal approaches 'the Little Corporal', offering to help him escape from prison if he agrees to help organise an attack on Prussia. John Gielgud and Billie Whitelaw star. Waterloo (1970) Directed by Sergei Bondarchuk. After defeating France and imprisoning Napoleon on Elba, ending two decades of war, Europe is shocked to find Napoleon has escaped and has caused the French Army to defect from the king back to him. The best of the British generals, Arthur Welsley, was victorious in Spain, but has never faced Napoleon. The two meet at Waterloo where the fate of Europe will be decided. Damn the Defiant! (1962) Directed by Lewis Gilbert. Masterful maritime saga stars Alec Guinness as a beleaguered ship's commander in the Napoleonic Wars who must deal with the treachery of his seconds, Dirk Bogarde and Anthony Quayle, as well as the advance of the French Armada. The Battle of Austerlitz (1959) Directed by Abel Gance. Focuses on the decisive 1805 conflict between French forces and the armies of Austria and Russia. Napoleon (1955) Directed by Sacha Guitry. Orson Welles stars in this action-packed biographical drama that follows Napoleon from his early rise to power in revolutionary France to his last days on Elba. Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) Directed by Raoul Walsh. Thrilling adventure saga starring Gregory Peck as a British naval officer caught in the crossfire between the Spanish, the French and a Central American dictator during the Napoleonic Wars. The Elusive Pimpernel (1950) Directed by Michael Powell. David Niven dons the cape to fight France's Reign of Terror in a lavish retelling of the classic saga of the Scarlet Pimpernel. That Hamilton Woman (1941) Directed by Alexander Korda. Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in the story of the ill-fated romance of Admiral Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton. La Marseillaise (1937) Directed by Jean Renoir. Incredible spectacle by Jean Renoir that lavishly documents the French Revolution from the summer of 1789 to the final collapse of Louis XVI's monarchy. A vivid re-creation of a turning point in world history from one of cinema's grand masters. Conquest (1937) Directed by Clarence Brown. Epic historical drama starring Charles Boyer as Napoleon and Greta Garbo as a Polish countess who has an affair with the French general. Lavishly produced and filled with superb performances. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) Directed by Harold Young. Leslie Howard is the foppish English nobleman who leads a double life, and, as the Scarlet Pimpernel, rescues victims of the French Revolution from the guillotine, in this classic screen swashbuckler. |
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