Napoleon's Libraries
He took portable libraries to war and in exile.
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE was a voracious reader. He had many personal librarians, he always travelled with books, and he took a great interest in constructing the ultimate portable library to accompany him on his military campaigns.1
In 1807 Napoleon engaged Antoine-Alexander Barbier as his personal librarian. Barbier was a world-famous bibliographer who succeeded in rescuing hundreds of thousands of books and manuscripts that had been confiscated during the French revolution.
Barbier served Napoleon by forming his last two libraries, his collections of exile—first on Elba, then St. Helena.2
In 1821, when Napoleon died on St. Helena his library consisted of 1,814 volumes, 1,226 of which had been shipped from England. Some went to his family, some were taken by companions. The remainder were purchased by the bookseller Bossange and Co., which organized an auction by Sotheby’s in London on July 23, 1823. 3
NAPOLEON I, Emperor of the French (1769-1821) -- Samuel SOTHEBY (1771-1842). A catalogue of the library of the late Emperor Napoleon, removed from the Island of St. Helena, by order of his Majesty's Government. Which will be sold by auction on Wednesday, the 23rd of July. London: J. Compton for Sotheby, 1823.
Selin, Shannon (2015). “Bonaparte the Bookworm.” Military History Now. (April 15).
A. Dobi. 1974. “For the Emperor-Bibliophile, Only the Very Best.” Wilson Library Bulletin 49 (November): 229–33.
Ibid, Selin.
Amazing. He wasn't busy enough trying to beat the world into submission, and had spare time to read and drag a library along with him.
Interesting! I did not know that Napolean was a bookworm. Always learn something new with your substack, Dr McCook!