1918 Memoirs of the Duchess of Abrantès | The Revolution and the Napoleonic Era | Chaoyang Selects

1918 | Memoirs of the Duchess of Abrantès - On the Revolution and the Napoleonic Era Published by Host & Son, Copenhagen The Duchess of Abrantès was a significant figure in the history of Napoleon and his contemporaries. Her husband, General Junot, Duke of Abrantès, followed the brilliant path of the "Star of Napoleon," becoming one of his close associates. After General Junot's death (1813) and the fall of the Empire, the Duchess of Abrantès met Honoré de Balzac. Although her family fortunes had declined, she possessed a distinguished lineage, extensive connections in high society, and had been intimately acquainted with Napoleon, whom Balzac most admired and strongly pursued the Duchess. Later, the Duchess asked Balzac to write her memoirs, as she recalled her own return to a past filled with events, memories, and thoughts constantly emerging. She described everything that happened without judgment. Although Napoleon was the king they followed, her memoirs did not overlook his flaws and weaknesses, faithfully preserving every detail from the Duchess's memory. Author: Honoré de Balzac A French novelist and playwright, known as the "Father of Modern French Fiction." His novel series, "The Comedy of Human Nature," paints a panoramic view of post-Napoleonic French life, comprising 91 works including a variety of novels and essays of different lengths, collectively titled "The Human Comedy," which is considered a miracle of human spiritual civilization.