Amongst the most controversial personalities of the Napoleon saga are the Montholons, Albine and Charles Tristan. From the memoirs we learned that Charles was a general who was frowned upon for making a marriage that displeased Napoleon when he was in charge of France.
Yet, it is pretty much accepted that Napoleon was in an affair with this man’s wife on St. Helena. Yet Count Montholon was frequently with Napoleon on St. Helena while his wife was perhaps bearing Napoleon’s offspring.

There were frequent altercations that rose up around M. Montholon. There was almost a duel with Gourgaud, a situation which infuriated Napoleon. A credible historian wrote that Montholon’s writings are full of lies (Frédéric Masson in Saint Helena, Les missionnaires).

Napoleon changed his will in favor of Montholon in his last moments according to valet, Marchand. Later on, Montholon joined Hortense’s son, Louis Napoleon, in jail for having participated with him in a failed conquest of France.
I made a play, Longwood, in the late 90s exploring the idea that Montholon poisoned Napoleon through a poisoning method perfected by a Madame de Brinvillier. The play was performed at the University of Stony Brook and off Broadway.
There has been an information war going on about Napoleon since his initial burst of fame. Can we find out the truth about Napoleon and the Montholons?

To be presented are the supposed letters sent between the Montholons after when Albine left St. Helena in 1819 and until the Emperor’s last breathe in 1821.

What’s the truth? We are starting at the introduction of this work.

INTRODUCTION

I propose in this introduction: 1st to give some information on the authors of the letters published here; 2nd to indicate the sources from where I took them and the rules that I followed in their publication; 3rd to explain the reasons for presenting these correspondence documents of a secondary order, nevertheless assuredly there is some certain interest about them.

I. - THE AUTHORS OF THE LETTERS

Charles Tristan, Marquis de Montholon and Count of Lee, was born in Paris on July 21, 1783. His father, who had at the court of the count of Provence, died in 1788. But his mother's second marriage gave him a protector who, he said himself, served as his father.
She married M. de Sémonville, a former adviser to Parliament, who knew how to maintain his fortune for fifty years throughout the changes of regime, and died in 1839 engaged in the House of Peers.
Charles de Montholon, adopted by him, legally bore the name of Montholon-Sémonville. In 1799, the young Montholon began his military career as a volunteer in the Italian army, in the staff of his brother-in-law, General Joubert.
This career, throughout the great campaigns of the Empire, had led him in 1811 to the rank of adjutant-commander, as chamberlain and count of Empire.
He then went from the army into diplomacy, as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Grand Duke of Würzburg. This function was removed from him in 1812, Napoleon being dissatisfied with the marriage he had just contracted.
Albine-Hélène de Vassal was born in Paris around 1780. She had previously married a M. Roger, a financier of Swiss origin, they had a son in 1803, Edouard, and had just divorced.
The Count de Montholon had four children: Tristan, born in 1813, Charles in 1814, Napoleone in 1816 and Josephine in 1818.
Montholon remained inactive in 1813, despite various designations for jobs that his health or other reasons did not allow him to fill. In 1814, Napoleon charged him with the defense of the Loire department. Despite the benevolence shown to him by the Bourbons, he stayed away during the first Restoration.
Napoleon, in 1815, was grateful to him, made him his aide-de-camp, and, the day before Ligny, appointed him division general, a rank which was not confirmed by the governments which followed.

He accompanied Napoleon to Saint Helena, where two of his children were born. He stayed in Longwood, very close to Napoleon, while Bertrand, wishing to live more comfortably and more with his family, moved into a small house some distance away, Huts-Gate.
First overshadowed by Las Cases in the master's favor, Montholon succeeded him in this favor, to the point of arousing Gourgaud's jealousy. When Gourgaud also left (February 1818), Napoleon's intimacy with the Montholons increased in a marked manner.
But Mme. de Montholon, sick with liver complaints, had to leave the island with her children on July 2, 1819.
Montholon did not leave until after the death of Napoleon. It is in this interval, between the departure of Mme. de Montholon and that of her husband, that the letters given here are placed.
Napoleon assured Montholon of legacies worth 2,250,000 francs, and made him one of the executors of the will; but he touched only a small part of the bequeathed sums, and when the Second Empire completed them (1854), Montholon was dead.
He had published in 1823-1825, six volumes of the Memoirs of Napoleon, and in 1846-1847, these were accounts of his captivity.
Rather unfortunate business affairs, the six years in prison he had spent in Ham (1840-1846) as an accomplice of the Boulogne's attempt [with Louis Napoleon Bonaparte], had overshadowed the last phase of his life.
He died in 1853. Mme. de Montholon died before him in 1848.

II. THE LETTERS

When Sir Hudson Lowe died in 1844, the papers relating to his official functions (forming the material of 160 folio volumes) appear to have been, by his heirs, divided into two parts: one, smaller (26 volumes approximately), but containing almost only original documents, and therefore having a certain value, was sold to different intermediaries; the great majority of the documents of these 22 volumes were acquired in 1846 by the National Library, and are now cataloged there, in the Manuscripts, English collections, volumes 3-24. Of the other four volumes of this part, three -

Parmi les personnalités les plus controversées de la saga Napoléon figurent les Montholons, Albine et Charles.
Des mémoires, nous apprîmes que Charles était un général mal vu pour avoir fait un mariage qui déplut à Napoléon quand il était à la tête de la France. Pourtant, il est à peu près accepté que Napoléon était en liaison avec la femme de cet homme à Sainte-Hélène. Pourtant, le comte Montholon était souvent avec Napoléon à Sainte-Hélène tandis que sa femme portait peut-être la progéniture de Napoléon.
Il y avait de fréquentes altercations qui montaient autour de M. Montholon. Il y a presque un duel avec Gourgaud, situation qui rend furieux Napoléon. J'entends un historien crédible que les écrits de Montholon sont pleins de mensonges (Frédéric Masson à Sainte-Hélène, Les missionnaires). Napoléon a changé sa volonté en faveur de Montholon dans ses derniers instants selon le valet Marchand.
Plus tard, Montholon a rejoint le fils de Hortense, Louis Napoléon, en prison pour avoir participé avec lui à une conquête ratée de la France.

Peut-on découvrir la vérité sur Napoléon et les Montholons?

Les présumées lettres envoyées entre les Montholon après la sortie d'Albine de Sainte-Hélène en 1819 et jusqu'au dernier halètement de l'empereur en 1821 seront présentées.

Quelle est la vérité? Nous commençons par l'introduction de ce travail.

Let’s look at the natal charts of the Montholons. Like me, Montholon has a grand cross in cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn). That is a configuration of frustration between between, in Tristan’s case, the energies of Mars (War), Mercury Uranus (shocking media), Neptune (illusion) and Saturn (constriction). The opposing (pair of opposite) constellations are Aries (war) vs. Libra (peace) and Capricorn (structures) vs. Cancer (emotion). It’s like a Mexican standoff where all these energies antagonize each other and the native is forced to do something to cope with the frustration. This can make or break a person. It’s a test. Like me, Tristan has on top of a grand cross, a t square. This is yet another tense arrangement between Jupiter (expansive foreign matters), the Sun (fame) in the 7th house of partnership which I also have in my natal chart. The top of Tristan’s t square is the Moon (emotion) in Taurus (possessions).

Tristan, like me, has Uranus (revolution) in his 6th house of daily work (Virgo/Mercury). Napoleon, Marie Louise, Napoleon II, and Basilisk (who writes for this blog) all also have Uranus in their natal 6th house of daily work.

Regardons les cartes natales des Montholons. Comme moi, Montholon a une grande croix en signes cardinaux (Bélier, Cancer, Balance et Capricorne). C’est une configuration de frustration entre, dans le cas de Tristan, les énergies de Mars (Guerre), Mercure Uranus (médias choquants), Neptune (illusion) et Saturne (constriction).
Les constellations opposées (paire de opposés) sont Bélier (guerre) contre Balance (paix) et Capricorne (structures) contre Cancer (émotion).

C’est comme une impasse mexicaine où toutes ces énergies s’opposent et le natif est obligé de faire quelque chose pour faire face à la frustration. Cela peut faire ou casser une personne. C’est un test.

Comme moi, Tristan a au sommet d'une grande croix, il a aussi un carré t. C'est encore un autre arrangement tendu entre Jupiter (matières étrangères expansives), le Soleil (renommée) dans la 7e maison de partenariat que j'ai également dans mon thème natal.

Le sommet du carré t est la Lune (émotion) en Taureau (possessions). Tristan, comme moi, a Uranus (révolution) dans sa 6e maison du travail quotidien (Vierge / Mercure).

Napoléon, Marie Louise, Napoléon II et Basilisk (qui écrit pour ce blog) ont tous Uranus dans leur 6e maison natale de travail quotidien.

Albine has a harmonious grand trine in air signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. That can indicate that she, like air, can be highly adaptable. Napoleon has no planets in air signs and some might consider him as a person brought down by his inflexibility.

Albine’s natal Uranus (shocks) is near her 6th house of daily work and her descendant (others). She is known for her connection to Napoleon who was a famous innovator and reformer (Uranus).

Both Tristan and Albine have Saturn (limitation) in their 12th house (exile/subconscious). This may indicate secret actions in a place of isolation like St. Helena. Both Tristan and Albine have Mars (violence) in their 2nd house (Venus/Money). This couple were known for trying to extract money from Napoleon.

Albine a un grand trigone harmonieux dans les signes aériens, les Gémeaux, la Balance et le Verseau. Cela peut indiquer qu'elle, comme l'air, peut être très adaptable.
Napoléon n'a pas de planètes dans les signes aériens et certains pourraient le considérer comme quelqu'un abattu par son inflexibilité.

La natale d'Uranus (chocs) d'Albine est près de sa 6e maison de travail quotidien et de sa descendance (autres). Elle est connue pour sa connexion avec Napoléon qui était un innovateur et réformateur célèbre (Uranus).
Tristan et Albine ont tous deux Saturne (limitation) dans leur 12e maison (exil / subconscient).

Cela peut indiquer des actions secrètes dans un lieu d'isolement comme Sainte-Hélène. Tristan et Albine ont tous deux Mars (violence) dans leur 2e maison (Vénus / Argent). Ce couple était connu pour avoir tenté d'extraire de l'argent de Napoléon.

This is a composite of the natal charts of Tristan and Albine. We find the Sun and Neptune (fame and illusion) somewhat their midheaven. They are both famous for maybe having tricked Napoleon. Napoleon has Neptune (illusion/spirit)) conjunct Mars (war) in near his midheaven. This could indicate that Napoleon was a deceived paladin and that this could form part of his reputation.

Also near the couple’s midheaven, we find Venus. Both of these people were obviously attractive and charming to Napoleon. This Venus is in transformative, secretive, power seeking Scorpio (Pluto).

To continue with that theme, Pluto (death/transformation) are in this couple’s 1st house of identity (Aries).

Il s'agit d'un composite des thèmes nataux de Tristan et Albine. On retrouve le Soleil et Neptune (gloire et illusion) un peu leur midheaven.

Ills sont tous les deux célèbres pour avoir peut-être trompé Napoléon. Napoléon qui a Neptune (illusion) en conjonction avec Mars (guerre) près de son milieu du ciel.
Cela pourrait indiquer que Napoléon était un paladin trompé et que cela pourrait faire partie de sa réputation.

Près de leur midheaven, nous trouvons Vénus. Ces deux personnes étaient attirantes et charmantes. Cette Vénus est en Scorpion transformateur, secret et en quête de pouvoir (Pluton).

Pluton (mort / transformation) est dans la 1ère maison d’identité de ce couple (Bélier).