France - Pistols with which Napoleon wanted to kill himself auctioned for millions
You should end Napoleon Bonaparte's life, but they never came to use: In France, two pistols of the self-proclaimed emperor were sold for a million euros each. The auction took place in the city of Fontainebleau near Paris, the place where Napoleon attempted to take his life in 1814 after his defeat in the Battle of Paris. As reported by the British "Guardian", these two pistols, including the gilt and silver-decorated weapon case, went for 1.69 million euros at the auction.
Napoleon's valet prevented his suicide
Napoleon did not actually shoot himself in 1814, thanks to his valet, the Marquis de Caulaincourt. It was he who became aware of Napoleon's plans and removed the gunpowder from the emperor's pistols.
"Napoleon then took poison. He had to surrender and did not die", explained auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat to the AFP news agency. The emperor gave the pistols to his valet as a token of his loyalty, Caulaincourt's. "They have been in the family's possession since then, and they have decided to part with them", said Osenat. The identity of the buyer of the pistols was not disclosed.
It is expected that the weapons will first remain in France. Before the auction, the French Cultural Ministry issued an export ban on both pistols. From a historical and artistic perspective, they are of great interest for the national heritage and should therefore be considered as a "national treasure", explained the responsible commission for national treasures in the official gazette on Saturday.
Napoleon memorabilia fetch record sums
With the issuance of the export ban, the French state has 30 months to make an offer for the pistols. The owner has the right to refuse. If the state does not buy the weapons, the export ban no longer applies, and they can be sold abroad.
Memorabilia of Napoleon are highly sought after by collectors: His famous black two-edged sword with decorations in the French national colors fetched a record sum of 1.9 million euros at an auction in November.
After his abdication, Napoleon went into exile on the island of Elba off the coast of Italy. He soon grew bored and returned to France in a dramatic fashion, but his career was finally over, as he was defeated by the British in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Six years later, he died in exile on the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic.
The pistols Napoleon intended to use in his attempted suicide, now valued at over 3 million euros, were the same ones he gifted to his loyal valet, Marquis de Caulaincourt, following his failed attempt in Fontainebleau. Despite the French Cultural Ministry's attempt to keep the pistols within the country due to their historical significance, an unknown buyer managed to acquire them at the auction.
