The name of Emperor Napoleon I is surrounded by many legends and myths, many of which have nothing to do with the events that really took place in the life of the great commander. However, the story with the mysterious prophecies of Bonaparte's fate is documented.
Meeting at a Parisian cafe
It was a terrible year 1792. Jean-Paul Marat, who published the newspaper "Friend of the People", in each issue attacked the indecision of the constantly meeting of the Convention and demanded even more blood of "enemies of the people" from it. All over France, terrible terror and devastation reigned, the country was surrounded by enemies, but people learned to live in this situation, just miraculously without losing their sanity.
In those days, a company of the military settled in one of the inexpensive Parisian cafes. They drank wine and discussed their affairs, which, apparently, were far from brilliant.
- What are you sad, Jean? -Ulan with a forged mustache poured wine into a friend's glass. - Let's have a drink and forget all the hardships!
“He regrets not following in his father's footsteps and becoming a lawyer,” the other officer laughed.
- Are there really only descendants of lawyers gathered here? the young hussar exclaimed playfully. - It seems that Napoleon's father is also a lawyer?
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“Yes, he was a lawyer at Ayazzio,” Bonaparte confirmed. “But you shouldn't be making fun of Bernadotte. He has been in the military for twelve years, but has not made much progress. This is definitely a shame!
- But mediocrity, as always, above, - the hussar sighed.
- Look, - the infantryman interrupted the conversation, - there is the famous Fortunatov
- Ah, a fashionable prophet and fortuneteller? - the hussar turned. - Let's ask him what lies ahead. Monsieur, come here!
A picturesquely dressed old man with long gray hair that fell to his shoulders from under a wide-brimmed hat, walked slowly towards the tables at which the officers were sitting.
- Why did you call him? Bernadotte muttered with displeasure. - I always feel uneasy when predicting the future.
- Are you afraid, Jean? - Bonaparte grinned.
- No, but you must agree … - Bernadotte began, but did not have time to finish - the fashionable Parisian fortuneteller was already standing nearby.
No one knew for sure his name and where he came from in the capital, but the reliability of his predictions was simply amazing. Moreover, the old man, nicknamed Fortunatos and willingly responding to this name, never used maps, mirrors or any other objects to predict fate. He didn’t even take the person by the hand to study the lines of his palm - he just had to look into his eyes.
“What a sophisticated company,” Fortunatos bowed respectfully without a trace of mockery. - What do gentlemen marshals and Their Majesties want?
“Stop laughing,” the young hussar thrust the gold into the old man’s palm. - Better tell me what fate awaits each of us.
“Long journeys and many glorious battles,” Fortunatos replied, hiding the coin. - Honors and orders, and then the heads of some of you will be decorated with crowns. For example, yours!
He pointed a long finger at the hussar, but he only laughed in response:
- Stop talking nonsense! I asked seriously.
“I’m always ready to answer for every word I say,” the old man assured and turned to Napoleon, who was sitting pensively. - Do you also want to know your fate? Please. In a year you will become a general, in four you will marry …
- Not! Go away! Bonaparte interrupted sharply. - I myself know my fate!
“Yes, you know her,” Fortunatos agreed, looking intently at him, and headed for the exit, muttering: “My God! He is great and unfortunate!"
Wait a minute! - Bernadotte stopped the soothsayer and took him aside. - What is destined for me? Will I become a general as you promised Napoleon?
- You are destined to become even a marshal, and then a king in a very distant cold country.
- Can not be! - Jean took a coin from his wallet and gave it to the fortuneteller. - Tell me, is Bonaparte really getting married soon?
“On the widow,” Fortunatov chuckled. - But then he will leave her. You will still be together for a long time, but later your paths will diverge forever. However, then you will see everything for yourself. Goodbye…
When Jean Bernadotte returned to the table, the hussar had already refilled his glasses, and, laughing at his superstitious friends, suggested pouring wine over all the predictions.
- Just think about it! First the general, then the marshal, and at the end - the king,”Bernadotte shook his head and drained his glass, in his heart afraid to believe the strange and tempting prophecies of the mysterious Fortunatov.
Who were these young officers who gathered in a Parisian cafe in the bloody and tragic year 1792?
A young hussar, Joachim Murat (1771-1815), became Napoleon's adjutant in 1796, married his sister Caroline in 1800, became a marshal and prince of the empire, in 1805 distinguished himself at Austerlitz and in 1808 in Spain. Under the name of Joachim I, he was crowned King of Naples, in 1812-1813 he commanded the cavalry in the war with Russia and Germany, in 1814 he betrayed Napoleon, but within 100 days he again joined him, and after the defeat he was shot by a military court.
Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte (1764-1844), the son of a lawyer, served in the military since 1789, general in 1798, Marshal of France in 1804, and was elected Crown Prince of Sweden in 1810. In 1913, in order to maintain his position, he joined the opponents of Napoleon. In 1818, under the name of Charles XIV, he became king of Sweden and Norway.
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was born in Ayazzio, Corsica, to the family of a lawyer. From 1785 he was in the French military service. In 1793 he distinguished himself in the battle with the British at Toulon and became a general. Later he met Josephine Beauharnais, the widow of the Viscount Alexandre de Beauharnais (1760-1794), who commanded the Rhineland Army in 1792 (he was accused of surrendering Mainz and was guillotined). In 1796 Napoleon married Josephine de Beauharnais, nee Tache de la Pagerie …
Mysterious gift
In the fall of 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte, who actually became the French monarch, was seriously concerned with preparing his own coronation for the upcoming celebrations. It was supposed to be held in the ancient cathedral of Notre Dame, and Bonaparte passionately wished that the Pope himself, with whom he had long stubbornly and irreconcilably feuded, put on the crowns on the heads of his and his wife. This will force to bite the tongue of all the ill-wishers of Europe, talking about the usurpation of power by Napoleon. And in general, how can there be any obstacles for the favorite of Fortune? If the Pope does not want to come to Paris, he will have to be forced!
- What is the Great Shaman doing? - such a mocking nickname Bonaparte awarded Pope Pius VII, in the world Count Ciaramonti (1742-1823).
- Has he left for Paris yet? - these questions Napoleon asked his courtiers almost every morning.
- He has already left, sire! - finally were able to answer him, and Bonaparte immediately calmed down.
- well! We will meet him properly.
Madame Josephine was also preparing for the coronation. Left a widow with two children in her arms - a son and a daughter - she made a lot of efforts to get a new husband, reliable in all respects and occupying a worthy position in society. But, of course, marrying General Bonaparte, she never imagined that she would become not just a general, but an empress.
Meanwhile, Madame Josephine had already begun to greatly annoy her husband with her infertility. He dreamed of an heir, he longed to have one as soon as possible. Otherwise, all inhuman efforts and even the coveted imperial crown are worthless. Who will he leave her to if there is no continuation of the dynasty? Really stepson and stepdaughter?
And in general, as it turned out, Josephine is not at all what he really needs. Yes, once she opened the way for him to the upper world, but since then times have dramatically changed.
- Where is the Great Shaman? - once again asked Bonaparte and in response he heard:
- He's already approaching Paris, sire!
- Great. We need to meet him with dignity.
And Napoleon went to meet the Pope. Pope arrived, and Bonaparte met him in the suburbs, in a hunting suit, surrounded by frolicking dogs. With a casual nod to God's deputy on earth, the Corsican said:
- The coronation will take place on the second. He could not think of a greater humiliation for the Pope. The Roman pontiff understood this perfectly well, but he was forced to swallow his grievances and diligently put on a kind smile on his face. By and large, was it worth it to conflict over such trifles with a man who is ready to smash the whole of Europe with cannons and who has not yet known defeat? In addition, he possessed decisiveness and firmly held military happiness in his fist, which was sorely lacking for most of the enlightened European monarchs.
Therefore, dad smiled graciously, not guessing that new humiliations still awaited him ahead. But perhaps he still guessed.
The coronation took place on December 2, 1804 at Notre Dame de Paris. In the cathedral, there was nowhere for an apple to fall, many even stood on the square, and the whole of Paris, but that there is Paris, the whole of France froze, holding its breath, waiting for a solemn moment. And then he came.
Bonaparte, who publicly declared himself the heir of Charlemagne, did not even deign to wait for Pope Pius VII to place the imperial crown on his head - he simply roughly snatched it from the Pope's hands and put it on himself. In contrast, Madame Josephine accepted the crown of the Empress, kneeling meekly.
In the evening of the same day, in the midst of the celebration, the general secretary of the Paris commune, Monsieur François de Metz, asked the emperor to give him a few minutes for a confidential conversation. Napoleon nodded and silently walked out of the noisy hall into the next room.
- What's the matter? - he turned to de Metz, who had carefully closed the door.
“Please accept it, sire!
- François handed the emperor a chest covered with lilac velvet. Napoleon took it, threw back the lid and saw a scroll of yellowed parchment.
- What is it? he looked at the general secretary in bewilderment.
“Old manuscript, sire. Its author is the medieval physician, alchemist and magician Philippe Diehlonier Noel Olivatius. He possessed the gift of clairvoyance and predicted your birth and accession to the throne.
- How? - the emperor slammed the chest. - How do you say, Olivatius?
- Yes, sire. I ask you to read his predictions.
- What for? - Bonaparte shrugged irritably. - I already know my fate, without any predictors!
François de Metz silently bowed to the emperor and left the room, leaving Bonaparte alone …
The mystery of prophecy
Half a century has passed since that memorable day. Bonaparte never accepted the gift presented to him on behalf of the city of Paris by the General Secretary François de Metz - a casket with a manuscript by Philippe Olivatius. For many years, the manuscript was kept in the archive. The emperor was buried long ago, having given him the last honors, but his natural son, a former military and brilliant diplomat Florian Alexander Joseph Colonna, Count of Walewski (1810-1866), became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France. By the way, let us note that only his mother, Countess Valevskaya, with the self-sacrifice characteristic of Slavic women, agreed to come to the exiled emperor on the island of St. Elena. But she was not allowed to do this by the suspicious British.
Count Alexander Valevsky became interested in a mysterious medieval prophecy made several centuries before the birth of his father. A chest with a manuscript was found in the archives, and the minister read an amazing document.
Philippe Diehlonier Noel Olivatius predicted: France and Italy will give birth to an almost supernatural creature on an island among the sea. This person will speak the Frankish Celtic language. Many wars and battles await him in life, he will be idolized by the soldiers, whose generalissimo he will later become. Constantly winning all battles, this man will win unprecedented glory, and he will be proclaimed emperor of France.
For a whole decade, he will put to flight any other rulers, will be able to conquer many lands; and in the great city he will build new houses, bridges and canals. He will have two wives, but only one child - a boy.
Some digression should be made here. Josephine was sterile, and in 1809, after many high-profile scandals, Napoleon divorced her. In 1810 he married Marie-Louise, daughter of the Austrian emperor Franz I, who in 1811 bore him a son, who immediately received the title of “King of Rome”. Perhaps this title is another humiliation for the worst enemy - Pope Pius VII. But, by and large, the son of Marie-Louise was not the firstborn of the emperor - his beloved Countess Valevskaya gave birth to a son, Alexander a year earlier.
But, alas, illegitimate.
However, back to Olivatius's amazing prophecy. It said that the great emperor would go to war in a country where parallels and meridians converge - apparently it means Russia. The beginning of the war will be successful, but then the enemies of the emperor will burn the great city, and the army of the Franks will get only ruins and ashes. From this fateful day, luck will turn away from the great emperor. Most of his army will die in this country, and half of the rest will betray their commander.
And then the great emperor will be expelled from France, and the king from the old Capetian dynasty will again ascend the throne. The commander will stay in exile for almost a year, but then he will again set foot on Celtic land, and Capetian fled. However, the leaders of the three powerful powers by force of arms overthrew the returned emperor and established the Capetian king on the throne. The commander faces death far from his homeland, where only his body will be brought later.
According to eyewitnesses, the manuscript made a truly stunning impression on Count Walewski. At his request, the manuscript of Olivatius was carefully studied by specialists and recognized as genuine. The medieval doctor, magician, alchemist and clairvoyant who lived before Nostradamus bequeathed her to Paris so that the city authorities would acquaint with the prediction of the future great emperor.
As we know, Monsieur François de Metz honestly tried to do this, but Bonaparte resolutely refused to read the manuscript. Just like he had refused to listen to the clairvoyant Fortunatos twelve years earlier.
Who knows, maybe Emperor Napoleon I really knew everything about his fate? But he simply could not resist her, and unknown forces possessing supreme power over people led him along a prepared path …
