A 19th-Century Spanish Christmas - Shannon Selin
American traveller Caroline Cushing provided the following description of a Spanish Christmas in Madrid in 1829.| Shannon Selin
American traveller Caroline Cushing provided the following description of a Spanish Christmas in Madrid in 1829.| Shannon Selin
New Year’s Day was a bigger celebration than Christmas in 19th-century France.| Shannon Selin
Many Bonapartists fled to the United States after Napoleon’s 1815 defeat. What did Americans think of the French exiles in their midst?| Shannon Selin
What began as a New England tradition gradually spread to other states, although not without resistance.| Shannon Selin
New Year’s Day in Paris in the 1800s| Shannon Selin
Latest book: Napoleon in America| Shannon Selin
Latest book: Napoleon in America| Shannon Selin
Sweetbreads, Sweetmeats and Bonaparte’s Ribs| Shannon Selin
Latest book: Napoleon in America| Shannon Selin
Latest book: Napoleon in America| Shannon Selin
General Louis Vallin, A Man for All Masters| Shannon Selin
In 1822, John Quincy and Louisa Adams marked their 25th anniversary.| Shannon Selin
Although John C. Calhoun has often been judged harshly. he had a long, complex and accomplished political career, and was an effective US war secretary.| Shannon Selin
Latest book: Napoleon in America| Shannon Selin
In 1818, future first lady Louisa Adams wrote to her father-in-law, John Adams: “How much practice…is required to receive company well, and how much the greatest talents are obscured by that want of ease and small talk which, though in itself trifling, always produces the happy effect of socializing a company and by insensible degrees warming it into brilliancy and solidity. This is one of those arts that everybody feels, but few understand, and is altogether inexplicable.” As Louisa kn...| Shannon Selin
Was Napoleon good at billiards?| Shannon Selin
Christmas Eve traditions in 19th century Pennsylvania included shopping, merry-making, and a visit from ‘Bellschniggle,’ Christkindle or St. Nicholas.| Shannon Selin
A selection of newspaper extracts to give you the flavour of an early 19th century Christmas, including some puzzles to amuse you during the holidays.| Shannon Selin
While Napoleon did nothing special for his first Christmas in exile on St. Helena in 1815, the British cheered themselves with a recipe for Bonypart pie.| Shannon Selin
The grand couvert was a ceremony in which French royalty dined in front of members of the public. Napoleon re-introduced the ritual when he became Emperor.| Shannon Selin
British parents and teachers used Napoleon Bonaparte as a threat to scare children into good behaviour during the Napoleonic Wars.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon Bonaparte had two wives: Josephine and Marie Louise. Here's what they thought of each other.| Shannon Selin
The Tuileries Palace in Paris was a favourite residence of both Napoleon I and Louis XVIII. Sadly, this magnificent palace no longer exists.| Shannon Selin
Fancy a royal wedding? Napoleon Bonaparte and his second wife Marie Louise had three of them: a marriage by proxy, a civil wedding and a religious wedding. Here’s a look at the festivities.| Shannon Selin
Glimpses of Christmas celebrations in early 19th-century Mexico| Shannon Selin
Napoleon saw no separation between church and state.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon was not known for his sportsmanship. Billiards was one of the most popular games in late 18th-early 19thC France. How was Napoleon at billiards?| Shannon Selin
Celebrating Christmas in Vienna in 1836| Shannon Selin
What did people find funny 200 years ago?| Shannon Selin
Christmas gift ideas in the 19th century ranged from "a well-chosen book" to "elegant preparations for the toilet" to bread, bullocks, and coal.| Shannon Selin
Would you rather eat sweetbread or sweetmeat?| Shannon Selin
Small talk does not always come naturally, as First Lady Louisa Adams knew.| Shannon Selin
The Wellington Door Knocker was invented by London ironmonger David Bray in 1814. Door knockers were a common feature of 19th-century life, until replaced by the electric doorbell.| Shannon Selin
Charades, which began in France as a type of riddle, became a popular 19th-century parlour game. Sit in on a game played by the Duke of Wellington in 1821.| Shannon Selin
Transparencies (paintings on see-through paper or cloth) were a DIY craze in the early 19th century.| Shannon Selin
Although people in the early 1800s could not shop at supermarkets or department stores, they had plenty of other opportunities to buy things.| Shannon Selin
Panoramas were large circular paintings that aimed to give the viewer the experience of being physically present in the scene being depicted - an early attempt at virtual reality.| Shannon Selin
The 20 Questions game was introduced to Americans through British Prime Minister George Canning. Let's sit in on a game he played in 1823.| Shannon Selin
Fanny Fern (Sara Payson Willis Parton), America's first female newspaper columnist, satirized marriage in the mid-19th century.| Shannon Selin
What transpired between a British naval officer and the defeated French Emperor| Shannon Selin
Though King George IV hated Canning, the Tories couldn’t stay in power without him.| Shannon Selin
Sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued, Princess Dorothea Lieven exercised more influence on post-Napoleonic affairs than any other woman of her generation.| Shannon Selin
Louis-Joseph Marchand, Napoleon's servant from 1811 to 1821, did all he could to maintain Napoleon’s comfort & illusion of power when imprisoned on St. Helena.| Shannon Selin
Frustrated by long line-ups and unhelpful websites? Here are some situations you might have encountered while shopping in the early 19th century.| Shannon Selin
In 1828, a young French girl with the words "NAPOLEON EMPEREUR" visible in her eyes was exhibited at London's Royal Bazaar.| Shannon Selin
The King of France and the French royal family lived in England throughout much of the Napoleonic Wars, generously subsidized by the British government.| Shannon Selin
A hostess in Regency London had plenty to do to get her house ready for an evening party, even if she did have servants to help her.| Shannon Selin
These money-saving tips for students, entitled “Twelve Golden Rules of Prudent Economy," could usefully be heeded by anyone at any age, even today.| Shannon Selin
What could you get for your money 200 years ago?| Shannon Selin
In the Battle of Dresden (August 26-27, 1813), French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte defeated a much larger Austrian, Prussian and Russian force.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon believed women were inferior to men. He acted accordingly.| Shannon Selin
Women who wanted to keep fit in the early 19th century had to contend with the notion that they were too delicate for many forms of exercise.| Shannon Selin
Though reports of people living past 100 were common in the 1800s, most were probably false.| Shannon Selin
What happened to Napoleon’s officers after the Battle of Waterloo? Some 20,000 became demi-soldes, France's half-pay veterans of the Napoleonic Wars.| Shannon Selin
In 1821, after years of obsessive work, John Quincy Adams produced a Report Upon Weights and Measures. He thought it would be his most important literary accomplishment.| Shannon Selin
Beginning at age 50, 6th US President John Quincy Adams went swimming almost every summer in the Potomac River in Washington, DC. Once he nearly drowned.| Shannon Selin
A John Quincy Adams portrait at Harvard University features a head by Gilbert Stuart and body by Thomas Sully. Here's how that happened.| Shannon Selin
Sixth US President John Quincy Adams was inaugurated on March 4, 1825. Relatively unpopular, Adams tried to heal electoral divisions in his inaugural address.| Shannon Selin
Every New Year’s Day, 6th US President John Quincy Adams offered his reflections on the past year. Here is a sample of his New Year’s Day musings.| Shannon Selin
The presidential election of 1824 was marked by a bitter campaign and an outcome that had to be decided by the House of Representatives.| Shannon Selin
Born in London, Louisa Adams had European polish and charm.| Shannon Selin
Though critical of Napoleon, John Quincy Adams had a sneaking admiration for the French Emperor, especially compared to the hereditary rulers of Europe.| Shannon Selin
Elisa was the Bonaparte sibling most like Napoleon, although she had the least influence over him.| Shannon Selin
Does Napoleon have any living descendants? How about his Bonaparte siblings? Do any of them live in America? Here's a handy summary.| Shannon Selin
If you liked "10 Interesting Facts About Napoleon Bonaparte," you might enjoy these interesting facts about Napoleon’s family.| Shannon Selin
Though not considered beautiful, Napoleon's niece Charlotte had charm and artistic talent. Her aunt called her a "vixen" and a Swiss painter killed himself over her.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon’s brother Lucien played a key role in Napoleon's rise to power, but refused to give up his wife when Napoleon demanded.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon's mother, Letizia Bonaparte, was pragmatic, stoical and domineering. She once told Napoleon, “It’s not poverty I’m afraid of, it’s the shame.”| Shannon Selin
Napoleon’s younger brother Louis Bonaparte failed to become the soldier Napoleon had trained him up to be, or even a pliable puppet King of Holland.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon’s uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesch, was a good-natured art collector who got caught in the struggle between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII.| Shannon Selin
Enjoy these vintage photos of 19th-century French royalty, including Napoleon's widow, Charles X's grandchildren, King Louis Philippe, Napoleon III, & more.| Shannon Selin
The Battle of Leipzig, fought from October 16 to 19, 1813 in Germany, was the largest battle of the Napoleonic Wars. Over 500,000 soldiers were involved.| Shannon Selin
Tired of syrupy talk about royal weddings? Here’s a scathing article about the wedding of some 19th-century British royals.| Shannon Selin
What did Louis XIV, Napoleon's widow Marie Louise, and Archduke Franz Ferdinand have in common? They all had morganatic marriages.| Shannon Selin
It’s like a set piece from a movie: the wives of two famous enemies meet, gossip about their estranged husbands, and sing a Mozart duet.| Shannon Selin
In April 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte was sent into exile on Elba. Ten months later, he regained the French crown. How did Napoleon escape from Elba?| Shannon Selin
Napoleon's children included his legitimate son (Napoleon II), two illegitimate children, and two stepchildren: Eugène and Hortense de Beauharnais.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington never met, and they fought only one battle directly against each other.| Shannon Selin
Lord Liverpool (Robert Banks Jenkinson) was an accomplished prime minister of Great Britain during the Napoleonic era, though not exactly a social success.| Shannon Selin
The Napoleonic Wars caused many French people to flee to America. Here are five prominent French refugees who wound up in the United States.| Shannon Selin
Despite portrayals of him as the number one enemy of England, Napoleon had some prominent British supporters during the Napoleonic Wars.| Shannon Selin
Italian singer, teacher & composer Girolamo Crescentini (1766-1846) was one of Napoleon's favourite singers. As a castrato, he had the voice of a male soprano.| Shannon Selin
President James Monroe met Napoleon when he was in France to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase. He later became alarmed at Napoleon's ambition.| Shannon Selin
Despite his mother's efforts to raise him as a European, Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte preferred life in the United States.| Shannon Selin
Baltimore belle Elizabeth Patterson became an international celebrity when she married Napoleon’s brother Jérôme Bonaparte in 1803.| Shannon Selin
What was Niagara Falls like without all of its tourist trappings?| Shannon Selin
Many 19th-century packing tips sound remarkably like those of today.| Shannon Selin
After Napoleon’s 1815 defeat, Joseph Bonaparte fled to the United States, where he is credited with bringing European culture to the locals.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon cultivated an easily recognizable image by keeping his wardrobe simple. The three basic pieces were a modest uniform, a bicorne hat and an overcoat.| Shannon Selin
There are so many myths about Napoleon that it is sometimes hard to separate fact from fiction. Here are ten popular myths about the French Emperor.| Shannon Selin
Estimates of the number of soldiers killed in battle during the Napoleonic Wars range from 500,000 to almost 2 million. What happened to all of those bodies?| Shannon Selin
Napoleon was not a gourmand. He liked simple meals, he ate very quickly, and he diluted his wine with water.| Shannon Selin
Louis Étienne Saint-Denis, Napoleon's French-born valet, was called Mameluke Ali & dressed as a mameluke, like Napoleon's Egyptian servant Roustam.| Shannon Selin
What if Napoleon Bonaparte had escaped from St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821?| Shannon Selin
Napoleon was a busybody when it came to his family.| Shannon Selin
The Battle of Trafalgar, fought on Oct. 21, 1805, was the most decisive naval battle of the Napoleonic Wars. A traveller described the horrible scene at Cádiz after the battle.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon's tomb is in the Dôme des Invalides in Paris, but that's not where he was first laid to rest. Here’s what happened to Napoleon’s body after he died.| Shannon Selin
Napoleon was born on August 15, 1769 in Ajaccio, Corsica. There are many myths about his birth, and one myth-like thing that is true.| Shannon Selin
After his 1815 abdication from the French throne, Napoleon Bonaparte wanted to start a new life in the United States. Why didn’t he?| Shannon Selin
