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Principality of Elba Principato d'Elba (Italian) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1814–1815 | |||||||||
Naval Jack: | |||||||||
 Location of the Principality of Elba within Europe | |||||||||
| Capital | Portoferraio 42°49′N10°19′E / 42.817°N 10.317°E /42.817; 10.317 | ||||||||
| Common languages | Italian,Elbano dialect | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Elban | ||||||||
| Government | Absolute monarchy | ||||||||
| Sovereign Prince of Elba | |||||||||
• 1814–1815 | Napoleon | ||||||||
| Governor of Elba | |||||||||
• 1814–1815 | Antoine Drouot | ||||||||
| Historical era | Napoleonic Wars | ||||||||
| 11 April 1814 | |||||||||
| 26 February 1815 | |||||||||
| 9 June 1815 | |||||||||
| Currency | Tuscan lira | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Italy | ||||||||
ThePrincipality of Elba (Italian:Principato d'Elba) was a non-hereditary monarchy established on theMediterranean island ofElba following theTreaty of Fontainebleau on 11 April 1814. It lasted less than a year, and its only head wasNapoleon Bonaparte, whoreturned to rule in France before his ultimate defeat and the dissolution of the principality.
Sovereignty over the island, which until then had been part of the Frenchdépartement ofMéditerranée, was given to Napoleon I of France after his abdication following theWar of the Sixth Coalition. Article 3 of the treaty stipulated that Elba was to be "an independent principality possessed by him in complete sovereignty and as personal property".[1] His rule was to persist until his death, at which point control of the principality would pass toTuscany. The formerEmperor of the French was also granted astipend of two millionfrancs per year to be paid byFrance.
In his few months on Elba, as well as creating a small navy and army, Napoleon developed the island's iron mines, oversaw the construction of new roads, issued decrees on modern agricultural methods, and overhauled the island's legal and educational system.[2][3]
The Villa Napoleonica (or Villa San Martino) is one of the two residences occupied inPortoferraio by Napoleon Bonaparte during his exile on the Island of Elba, where it was his summer residence.[4] The second, the Palazzina dei Mulini, is located in the historic center of the town of Portoferraio, 3.5 km northeast of San Martino.[5]
In 1839,Anatole Demidoff, a Russian industrialist and patron, a great admirer of Napoleon and husband of a niece of the emperor, PrincessMathilde Bonaparte, had the Florentine architectNiccolò Matas build the Demidoff Gallery at the foot of the original building.[6]
As allowed by the Treaty of Fontainebleau, Napoleon brought 870 men to the island with him from France. The army was made up of 566 from the eliteGarde Impériale (both infantry and cavalry) and the remaining 300 were from a small battalion ofgrenadiers. The army was under the supervision of GeneralAntoine Drouot and commanded by GeneralPierre Cambronne and the staff headquarters. The navy consisted of 66 men and one ship: the double-masted, 18-gunned brig,Inconstant. A smallflotilla of two othersloops also accompaniedInconstant. The fleet was first commanded by Lieutenant François-Louis Taillade; however, after nearly losingInconstant in a storm, Taillade was replaced by Lieutenant Jean François Chautard, who later ferried Napoleon back from Elba in 1815. Paoli Filidoro was appointed Captain of theGendarmerie and operated under Giuseppe Balbiani as Intendant General. The combined armed forces by 1815 on Elba numbered about 1,000 men, costing over half of the island's treasury to pay, equip, and feed.
On 26 February 1815, after ruling Elba for nearly 10 months, Napoleon escaped from the island and landed in southern France to retake power, beginning theWar of the Seventh Coalition. After his defeat at theBattle of Waterloo, Napoleon was transported by Britain to the island ofSaint Helena where heremained a prisoner until his death in 1821. At theCongress of Vienna, sovereignty of the island was transferred to theGrand Duchy of Tuscany.
