French domains of St Helena
Encyclopedia
The French domains of Saint-Helena are a French territory of 14 hectares (that is 0.14 km²) on the island of Saint Helena
. Three French properties are under the administration of the French Foreign Ministry which undertakes their management and maintenance. These consist of :
These places are connected with the exile of Napoleon I
in Saint Helena
. They house a museum and displays on the life of the Emperor. Buildings have been restored as closely as possible to the state that they had in the Napoleonic period. They welcome from six to eight thousand visitors annually.
The museum is financed by the Napoleon foundation and the buildings are maintained by the French Foreign Ministry.
Since 2004, the French possessions in Saint Helena have been administratively under the consulate of France
in Cape Town
. They are administered locally by a curator who is also honorary consul of France.
, Napoleon was exiled and deported by the British to the island of Saint Helena, where he landed in 1815. Napoleon's arrival occasioned a increase of the population of the island: near soldiers and 500 sailors of the war flotilla, as well as the officials of the British government, accompanied by their families, not forgetting the small French colony which lived in the circle of acquaintances of Napoleon Ier. Furthermore, the British
, being afraid of a landing of French sailors to free the prisoner as at Elba
, claimed Ascension Island
- up to then uninhabited - to establish a naval garrison there.
Napoleon died on 5 May 1821. The next day, the governor of the island, Sir Hudson Lowe
, although in perpetual conflict with his former prisoner, personally came to make sure of his death and declared then to his circle of acquaintances: He was England’s greatest enemy, and mine too, but I forgive him everything. On the death of a great man like him, we should feel only deep concern and regret.
According to his last wishes, Napoleon was interred on 9 May near a spring, in the valley of the Geranium, called since "valley of the Grave ". In 27 May, all the French colony left the island. Nineteen years after Napoleon's death, King Louis-Philippe was able to obtain from the United Kingdom
the return of remains of the ex-emperor. The exhumation of Napoleon's body took place on 15 October 1840, then he was repatriated tn France and interred in the Invalides, in Paris
.
From 1854, the Emperor Napoleon III negotiated with the British government the purchase of Longwood House and of the valley of the Grave, which became French properties in 1858, under the name of "French Domains of Saint-Helena" and managed since by the French Foreign Ministry. The small pavilion Briars, the emperor's first house on the island, was added to the domain in 1959, when its last owner donated it to France.
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
. Three French properties are under the administration of the French Foreign Ministry which undertakes their management and maintenance. These consist of :
- Longwood HouseLongwood HouseLongwood House was the residence of Napoleon I during his exile on the island of Saint Helena, from 10 December 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821. It is situated on a windswept plain some from Jamestown. Formerly the summer residence of the Lieutenant Governor, it was converted for the use of...
- the small pavilion Briars
- Valley of the Tomb
These places are connected with the exile of Napoleon I
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
in Saint Helena
Saint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
. They house a museum and displays on the life of the Emperor. Buildings have been restored as closely as possible to the state that they had in the Napoleonic period. They welcome from six to eight thousand visitors annually.
The museum is financed by the Napoleon foundation and the buildings are maintained by the French Foreign Ministry.
Since 2004, the French possessions in Saint Helena have been administratively under the consulate of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. They are administered locally by a curator who is also honorary consul of France.
The detention of Napoleon I
Following his defeat at WaterlooBattle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, Napoleon was exiled and deported by the British to the island of Saint Helena, where he landed in 1815. Napoleon's arrival occasioned a increase of the population of the island: near soldiers and 500 sailors of the war flotilla, as well as the officials of the British government, accompanied by their families, not forgetting the small French colony which lived in the circle of acquaintances of Napoleon Ier. Furthermore, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, being afraid of a landing of French sailors to free the prisoner as at Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
, claimed Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
- up to then uninhabited - to establish a naval garrison there.
Napoleon died on 5 May 1821. The next day, the governor of the island, Sir Hudson Lowe
Hudson Lowe
Sir Hudson Lowe KCB, GCMG was an Anglo-Irish soldier and colonial administrator who is best known for his time as Governor of St Helena where he was the "gaoler" of Napoleon Bonaparte.-Early life and career:...
, although in perpetual conflict with his former prisoner, personally came to make sure of his death and declared then to his circle of acquaintances: He was England’s greatest enemy, and mine too, but I forgive him everything. On the death of a great man like him, we should feel only deep concern and regret.
According to his last wishes, Napoleon was interred on 9 May near a spring, in the valley of the Geranium, called since "valley of the Grave ". In 27 May, all the French colony left the island. Nineteen years after Napoleon's death, King Louis-Philippe was able to obtain from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
the return of remains of the ex-emperor. The exhumation of Napoleon's body took place on 15 October 1840, then he was repatriated tn France and interred in the Invalides, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
From 1854, the Emperor Napoleon III negotiated with the British government the purchase of Longwood House and of the valley of the Grave, which became French properties in 1858, under the name of "French Domains of Saint-Helena" and managed since by the French Foreign Ministry. The small pavilion Briars, the emperor's first house on the island, was added to the domain in 1959, when its last owner donated it to France.