!"#$ &'(()*+ $*,-$( .

/$& "#$ ($)+$0

&'(()*+ .11'2*").+ .3 2*&)( )+ 4546
Bq A|cxan!cr Mika|cri!zc, ||NS
Icuisiana Siaic Unitcrsiiq (Snrctcpcri)

In 1814, afler lvenly-lvo years, Irance vas
once again invaded by enemy forces. IoIIoving
Imeror NaoIeon's defeals
in Russia and Germany, lhe
viclorious AIIies had crossed
lhe Rhine River vilh an
inlenlion lo ul an end lo a
Iong-slanding confIicl vilh
lhe NaoIeonic regime.
Much has been vrillen on
lhis famous camaign and
severaI imorlanl vorks
have been ubIished recenlIy
on lhe loic, nolabIy lhe firsl
inslaIImenl of MichaeI V.
Leggiere's lvo-voIume
sludy.
1
The urose of lhe
aer is lo Iook al |usl one
evenl of lhis camaign, lhe
occualion of Iaris, from lhe
Russian oinl of viev. There
is virluaIIy no sludy deaIing
vilh lhis loic, IargeIy due lo
lhe facl lhal hardIy any
Russian rimary sources on
lhis camaign are avaiIabIe
in IngIish or Irench, lvo
key Ianguages of lhe
NaoIeonic research. This
aer is based on Russian memoirs and diaries lhal
had been moslIy unavaiIabIe in lhe Wesl, and il is

1
MichaeI V. Leggiere, Tnc |a|| cj Napc|ccn. Tnc A||ic! |ntasicn cj
|rancc, 1813-1814 (Cambridge, 2007).
arl of my ongoing efforls lo make lhese sources
avaiIabIe lo non-Russian audiences.
2

In lhe aflernoon of
March 30, 1814, Imeror
AIexander of Russia arrived
on lhe ulles-Chaumonl
and, ascending a nearby hiII,
surveyed lhe cily rising in
fronl of him in dislance. Il
vas Iaris, lhe cily AIexander
Ionged lo see for lhe asl
fev years and nov onIy
hours searaled him from a
lriumhanl enlry inlo lhe
cailaI of his grealesl enemy.
Throughoul lhe morning lhe
assaiIanls and lhe defenders
of Iaris vere equaIIy
malched, bul as lhe AIIies
began lo concenlrale lheir
forces, lhe lide of var
quickIy lurned in lheir favor.
AIexander, on horseback
since davn, suervised unil
movemenls and marked oul
his officers for romolions
and revards. y aflernoon,
lhe AIIies sel u Iarge
balleries and firsl fev shols vere fired inlo Iaris.
3

The Irench commanders, reaIizing lhal Iaris vas al

2
Slarling in 2012, lhe IronlIine ooks viII ubIish a lhree
voIume anlhoIogy of Russian memoirs and diaries.
3
Ior delaiIs see N. Divov, Io ovodu rasskaza M.I. OrIova o
vzyalii Iarizha, |usskii arknit, 1/1 (1878): 127-128, AIexander
|ussian Ccssacks passing |q inc Arc !c
Triunpn in Paris (|q Gccrg-|nnanuc|
Opiiz)
lhe mercy of lhe AIIies, chose lo negoliale and senl
an officer lo lhe hiII of eIIeviIIe, overIooking lhe
Iaubourg Sl. Marlin, vhere AIexander eslabIished
his command osl. NikoIai Divov, a young officer
in lhe Russian Guard arliIIery, sav a |Irenchj
negolialor arriving... |Our commanderj escorled lhe
negolialor lo lhe Imeror |AIexanderj vho vas
slanding, vilh his enlire suile, nol far from our
ballery.
4
AIexander's aide-de-cam, CoIoneI
MikhaiI OrIov had misgivings aboul lhis officer,
vho, he lhoughl, Iooked more Iike as a runavay
risoner of var vho Iosl his vay in lhe rear of our
army.
5
The Russian officers valched as AIexander
ordered his enlire suile lo Ieave and, surrounded by
King Irederick WiIIiam of Irussia, and Irince KarI
IhiIi Irsl zu Schvarzenberg, he conversed vilh
a Irench negolialor, vho requesled lhe AIIies lo
slo lheir allacks. AIexander resonded lhal he
vouId agree lo armislice onIy if Iaris surrendered
al once
6
and, since lhe officer vas nol emovered
lo accel such lerms, lhe Russian sovereign senl his
Aide-de-cam CoIoneI OrIov, lo MarshaI Augusle
Marmonl vho direcled lhe Irench defenses. OrIov
found Marmonl in lhe very firsl Iine of lhe Irench
skirmishers vhere he slood vilh a svord in
hand, and lhrough his aclions and voice
encouraging his sread oul ballaIions lo resoIule
defense. He had a firm and varIike aearance bul
lhe oignanl exression on his face aIso reveaIed
lhe anxiely of a slalesman vho bore a vasl burden.
This resonsibiIily hanged heaviIy on him and il
seems lhal he vas aIready anlicialing lhal he
vouId become a largel for allacks and a viclim of
vounded nalionaI ride. The lvo exchanged brief
greelings and quickIy moved lo a business, vilh
OrIov oulIining lhe Russian demands: hosliIilies lo
be susended, lhe Irench lroos lo relire vilhin lhe
gales, Ieniolenliaries lo be inslanlIy aoinled lo
make arrangemenls for lhe surrender of Iaris.

MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky, Hisicrq cj inc Canpaign in |rancc in
inc Ycar 1814 (London, 1840), 368.
4
Divov, Pc pctc!u rasskaza M.|. Or|cta., 128.
5
MikhaiI OrIov, KailuIyalsiya Iarizha v 1814 godu,
|usskaqa siarina, 12 (1877), 635.
6
According lo Divov, he overheard AIexander saying in Irench,
Que demain, a 6 heures du malin, Ia viIIe de Iaris soil evacuee
ar Ies lroues francaises. The negolialor resonded, Les
orders du vainqueur seronl remIis.
Marmonl lenlaliveIy agreed and suggesled hoIding
an officiaI meeling al lhe barrier of Ianlin.
7

Uon hearing OrIov's reorl, Imeror AIexander
ordered Secrelary of Slale Counl NesseIrode lo
negoliale vilh Marmonl. He vas accomanied by
OrIov, and Irince Schvarzenberg's aide-de-cam
Counl Iaar. MarshaIs Marmonl and Morlier
reresenled lhe Irench side.
8
The lvo sides mel in a
smaII house oulside of lhe barrier of Ianlin.
MarshaI Marmonl - vhom Louis Anloine IauveIel
de ourrienne had seen earIier and couId bareIy
recognize because of his beard of eighl days'
grovlh, lhe grealcoal. in lallers and he vas
bIackened vilh ovder from head lo fool
9
- soke
for lhe enlire deIegalion vhiIe his associales kel
siIence for lhe mosl arl, Morlier's face loId a slory
of a lroubIe man, vho exressed his assenl lo his
comrade's vords or disarobalion of our
demands by nods.
10
NesseIrode demanded lhal
Iaris shouId cailuIale vilh aII lhe lroos il
conlained. AIlhough Marmonl and Morlier did nol
oose lhe occualion of lhe cailaI by lhe AIIies,
lhey indignanlIy refused lo surrender lheir
lroos. They soke of lheir Iong and dislinguished
miIilary service, and added lhal lhey vouId ralher
erish lhan sign such a condilion. NesseIrode lried
various argumenls lo shake lheir resoIulion,
incIuding Iacing resonsibiIily on lheir shouIders
if lhe consequence of lheir obslinacy shouId be lhe
slorming of Iaris. ul Marmonl and Morlier
remained firm in lheir resoIve. So NesseIrode had
lo relurn lo lhe AIIied sovereigns for nev
inslruclions. Marmonl senl GeneraI }ean-alisle-
GabrieI DeIaoinle vilh him lo bring back lhe
uIlimalum of lhe sovereigns an deIiver a Ieller from

7
OrIov, KailuIyalsiya Iarizha v 1814 godu, 637-638,Augusl-
Irederic-Louis Wiesse Marmonl, Mcncircs !u Marccna|
Marncni, !uc !c |agusc !c 1792 a 1841 (Iaris, 1857), VI, 246-247.
}oseh onaarle, vhom NaoIeon Iefl lo suervise Iaris,
aulhorized lhe negolialions. Louis Anloine IauveIel de
ourrienne, Mcncirs cj Napc|ccn Bcnaparic (Nev York:
Scribners, 1895), III, 406, Marmonl, VI, 351.
8
Morlier vas Iale lo lhe meeling, causing a Russian arlicianl
lo |ibe, The cause of his lardiness vas Iain enough: lo him
vho had IaleIy bIovn u lhe KremIin, il couId nol be very
Ieasanl lo haslen lo a conference for lhe surrender of Iaris.
MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky, 372
9
ourrienne, III, 407.
10
OrIov, KailuIyalsiya Iarizha, 639.
NaoIeon lo Irince Schvarzenberg informing lhe
IieId MarshaI lhal eace vas on lhe eve of being
concIuded vilh lhe
Imeror of Auslria, and
requesling him as
commander-in-chief, lo
haIl lhe allack on Iaris.
AIexander and
Irederick WiIIiam mel
DeIaoinle and
NesseIrode on lhe hiII of
Sl. Chaumonl and, afler
erusing NaoIeon's
Ieller, refused lo ay any
allenlion lo il, a Russian
officer bIunlIy slales, il
vas cIearIy a Iie, a Iion
lrying lo ul on a fox's
hide.
11
Al 7 .m.,
NesseIrode, equied
vilh nev sel of
inslruclions, lraveIed lo
lhe barrier of La ViIIelle.
The AIIied sovereigns loId
him nol lo insisl on lhe
surrender of lhe Irench
lroos and offer marshaIs
lo relreal, bul onIy by lhe
roule lo relagne so as lo
avoid lheir |oining NaoIeon vho vas aroaching
IonlainebIeau. VisibIy irrilaled by such conslrainl,
Marmonl reIied lhal Iaris vas nol surrounded
and lhal consequenlIy his lroos shouId be abIe lo
relire in any direclion, if revenled, he lhrealened
lo defend Iaris inch by inch and lhen relreal lo
IonlainebIeau. "Iorlune has favored you," he loId
lhe AIIied negolialors, "your success is cerlain, be al
once magnanimous and moderale, and do nol ush
your demands lo exlremily."
12
Wilh neilher side
viIIing lo comromise, negolialions conlinued unliI
8 .m. MarshaI Morlier finaIIy announced lhal he
musl relurn lo his lroos, and Iefl lhe decision lo
Marmonl, vho, remaining aIone, kel firmIy lo his
urose. Wilh darkness aIready revenling lhe
AIIies from reneving lhe allack, NesseIrode and

11
||i!., 641.
12
||i!., 641.
OrIov requesled nev inslruclions from lhe AIIied
monarchs, vho finaIIy agreed lo lhe lerms of
cailuIalion vilhoul
insisling on rescribing a
roule lo lhe enemy's
lroos. Wilhin a quarler
of an hour OrIov drev
u lhe arlicIes of
cailuIalion, vhich vere
signed, afler Marmonl
had read lhem aIoud,
ausing al aImosl every
vord. Among eighl
rovisions, lhe firsl, and
lhe mosl imorlanl one,
rocIaimed lhe
surrender of lhe Irench
cailaI, vilh lhe Irench
lroos Iedging lo
evacuale il by 7 a.m. on
31 March.
13

IarIy in lhe morning
on 31 March, Imeror
AIexander mounled lhe
IcIise, a horse
resenled lo him by a
Irench ambassador six
years before, and
reared for lhe
momenl of his Iifelime. He rode vilh his slaff lo
King Irederick WiIIiam's headquarlers al Ianlin
and lhe lvo sovereigns lhen Ied lhe AIIied lroos
inlo Iaris. NesseIrode vas slruck by a veII-
dressed crovd covering bouIevards. Il seemed as if
eoIe galhered for a feslivily, ralher lhan lo

13
The surrender lerms incIuded: MarshaIs agreed lo evacuale
Iaris on lhe foIIoving morning, by seven o'cIock. HosliIilies
vouId nol lo recommence liII lvo hours afler lhe Irench
dearlure. The arsenaIs and magazines lo be given u in lhe
slale lhey vere al lhe signing of lhe cailuIalion. The nalionaI
guards and lhe gendarmes lo be searaled from lhe lroos of
lhe Iine, and al lhe Ieasure of lhe AIIies, lo be eilher
disbanded, or emIoyed as before, on garrison duly, and lhe
service of lhe oIice. The vounded and slraggIers found, afler
len o'cIock in lhe morning, lo be considered as risoners of
var. Iaris is confided lo lhe generosily of lhe Monarchs. Ior
Russian version of lhe lexl see OrIov, KailuIyalsiya Iarizha,
654-655.
|ussian irccps |aining in inc Scinc |itcr (|q Gccrg-
|nnanuc| Opiiz)
vilness lhe enlry of enemy lroos.
14
AIexander
MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky, lhe famous Russian
hislorian vho escorled Imeror AIexander lhal
day, remembered lhal a counlIess muIlilude |of
eoIej crovded lhe slreels, and lhe roofs and
vindovs of lhe houses.
15
Ilienne-Denis Iasquier,
vho served as NaoIeon's refecl of oIice since
1810, recaIIed lhal an enormous concourse of
eoIe had vended ils vay since morning lo every
oinl of lhe road aIong vhich lhe slrangers vere lo
ass. The Iaubourg Sainl-Denis and lhe bouIevards
svarmed vilh lhem, lhe crovd vas siIenl and casl
dovn, and availed lhe course of evenls vilh greal
anxiely.
16
AIhonse de Lamarline described slreels
svarming vilh lhe ouIace, some hoing for a
riol:
jUpcn inc appcarancc cj inc |ussian cjjiccrs,} inc
pccp|c cj inc quaricr cj inc Basii||c arcsc in a iunu|i,
an! uiicrc!, in sign cj !cjiancc, sncuis cj Vitc
Bcnaparic ! Scnc arnc! ncn rusnc! cui cj inc crcu!
icuar!s an ai!c-!c-canp cj inc |npcrcr A|cxan!cr, unc
uas gcing ic prcparc nis quaricrs. Ccnc cn,
|rcncnncn! cric! incsc !cspcraic jc||cus. Tnc
|npcrcr Napc|ccn is ccning! Ici us !csircq inc
cncnq! Tnc pccp|c, ncuctcr, ucrc !caj ic inc crq. Tnc
Naiicna| Guar! inicrpcsc!, prciccic! inc !ciacnncni,
an! raisc! up a jcu ucun!c! cjjiccrs. Tnc nca!s cj inc
jcrcign cc|unns sccn ajicr appcarc! cn inc
Bcu|ctar!s.
17

Slarling around 9 a.m., lhe AIIied coIumns, vilh
coIors unfurIed, drums bealing and music Iaying
began a lriumhanl enlry inlo Iaris. The Russian
cavaIry, vilh lhe Life Guard Cossack Regimenl and
Grand Duke Conslanline al ils head, Ied lhe vay
and Lamarline lhoughls lhey reresenled
"barbarous var evoked from lhe deserls of lhe
norlh lo sread over lhe soulh." Anolher seclalor
observed lhal lhe hysiognomy of lhe Russian
lroos indicaled slrongIy lhe differenl nalions lo

14
Ciled in NikoIai ShiIder, |npcraicr A|cxan!cr. cgc zniznn i
isarsitctanic (Sl. Ielersburg, 1905) III, 210.
15
AIexander MikhaiIovskii-DaniIevskii, Zapiski 1814 i 1815
gc!ct (Sl. Ielersburg, 1836), 42.
16
Ilienne-Denis Iasquier, A Hisicrq cj Mq Tinc. Mcncirs cj
Cnancc||cr Pasquicr (Nev York, 1894), II, 269.
17
AIhonse de Lamarline, Hisicirc !c |a |csiauraiicn (Iaris,
1853), I, 163.
vhich lhey beIonged. Indeed, Thomas Richard
Undervood, an IngIishman visiling lhe Irench
cailaI, sav lhe slreels lhronged vilh
Pccp|c cj ctcrq !cscripiicn. inna|iianis cj a|| inc
ncrin cj |urcpc, an! inc Asiaiic su|jccis cj inc |ussian
cnpirc, jrcn inc Caspian Sca ic inc Wa|| cj Cnina, ucrc
ri!ing a|cui, Ccssacks, uiin incir snccp-skin jackcis,
san!q-cc|curc!, snaggq |car!s, |cng |anccs. Ca|nucks,
an! !ijjcrcni Tariar iri|cs, uiin incir j|ai ncscs, |iii|c
cqcs, an! !ark rc!!isn-|rcun skins, Bascnkins an!
Tungusians cj Si|cria, arnc! uiin |cus an! arrcus,
Tscncrkcss cr Circassian nc||cncn jrcn inc jcci cj
Mcuni Caucasus, c|a! in ccnp|cic nau|crks cj sicc|
nai|, pcrjcci|q |rigni, an! ccnica| nc|ncis, sini|ar in
jcrn ic incsc ucrn in |ng|an! in inc iuc|jin an!
iniriccnin ccniurics.
18

ehind lhe Russian cavaIry came AIexander,
King Irederick WiIIiam of Irussia, IieId MarshaI
CarI von Schvarlzenberg, accomanied by lheir
generaIs and enormous suile, and foIIoved by lhe
lens of lhousands of AIIied soIdiers.
19
Wriling lo lhe
Russian Imress Consorl IIisavela AIekseevna,
Cossack Alaman Malvei IIalov informed her lhal I
have no vords lo describe loday's ceIebralion bul I
humbIy inform Your Ma|esly lhal never such an
evenl had laken Iace in receding cenluries, and
lhere vouId be hardIy any lo rivaI il in lhe fulure.
There vas indescribabIe excilemenl on bolh sides,
accomanied by shouls of numerous lhrongs of
eoIe of Iaris: Long Live Imeror AIexander
vho broughl eace and roserily lo Iuroe!
20
A
slaff calain in Russian ImeriaI Suile vas equaIIy
ave slruck by lhe radiance of lhe momenl, noling
bolh ve and lhe residenls of Iaris look Ieasure in
lhis inexressibIe |oy: lhey because of freedom from
a heavy yoke, ve because of finishing a var in such
a briIIianl manner. Wilh a beaulifuI vealher lhal
day, slreels vere fuII of numerous eoIe from
davn liII Iale evening.
21
A |ournaIisl vriling in lhe
jcurna| !cs Oc|ais, a royaIisl daiIy ubIicalion in

18
Thomas Richard Undervood, A Narraiitc cj Mcncra||c |tcnis
in Paris in 1814 (Londovn, 1828), 155-156.
19
}ournaI des Debales, 3 AriI 1814, age 3.
20
IIalov lo Imress IIizavela AIekseevna, 2 AriI 1814,
|cssiiskii arknit (Moscov, 1996), VII, 188.
21
AIexander MikhaiIovsky-DaniIebsky, O rebyvanii russkikh
v Iarizhe v 1814 godu, in |usskii tcsinik, 1819, No. 9/10, 21.
Iaris, described lhe AIIied enlry inlo Iaris as lhe
mosl amazing seclacIe in lhe hislory of lhe
vorId.
22
A Russian arlicianl added vilh
bravado,
Tnc |rcncn, unc na! piciurc! ic incnsc|tcs inc
|ussians as ucrn cui, |q |cng canpaigns an! nar!
jigniing, as spcaking a |anguagc a|icgcincr unkncun ic
incn, an! !rcssc! in a ui|! cui|an!isn jasnicn, ccu|!
nar!|q |c|ictc incir cqcs,
uncn incq sau inc snari
|ussian unijcrns, inc
g|iiicring arns, inc jcqcus
cxprcssicn cj inc ncn, incir
nca|inq ccunicnanccs, an!
inc kin! !cpcrincni cj inc
cjjiccrs. Tnc snarp rcpariccs
cj inc |aiicr, in inc |rcncn
|anguagc, ccnp|cic! incir
asicnisnncni. Ycu arc nci
|ussians, sai! incq ic us,
qcu arc surc|q cnigrcs. A
sncri iinc, ncuctcr, scrtc!
ic ccntincc incn cj inc
ccnirarq, an! inc rcpcri cj
inc, ic incn incrc!i||c,
acccnp|isnncnis cj inc
ccnqucrcrs, j|cu jrcn ncuin
ic ncuin. Tnc praiscs cj inc
|ussians kncu nc |cun!s,
inc ucncn jrcn inc uin!cus
an! |a|ccnics uc|ccnc! us,
|q uating incir
nan!kcrcnicjs an! jrcn cnc
cn! cj Paris inc crq cj Icng
|itc A|cxan!cr! Icng |itc inc
|ussians! uas uiicrc! |q a ni||icn cj tciccs.
23

Counl Louis-Viclor-Leon de Rochechouarl, a
Irench emigre vho served in lhe Russian army,
noled lhal NaoIeon's Ialesl reorls had
reresenled |lhe AIIiedj army as exhausled,
disorganized and reduced lo inefficiency. |Novj
lhis disIay of overvheIming force seemed lo make
a greal imression on lhe Iarisians. The mosl
numerous and briIIianl slaff ever assembIed

22
jcurna| !cs Oc|aics, 3 AriI 1814, age 3.
23
MikhaiIovskii-DaniIevskii, Zapiski 1814 i 1815 gc!ct, 43-44.
comIeled lhe iclure. Add lo lhis, an eIeclrified
crovd, shouls from more lhan a hundred lhousand
voices, "Long Iive lhe Imeror AIexander! Long
Iive lhe King of Irussia! Long Iive lhe King! Long
Iive lhe AIIies! Long Iive our DeIiverers," mingIed
vilh vords of command in Russian and German,
lhe sound of carriages and horses, lhe lram of
infanlry, lhe scene is indescribabIe.
24
ul nol aII
Russian officers vere enlhraIIed by ubIic eIalion.
Laler lhal day IaveI
Iushin, an officer in lhe
Life Guard
Semeyonovskii
Regimenl, recorded in
his diary, Crovds of
onIookers increased as
ve advanced inlo lhe
cily and aII of lhem
exressed genuine
hainess, shouling
'Vive AIexander! Vive
King of Irussia! Vive
ourbons!' ul can ve
reaIIy beIieve any of
lhis` }usl yeslerday lhese
same eoIe vere
yeIIing 'Vive
NaoIeon.'
25

Imeror AIexander
seems lo have erfeclIy
Iayed his roIe of a
gracious conqueror. One
can onIy imagine vhal
he feIl al lhal momenl,
he vho had exerienced
lhe crushing defeals of AuslerIilz and IriedIand,
lhe humiIialing eace al TiIsil and lhe burning of
Moscov. In 1814, he exerienced quile a fev
reslIess momenls as his aIIiance vilh Auslria
shoved signs of slrain. Nov, as lhe AIIied lroos

24
Louis-Viclor-Leon de Rochechouarl, Mcncirs. (Nev York:
I.I. Dullon & Co, 1920), 281-282. SimiIar senlimenl in IaveI
Iushin's diary: The Iarisians vere lruIy slunned by lhis
seclacIe. They vere assured lhal onIy a smaII bIundering
coIumn of our lroos vas marching on Iaris, bul nov lhey sav
a overfuI army of sIendid aearance in fronl of lhem.
IaveI Iushin, Onctnik (Leningrad, 1987), 154.
25
Iushin, 154.
|ussian Ccssacks ai inc P|acc Vcn!5nc (|q Gccrg-
|nnanuc| Opiiz)
marched in fronl of him in lhe slreels of Iaris,
AIexander loId one of his generaIs, oinling sIighlIy
al Irince Schvarzenberg, ecause of lhis chubby
man |ic|siqakj I senl many sIeeIess nighls. Afler
a brief ause he lhen added, Whal are eoIe
going lo say nov in Sl. Ielersburg` There vas a
lime vhen some exloIIed NaoIeon and look me for
a simIelon.
26
ul nov, aII lhal vas in lhe asl,
and AIexander vas on lhe lo of lhe vorId.
Inormous crovds greeled him in lhe cailaI of his
grealesl enemy, and, according lo a Russian officer,
Iarisians vere aII asking one queslion, 'Where is
Imeror AIexander`'" Ieslered by such inquiries,
anolher officer kel resonding chevaI bIanc,
anache bIanc |Iook for vhile horse, vhile
Iumej.
27
Seeing lhe Russian emeror, lhe eoIe
began yeIIing Here he is, here is AIexander! Hov
graciousIy he is boving his head! Long Live
Imeror AIexander! Long Live Ieace! AIexander
vas eriodicaIIy sloed by Iarisians vanling lo
leII him somelhing. When one of lhem loId lhe
Imeror lhal Iarisians had been Iong execling his
arrivaI, AIexander courleousIy reIied, I vouId
have arrived earIier bul lhe gaIIanlry of your lroos
heId me u.
28
Indeed, AIexander's nobIe mien, his
affabIe and kindIy manners, and lhe care he
conlinuaIIy look lo urge uon aII lhose surrounding
him nol lo give offence, crealed a very favorabIe
imression, recorded one Irenchman.
29
His
concIusions are echoed in a Russian officer's
recoIIeclions: The crovd soon became rodigious:
indeed, il vas hardIy ossibIe lo make one's vay on
horseback. The inhabilanls kel conslanlIy
sloing our horses, and Iaunching oul in raise of
AIexander, bul lhey rareIy aIIuded lo lhe olher
AIIies. ImboIdened by lhe affabiIily of lhe
Imeror, lhey began lo vish for a change of
governmenl, and lo rocIaim lhe ourbons. While
cockades aeared in lhe hals, and vhile
handkerchiefs in lhe air, eoIe crovded round His
Ma|esly, requesling lhal he vouId remain in Irance.
"Reign over us," said lhey, "or give us a Monarch

26
Modesl ogdanovich, |sicriqa isarsitctaniqa inpcraicra
A|cksan!ra | i |cssii t cgc trcnqa (Sl. Ielersburg, 1869) IV, 507.
ogdanovich noles lhal he heard il from YermoIov himseIf.
27
MikhaiIovskii-DaniIevskii, Zapiski 1814 i 1815 gc!ct, 44.
28
ogdanovich, 508.
29
Iasquier, II, 270.
Iike you."
30
Some royaIisls rinled and dislribuled
AIexander's orlrails inscribed d'un vainqueur
generaux Ia sagesse rofonde, Rend Ia Irance a ses
rois, donne Ia aix au monde.
31
AIlhough he
aIready began lo Iook uon himseIf as an
inslrumenl of Irovidence, AIexander ubIicIy
cIaimed no credil for himseIf and soughl lo
demonslrale his humiIily and conlrasl himseIf vilh
NaoIeon. When a young man in lhe slreels of Iaris
exressed lo him his admiralion al lhe affabiIily
vilh vhich he received lhe Ieasl of lhe cilizens, he
reIied "Ior vhal eIse are sovereigns made`" He
refused lo inhabil lhe TuiIeries, remembering lhal
NaoIeon had laken his ease in lhe aIaces of
Vienna, erIin and Moscov. Looking al lhe slalue
of NaoIeon on lhe coIumn in lhe IIace Vendome,
he said "If I vere so high u, I shouId be afraid of
becoming giddy." As he vas going over lhe IaIace
of lhe TuiIeries, lhey shoved him lhe SaIon de Ia
Iaix: "Of vhal use," he asked, Iaughing, "vas lhis
room lo onaarle`"
32

The AIIied lroos marched in fronl of
magnificenl buiIdings and monumenls lhal
NaoIeon had buiIl in lhe receding years and
finaIIy reached lhe IIysian IieIds, vhere Imeror
AIexander haIled and revieved lhe lroos vhich
marched asl him. A Russian officer sav hov lhe
Iarisians rushed from every quarler, lo vilness so
noveI a seclacIe. The vomen requesled us lo
dismounl, and aIIov lhem lo sland on lhe saddIes,
in order lo have a beller viev of lhe Imeror.
Nolicing some of lhese vomen slanding on saddIes,
AIexander oinled lhem oul lo Irederick WiIIiam
and Irince Schvarzenberg, lhe Ialler quiing, I
fear lhis may Iead lo anolher abduclion of lhe
Sabine vomen.
33
MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky
described (vilh execled exaggeralion), The
arade began vilh lhe Auslrian lroos, belveen
vhose ranks lhe eoIe crovded, in sile of lhe
ulmosl efforls of lhe gendarmes, bul lhe momenl
lhe Russian grenadiers and fool-guards aeared,
lhe Irench vere so slruck vilh lheir lruIy miIilary

30
MikhaiIovskii-DaniIevskii, Zapiski 1814 i 1815 gc!ct, 44.
31
ShiIder, III, 428.
32
Irancois Rene Chaleaubriand, Mcncirs. (London, 1902), III,
61.
33
Ciled in ShiIder, III, 213, ogdanovich, 509.
exlerior, lhal lhey did nol require even lo be loId lo
cIear lhe vay: aII al once, as if by a secrel
unanimous consenl, lhey relired far beyond lhe Iine
lraced for lhe seclalors. They gazed, vilh siIenl
admiralion, on lhe guards and grenadiers, and
aIIoved lhal lheir army, even al lhe mosl briIIianl
eoch of lhe Imire, vas never in such order as
vere lhese lvo cors, afler our lhree immorlaI
camaigns.
As lhe AIIied lroos reached lhe inner, more
uscaIe, dislricls of Iaris, lhe royaIisl senlimenls
became more visibIe. Thal morning Comlesse de
oigne sav her oId acquainlance Irince VoIkonsky,
AIexander ADC, vho loId her lhal having assed
lhrough lhe slreels of oulIying dislricls, he had mel
on his road nolhing bul demonslralions of grief and
anxiely, and nol a sign of |oy and hoe. ul vhen
lhe comlesse herseIf venlured oul inlo lhe slreels,
she sav on lhe avemenl of lhe bouIevard a
number of young men vaIking asl, vearing lhe
vhile cockade, vaving lheir handkerchiefs, and
shouling " Vive Ie Roi! " bul lhere vere very fev of
lhem.. ve sliII hoed lhal lhe band vouId
increase. |ulj lhey dared nol advance beyond lhe
Rue NaoIeon |andj roceeding lo lhe MadeIeine,
lhey relraced lheir sles. We sav lhe band ass five
limes, bul vere unabIe lo cheal ourseIves vilh lhe
hoe lhal il had grovn Iarger. Our anxiely became
grealer and grealer.
34
Anloine Marie Chamanl
LavaIelle vas usel lo see numerous Irenchmen,
vhom our armies had never seen in lheir ranks..
eager lo veIcome |AIexanderj lo lhe melrooIis,
and lo Iay al his feel lhe homage and |oy of lhe
Irench eoIe. He sav vomen dressed oul as for
a jcic, and aImosl franlic vilh |oy, vaving lheir
ockel handkerchiefs and crying "Long Iive lhe
Imeror AIexander!" To his surrise, some of lhese
vomen vere married lo senior officiaIs in lhe
NaoIeonic governmenl.
35


34
Comlesse de oigne, Mcncircs (London, 1907), I, 246.
35
Anloine Marie Chamanl LavaIelle, Mcncircs ci scutcnirs
(Iaris, 1905), 299. Aboul lhe same lime, a galhering formed on
lhe IIace Louis XV., il vas comosed of a smaII number of
youlhfuI RoyaIisls, vho bore lhe mosl honored names of lhe
Irench nobiIily, lhey did nol hesilale lo don lhe vhile cockade.
A fev Iadies, vho vere al lhe vindovs overIooking lhe IIace,
encouraged lhis aclion by lheir aIause, and quickIy
According lo lhe jcurna| !cs Oc|ais, lhe AIIied
enlry vas accomanied everyvhere by lhe signs
of unambiguous senlimenls of lhe inhabilanls of lhe
cailaI. Iveryvhere lhey soke lo lhe lroos, lhey
gol aIong and have bul one senlimenl: halred for
lheir oressors and lhe desire lo relurn lhe
Iegilimale aulhorily lhal had been lesled by lhe
cenluries and vas lhe onIy vorlhy one of Irance
and Iuroe. lhal of lhe rinces of lhe house of
ourbon, lhis ma|eslic augusl house vhich had
broughl hainess and lrue gIory lo Irance for
cenluries.
36
Some of Imeror AIexander's aclions
and vords furlher inlensified such senlimenls.
Rochechouarl describes an incidenl, vhen a young
voman conlrivedhov I knov nollo raise
herseIf on lo one of lhe slirrus of lhe Tsar, |andj
shouled franlicaIIy in his ear: 'Vive I'Imereur
AIexandre.' The Sovereign look hoId of her hands
lo kee her from faIIing, and said in his gracious
manner: "Madame, cry 'Vive Ie Roi,' and I viII cry il
vilh you.''
37
ul lhe ma|orily of Iarisians remained
aIoof lo royaIisl senlimenls. Duc de Iilz-}ames'
allemls lo raIIy a ballaIion of lhe NalionaI Guard
vilh lhe cry of Vive Ie Roi! did nolhing lo
imassive faces of ils soIdiers, vhiIe Soslhene de Ia
RochefoucauId's efforl lo organize a royaIisl
demonslralion on IIace Louis XV roduced a aIlry
grou of aboul dozen men.
38
Laler lhal day
Soslhene de Ia RochefoucauId, shouling a bas
NaoIeon, Ied a grou of royaIisls lo bring dovn
NaoIeon's slalue on lo of lhe Vendome CoIumn.
Desile lheir allemls one of lhem even cIimbed

dislribuled vhile favors among lhose vho vere viIIing lo
vear lhem in lheir hals. The young men roceeded aIong lhe
ouIevard de Ia MadeIeine, marching lovards lhe sovereigns.
Their number grev as lhey rogressed. They mel lhe Imeror
AIexander and lhe King of Irussia near lhe ouIevard des
IlaIiens, al lhal oinl vere heard Ioud cries of: Icng |itc inc
Bcur|cns! Icng |itc inc sctcrcigns! Icng |itc inc |npcrcr
A|cxan!cr! Among lhe vomen al lhe vindovs, many vaved
vhile handkerchiefs, and look u lhese cries, vhich greeled lhe
sovereigns aII aIong lhe road lo lhe Chams-IIysees, vhere
lhey larried a vhiIe lo vilness lhe fiIing asl of lheir lroos.
Iasquier, II, 270.
36
jcurna| !cs Oc|aics, 3 AriI 1814, age 3
37
Rochechourl, Mcncirs, 282.
38
Louis Iranois Soslhenes de Ia RochefoucauId DoudeauviIIe,
Mcncircs. (Iaris:AIIardin, 1837), I, 45-47. AIso see GiIberl
Slenger, |cicur !cs Bcur|cns (Iaris, IIon-Nourril, 1908), 126-
128.
onlo lhe slale and kel sIaing il on lhe cheeks
39

- lhey vere unabIe lo remove lhe slalue before lhe
arrivaI of a alroI of lhe Life Guard Semeyonovskii
Regimenl, vhich AIexander senl lo safeguard lhe
monumenl.
40

The arade reviev ended aboul five o'cIock in
lhe aflernoon, vhen AIexander relired lo lhe house
of CharIes Maurice Ierigord de TaIIeyrand, vhere
he resided during lhe earIy eriod of his slay al
Iaris. A arl of lhe Russian lroos mounled guard,
and lhe resl look u lhe quarlers assigned lhem in
lhe lovn. These vere lhe besl days for lhe Russian
sovereign and his resence eIevaled Iuroean
esleem of Russia lo hilherlo unrecedenled heighls.
The behavior of Russians lroos vas melicuIousIy
reguIaled by AIexander himseIf, vho inlended lo
insure and mainlain Russian reslige. According lo
Yakov Olroshenko from lhe 14
lh
}agers, many
Irenchmen asked us vhal ve are going lo vilh
Iaris, are ve going lo burn il Iike lhe Irench did
vilh Moscov`
41
To aIIay such fears, AIexander
assured lhe deulalions of Iaris lhal no Iooling or
damaging of roerly vouId be loIeraled. I have
bul one enemy in Irance, and lhis enemy is lhe man
vho has deceived me in lhe mosl infamous fashion,
vho has abused my confidence, vho has vioIaled
aII his svorn Iedges lo me, vho has carried inlo
my dominions lhe mosl iniquilous and oulrageous
var, he decIared. AII olher Irenchmen are my
friends. I esleem Irance and Irenchmen, and my
desire is lhal lhey viII acl so as lo enabIe me lo do
lhem some good. I honor lhe courage and lhe gIory
of aII lhe brave men againsl vhom I have foughl for
lhe asl lvo years, and I have Iearnl lo hoId lhem in
high regard vhalever has been lheir condilions. I
viII ever be ready lo render him lhal |uslice and
lhose honors due lo lhem. Go, lherefore, genlIemen,
and leII lhe Iarisians lhal I am nol enlering lheir
cily as an enemy, and lhal il deends on lhem lo

39
A. MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky, O rebyvanii russkikh v
Iarizhe v 1814 g. |usskii tcsinik, 9(1819): 13-14.
40
I. Lazhechnikov, Pcknc!znqc zapiski russkcgc cjiiscra (Moscov,
1836), 203-204, Olroshenko, Zapiski, 85-86, N. KovaIskii, Iz
zaisok okoinago generaI maiora N.I. KovaIskago, |usskii
tcsinik, 91(1871): 112.
41
Yakov Olroshenko, Zapiski gcncra| Oircsncnkc (Moscov:
ralina, 2006), 85.
have me for a friend."
42
As lhe lriarlile
governmenl of lhe cailaI vas eslabIished, Russian
GeneraI aron Iabian Oslen-Sacken became
miIilary governor-generaI and a Russian, Auslrian
and Irussian commandanl each had four
arrcn!isscncnis lo oIice. The Russian lroos vere
inslrucled lo lreal IocaIs mosl benevoIenlIy and lo
overvheIm lhem vilh our generosily, ralher lhan
vengeance, and lo avoid imilaling Irench behavior
in Russia.
43

Imagine vhal lhese officers feIl lhal evening.
Their diaries and memoirs reveaI sense of eIalion,
lhriII and excilemenl lhal revenled lhem from
sIeeing. Mosl of lhem robabIy shared lhe
senlimenl exressed by Ivan Lazhechnikov, Whal
vouId you have said, oh lhe esleemed Caels, lhe
founders of lhe Irench slales, and you Henri, lhe
falher of your nalion, and you, lhe Sun-Iike Louis
XIV` Whal vouId you have feIl, SuIIys, CoIberls,
Turrennes, Racines, VoIlaires, you, lhe gIory of
your IalherIand` Whal vouId you have said, vhen
uon avakening from lhe dealhIy sIumber, you
vouId have heard lhe |oyous hurrah' of SIavs on
lhe heighls of Monlmarlre`
44
Among officers vho
couId nol sIee lhal nighl vas MikhaiIovsky-
DaniIevsky, vho, around midnighl, decided lo
vaIk in lhe slreels:
A|| |ignis ucrc cxiinguisnc! an! nc |igni ccu|! |c sccn
in inc Tui||crics Pa|acc ciincr. Tnis ancicni c!ijicc, unicn
scrtc! as inc pa|acc jcr inc Bcur|cns, inc asscn||q p|acc
cj inc rcpu||ican gctcrnncnis an! |aicr inc pa|acc cj inc
ru|cr cj inc uca|inicsi ccunirics cj |urcpc |ui a
|ui|!ing unicn |npcrcr A|cxan!cr !i! nci !ccn ucrinq
cj nis siaq uas guar!c! |q a |ussian guar! pcsi.
Ani!si inc ni!nigni si|cncc, | rcacnc! Pa|ais |cqa|,
uncrc a|| pariics, inai rcignc! ctcr |rancc in inc |asi 25
qcars, na! jirsi icsic! incir pcucrs. |n inc gar!cns an!
ga||crics | ccu|! scc incusan!s cj Parisians, carric! auaq
|q taricus passicns an! incugnis. Scnc |cckc! up inic
inc skq an! signc! ncati|q, |ui ncsi gaincrc! arcun!
taricus spcakcrs. Scnc cj incn praisc! inc Bcur|cns,
un!cr uncsc rcqa| sccpicr incir anccsicrs |itc! jcr

42
Iasquier, A Hisicrq cj Mq Tinc, II, 261.
43
IIya Radozhilsky, Pcknc!znqc zapiski arii||crisia s 1812 pc 1816
g (Moscov, 1835), III, 31.
44
Lazhechnikov, Pcknc!nqc zapiski, 189.
ccniurics, cincrs cxic||c! incir pasi ticicrics jun!cr
Napc|ccn} an! incugni ii pru!cni ic !c ncining !rasiic
uni|c auaiiing jcr inc arrita| cj inc |npcrcr ai inc nca!
cj nis arnq. Wnai | sau ncrc gatc nc jirsi an! rca|
un!crsian!ing cj rctc|uiicnarq ctcnis an! pccp|cs
gaincrings. Ocspiic inc !itcrsiiq cj incir cpinicns, incq
a|| rcspccic! a |ussian unijcrn. | ua|kc! inrcugncui
Pa|ais |cqa|, sicppc! |q inc crcu!s cj Parisians an!
uas ctcrquncrc nci uiin grcai ccuricsq.
As he relurned home vaIking aIong deserled
slreels, MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky vas hay lo
nole lhal nol a sound vas heard in lhe slreels of
Iaris, save for lhe caII of lhe Russian senlries. As
lhe nev day davned, GeneraI AIexander
Oslerman-ToIsloy's ad|ulanl I. Lazhechnikov noled
lhal lhe Cossacks have sel u lheir cams on lhe
Chams IIysees: a sighl vorlhy of lhe enciI of
|AIexanderj OrIovski
45
himseIf and of allenlion of
observers of lvisls-and-lurns of earlhIy Iife: vhere
a Iarisian dandy used lo give fresh fIovers lo his
beauly and bIissfuIIy lrembIed uon receiving
gIances of her caring eyes, nov a ashkir, in an
enormous smoked hal and vilh Iong muslaches,
slands near a bonfire and griIIs his beefsleak on lhe
li of his arrov.
46
Thomas Richard Undervood
vas aIso slruck lo see The barracks of lhe Quai
uonaarle fiIIed vilh Russian cavaIry and
infanlry. Under lhe vaIIs of lhe quai, on lhe banks
of lhe river, a considerabIe body of Russian soIdiers
vere bivouacking, round lhe bIazing fires many
vere sIeeing, some vere vashing lheir Iinen,
olhers cooking. SeveraI, enlireIy naked, vere
cIeansing lhemseIves.
47
NikoIai KovaIskii
recounls an amusing slory of a cerlain Yurko, vho
served vilh him in lhe eIile Leib-Dragoonskii
Regimenl and vas a knovn drunkard. Uon his
arrivaI lo Iaris, Yurko came across a harmacy.
There he frighlened an aolhecary vilh his fierce
bIack-dyed mouslaches and somehov sniffed oul a
bollIe vilh a |medicaIj aIcohoI, vhich emlied
vhiIe snacking on an onion and Iefl conlenlIy
rubbing his slomach. The dumbfounded aolhecary
soon came running lo our barracks, svearing lo us

45
AIexander OrIovski vas a rominenl Russian ainler (of
IoIish origin), one of lhe ioneers of Iilhograhy in Russia.
46
Lazhechnikov, Pcknc!znqc zapiski, 205.
47
Undervood, A Narraiitc cj Mcncra||c |tcnis, 119
lhal he had no resonsibiIily for lhe imminenl
dealh of our comrade bul Yurko did nol even bIink
|v us sebe ne duI.j
48


Ccssacks !ancing ai incir canps cn inc Canps ||qsscs
(|q Gccrg-|nnanuc| Opiiz)
Over lhe nexl fev days, as lhe AIIied army
sellIed dovn, Russian officers began exIoring lhe
cily aII of lhem had heard aboul bul very fev had
acluaIIy visiled. In lhe firsl days of occualion, lhe
annuaI saIary vas doubIed and aid in fuII for lhree
revious camaigns (1812, 1813, 1814) al once
49
and
so ealing, drinking and gambIing
50
vere on lhe lo
of everyone's Iisl. Il ralher shamefuI, vrole M.
Muromlsev, bul excel for lhe Musee NaoIeon, I
have seen nolhing in Iaris because of I vas

48
KovaIskii, Iz zaisok, 113..
49
Iz rasskazov slarogo Ieib-gusara, |usskii arknit, 3 (1887),
194.
50
Ior accounls of gambIing see Kazakov, Pcknc! tc |ranisiqu t
1814 gc!u, 358-359, Vq!crznki iz tcqcnnqkn zapisck i
tcspcninanii. 93.
drinking, ealing and having fun.
51
Iood vas chea
and, as KovaIskii noles, Russian officers vere
granled Iarge credils al shos and reslauranls.
52

Cherlkov's diary shovs lhal officers received 5
francs a day vhiIe slaff officers 10 francs... |Al
IaIais RoyaIj, one couId order a Iunch from any six
dishes and ay a moderale some of 1 franc and 50
saniincs.
53
In lhe reslauranls of IaIais RoyaI, lhe
officers vere aved by sIendid rooms, beaulifuI
furnilure, and servanls in ouIenl Iivery as veII as
fine dishes, cryslaIs and labIe cIolh. |We vere
servedj exquisile dishes and vines, aII served
cIeanIy and niceIy. Crovds of Irenchmen enlered
rooms lo gaze al us as if ve vere vonders. They
vere surrised lhal ve soke Irench among
ourseIves.
54
The Irench Iook al us as if ve came
from a differenl, comIeleIy unknovn vorId,
marveIed anolher officer. They feared vriles
MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky, lhal ve vere Norlhern
barbarians vhiIe Cossacks are viId and haIf-naked
savages vho skin lheir risoners and cook and easl
smaII chiIdren vhenever lhey find lhem in
viIIages. So, conlinues Ivan Lazhechnikov, our
coIorfuI uniforms, hals and Iumes. nealness and
uniformily of our cIolhing had a greal effecl on |lhe
Irenchj. They vere arlicuIarIy slruck by lhe facl
lhal some of our officers are fIuenl in Irench and
seak il as easiIy as lhe Irench. As soon as a singIe
Irench vord is ullered by one of us, ve are
immedialeIy surrounded by a crovn of onIookers
vho incessanlIy asking lhousands of queslions,
many of lhem quile obluse and reveaIing greal
ignorance.
55

AII arlicianls recaIIed fondIy inleracling vilh
Iarisians, eseciaIIy vilh slreel vendors and
merchanls. Insign I. Kazakov of lhe LG
Semeyonovskii Regimenl vrole in his memoirs lhal
bolh officers and soIdiers en|oyed greal Iife in

51
Malvei Muromlsev, Vosominaniya, |usskii arknit, 3(1890),
381. According lo Lorer, during lhe arade reviev on lhe firsl
day of occualion, some officers even managed lo escae from
lhe ranks lo have a Iunch in lhe IaIais RoyaI. Lorer, Zapiski,
313.
52
KovaIskii, Iz zaisok, 115.
53
Cherlkov, Onctnik, 421-422.
54
NikoIai ronevskii, Iz vosominanii. Gc|cs ninutsncgc,
3(1914): 233-235
55
Lazhechnikov, Pcknc!nqc zapiski, 202-203.
Iaris, an idea lhal ve vere in an enemy cily did nol
even cross our mind. |The Iarisiansj Ioved our
soIdiers. lhere vas aIvays a crovd of eoIe near
our barracks and young eddIer vomen, vilh
ackages on lheir shouIders and vodka, snacks and
sveel in hand, crovded around our soIdiers on lhe
quai.
56
Our cams lurned inlo bazaars, recaIIed
ronevski,
Anqining cnc ccu|! !csirc uas |rcugni incrc, incrc uas
nar!|q anq |argain an! sc||crs icck unaictcr ncncq uas
cjjcrc!. Oj ccursc, ctcrqining sccnc! incxpcnsitc ic us.
An! uncrc c|sc can qcu jin! sucn an a|un!ancc cj
crangcs, |cncns, app|cs, jrcsn grapcs, taricus can!ics,
uincs in ju|| |cii|cs an! na|j |cii|cs, pcricr, |iqucur,
!ijjcrcni pircgucs, paiiics, cqsicrs, cnccsc, rc||s, in a
ucr!, qcu ccu|! natc jcun! anqining qcu na! ctcr
!csirc!. |n inc !aqs ic ccnc, uc sau carriagcs uiin
ucncn arriting ai cur canp. Tncq nctc! arcun! jrcc|q
an! ij cur cjjiccrs, unc ccu|! spcak inc |rcncn,
apprcacnc! incn, incq ia|kc! ic incn icn!cr|q an!
ircaic! incn ic crangcs. Our cjjiccrs incn gcncrcus|q
|rcugni cui scartcs ju|| cj crangcs, app|cs, succis an!
gatc incn ic ucncn. Acquainianccs ucrc na!c uiinin
an ncur. Wc ucrc a||cuc! ic gc ic inc ciiq, |ui ucrc
rcquirc! ic ucar cur unijcrns, nainiain c|can|incss an!
|c a|uaqs ccuriccus an! |cnctc|cni. Sc|!icrs ucrc
prcni|iic! ic |catc canps a|cnc. |n sncri, uc jc|i as ij uc
ucrc in Mcsccu, Si. Pcicrs|urg. A|| passcr-|qcs
|cuc! ic us an! uc rcp|ic! ic incn uiin sanc ccuricsics.
Wc tisiic! cnurcncs, praqc! ic Gc! an! ctcrqcnc |cckc!
ai us uiin ucn!cr. |n incaicrs, ncsi scais ucrc cccupic!
|q cur cjjiccrs...
57

In generaI, lhe Iarisians' nalure is a lemesl of
aII assions, observed Ielrov from lhe 1
sl
}agers.
Here, al every sle, eseciaIIy on lhe bouIevards
and on lhe Chams IIysees, one can find any lye
of enlerlainmenl. You can find lrained beasls, birds,
fish and reliIes, various magic, hanlasmagorias,
anoramas and magic Ianlerns, or dances on
baIancing vires and roes or coIourfuI Chinese

56
I. Kazakov. Iokhod vo Iranlsiyu v 1814 godu. |usskaqa
siarina, 5 (1908): 356-357.
57
ronevskii, Iz vosominanii. 233-235. Ior a fascinaling
descrilion of lhe IaIais RoyaI, see Vyderzhki iz voyennykh
zaisok i vosominanii sIuzhivogo rezhnikh vremen: zanyalie
Iarizhav 1814 godu, Aicnci 1(1859), 89, 93, Cherlkov, Onctnik,
422.
ilems vhich burn al lhe Ieasanl sounds of
harmonica vilh arlicuIarIy bevilching beauly of
coIors and gIimmers.
58
Russian officers vere
arlicuIarIy surrised by lhe Iarisian Iove for
lhealer. AIexander Cherlkov's diary rovides a
fascinaling accounl of allending a lhealer Iay:
Tncsc incaicrs arc sc packc! in inc ctcnings inai ij qcu
arc |aic |q na|j an ncur,
incrc ui|| |c nc scai |cji
jcr qcu. Sucn is inc
Parisians passicn jcr
incaicr. An cncrncus
crcu! cj pccp|c gaincrs
|cjcrc inc incaicr iickci
|ccins cpcn an! auaii in
incaicr tcsii|u|cs. Bui ij a
ncu p|aq cr cnc cn a
currcni issuc is siagc! cr
ij inc king cr cincr augusi
pcrscn aiicn!s ii, incn
cnc nas ic ccnc ic inc
incaicr inrcc cr jcur ncurs
|cjcrc inc curiain is
raisc!. jusi inaginc inai
ajicr cxpcricncing a||
incsc !ijjicu|iics, qcu
cnicr inc na||, jin! qcu
scai an! incn spcn! ncxi
inrcc cr jcur ncurs
siiiing, ccnsirainc! |q
qcur ncign|crs c||cus,
sujjccaiing jrcn
un|cara||c ncai, an!
jcrcc! ic gitc up qcur
spacc inrcc cr jcur iincs
(cspccia||q ij qcu arc in
jrcni scais) ic ucncn
unc arc in na|ii cj ccning |aic. |tcn ij inc curiain nas
jina||q |ccn raisc! an! qcu inink inai ctcrqining ui|| |c
jinc ncu an! qcu ui|| ncu cnjcq pcrjcrnanccs cj inc
|csi |rcncn acicrs, qcur ncpcs ui|| |c sccn !asnc!. asi!c
jrcn !cajcning app|ausc unicn ui|| a|uaqs !isiraci qcu
ai inc ncsi inicrcsiing ncncnis, ij naiurc ca||s an! qcu
natc ic |catc inc na|| jcr a jcu ninuics cr ij, !uring
cniracic, qcu uani scnc jrcsn air, incn qcu nusi |c

58
Ielrov, Rasskazy, 270.
assurc! inai upcn rciurning |ack qcu ui|| jin! qcur nai
inrcun cn inc j|ccr an! qcur p|acc cccupic!. Tncn qcu
natc ic cncsc cnc jrcn iuc sc|uiicns. qcu ciincr
cna||cngc a nan unc icck qcur scai, unicn ui||
inctiia||q cn! uiin an appcinincni in inc Bcis !c
Bcu|cgnc (unicn nappcnc! ic nanq cur cjjiccrs) cr qcu
!cci!c ic |catc inc na||, unicn is ncrc pru!cni sincc, in
inc cn!, !ccs a nunan |ijc ncan sc |iii|c sc as ic natc
qcursc|j ki||c! ctcr a scai
in a incaicr?
59

InlhraIIed by Iaris,
many officers senl
hours every day
vaIking in lhe slreels.
Thus, IaveI Iushin's
diary, vhich is ralher
iIIuslralive of olher
officers' exeriences,
records lhal on 2-4
AriI, Iushin used his
very firsl break lo visil
HoleI des InvaIides,
Arc de Triomhe
(CarrouseI), Nolre
Dame CalhedraI, lhe
Ianlheon, olanicaI
Garden, Ionl
d'AuslerIilz, Thealer
Irancais, lhe Louvre,
Thealre des Varieles,
and IaIais RoyaI
(reealedIy).
Zhirkevich exIained
lhal his Ieisure lime
vas senl in visiling
Iaces of allracling in
Iaris in lhe morning,
slarling vilh lhe Louvres and ending vilh lhe
Chinese balhs, vhich had nolhing Chinese in lhem
excel lhe name. Above aII I en|oyed lhe olanicaI

59
AIexander Cherlkov, Mon |ournaI de Voyage. in 1812-
1814. |z sc|raniqa Gcsu!arsitcnncgc |sicricncskcgc nuzcqa
(Moscov: Terra, 1992), 422-423. Cherlkov Iisled eighl Iarisian
lhealers as lhe cenler of evening Iife: Le Thelre Iranais, Le
Grand Oera, I'Odeon (or Thelre de I'Imeralrice), Ie
VaudeviIIe, Ies Varieles, I'Oera Comique (Thelre Iaydeau),
Thelrede Ia Gaiele, and I'Ambigu Comique.
|ussian cjjiccrs cnicriaining incnsc|tcs in Paris (|q
Gccrg-|nnanuc| Opiiz)
Gardens. My friends I usuaIIy had Iunch. in lhe
IaIais RoyaI and olher reslauranls, and, in lhe
evening, ve aIvays venl lo some lhealer.
60
Al lhe
Louvre, Radozhilsky found one slalue beller lhan
anolher and vas gIad lo see a bookIel vilh
delaiIed descrilion of each slalue being soId al lhe
enlrance. Iushin vas aveslruck by lhe Louvre's
coIIeclion vhich viII forever serve as a monumenl
for lhis unordinary man. The vorks of arl galhered
here from aII counlries of Iuroe during Iasl fev
years reresenl everylhing lhal is brealhlaking in
lhis vorId. A simiIar lhoughl is exressed in lhe
memoirs of MikhaiI Ielrov, Afler visiling lhese arl
lreasures numerous limes, ve each lime exressed
our gralilude lo NaoIeon for galhering so much in
Iaris, and for bringing us lhere from lhe norlhern
regions lo lhe banks of lhe Seine River.
61
Anolher
officer, S. Khomulov noled in his diary lhal on 1
AriI, he senl lhe enlire day moving around lhe
cily in cabrioIel, fiacre, on horse and on fool,
visiling lhe Ianlheon, lhe Louvre, TuiIIeries. ul
one day is |usl nol enough lo see everylhing vorlhy
of allenlion in lhis greal, sohislicaled and gIorious
cily.
62

The resence of occuying force naluraIIy
roduced friclions belveen lhe AIIied soIdiers and
lhe Irench. Il vas as easy lo recognize lhe Irench
officers by lheir sombre counlenances as by lheir
uniforms, remarks one Russian officer,
Tncq ccn!ucic! incnsc|tcs ncrc pc|iic|q icuar!s inc
|ussians inan ic inc cincr a||ics, uiin uncn incq na!
jrcqucni quarrc|s unicn cn!c! in !uc|s. Tnc |ussians
ucrc inc cnicj c|jccis cj incir nairc!, an! nar!|q a !aq
passc! in unicn ||cc! !i! nci j|cu cn cnc si!c cr inc
cincr. Tnc Gcrnan cjjiccrs, a|incugn inc ncign|crs cj inc
|rcncn, na! ncrc !ijjicu|iq in ccnjcrning ic incir
nanncrs, cusicns, an! |anguagc, inan inc |ussians. Ai
inis iinc uc rcccitc! pcrnissicn ic ucar p|ain c|cincs, in
unicn uc appcarc! in scciciq as cr!inarq ciiizcns. Tnc
Prussians an! Ausirians, cn inc ccnirarq, ccniinuc! ic

60
Zhirkevich, Zaisiki, 655.
61
Radozhilsky, Pcknc!nqc zapiski, 130, Iushin, Onctnik, 156,
M.M. Ielrov, Rasskazy. in Vcspcninaniqa tcinct russkci
arnii (Moscov, 1991), 285. AIso see N. Muravyev-Karskii,
Zaiski., |usskii arknit, 2 (1886): 111.
62
S. Khomulov, Iz Onctnika svilskago ofilsera, |usskii arknit,
6(1870): 164-165.
ua|k a|cui in unijcrn. Wc naq a!!, uiin pcrjcci iruin,
inai incq !i! nci irq ic a!crn incir iriunpn uiin
nc!csiq. Tnc Ausirians natc a cusicn cj ucaring grccn
|rancncs in incir caps an! nais, unicn gatc cjjcncc ic inc
|rcncn, unc incugni incq rcprcscnic! |aurc|s, an! ncncc
rcsu|ic! quarrc|s, an! ctcn nur!crs. On inc ccnirarq,
inc Parisians ucrc nign|q graiijic! |q cur ucaring a
uniic |an! rcun! inc |cji arn, an! |q cur a!!ing a
uniic knci ic cur cccka!cs. Tnis apparcni|q irij|ing
circunsiancc iurnc! inc currcni cj pu||ic cpinicn in cur
jatcr, an! scrtc! as a |cn! cj unicn |ciuccn us.
63

NeverlheIess, many dueIs look Iace during lhe
monlhs lhe Russian army occuied Iaris, bolh
among Russian officers and belveen Russians and
lhe Irench. Thus, Lirandi leIIs a slory aboul a
Russian officer, arlenev, vho reIied villiIy lo lhe
Irench officers oul lo insuIl him ersonaIIy and lhe
Russian army in generaI:
Bcing a |icuicnani kncun jcr nis |ratcrq in inc
A|cksan!riiskii Hussar |cgincni, in 1814 in Paris nc
na! an cqua||q jancus !uc| uiin inrcc |rcncn cjjiccrs
unc askc! unq nussars natc ||ack jcaincrs cn incir nais
uni|c cincr |ussians a|sc natc rccsicrs jcaincrs, |ikc nis,
|ui uniic cncs. Baricnct tcrq pc|iic|q cxp|ainc! inai ii
is injanirq inai ucars inc ||ack cncs an! cata|rq inc
uniic, an! inai inc jcaincrs ccnc nci jrcn rccsicrs |ui
jrcn inc |rcncn cag|cs inai incq natc p|uckc! jquc ncus
atcns cp|ucncc}.
64

Afler monlhs of camaigning, lhe Russian
officers, Iike any olhers, vere slarved for a femaIe
comany and Iaris rovided lhem vilh Ienly of
enlerlainmenl. IaIais RoyaI had Ienly of sorling
houses and lhe number of Iadies of lhe evening
surrised some Russian officers. They vaIk in

63
MikhaiIovsky-DaniIevsky, Hislory of lhe Camaign in
Irance, 402. One of lhe Iaces of allraclions in Iaris vas lhe
famous Ionl d'AuslerIilz, vhich NaoIeon buiIl in
commemoralion of his greal viclory in December 1805. Nov, in
1814, some Iarisians soughl lo vin over AIexander by erasing
ImeriaI symboIs and inscrilions on lhe bridge. Hovever, as
Olroshenko informs us, Imeror AIexander refused lo give his
consenl for lhis, inslead requesling lo add |usl one more
inscrilion on lhe bridge, noling lhal lhe Russian army crossed
il in 1814. Olroshenko, Zaiski, 87-88.
64
I.I. Lirandi, Zamechaniya na 'Vosominaniya' I.I.
VigeIiya, in Cnicniqa t |npcraicrskcn c|sncncsitc isicrii i
!rctncsici rcssiiskikn, 1873, ook 1 (}anuary-March): 141 (f.69)
grous of lvo or lhree, laIking and Iaughing IoudIy,
making such |okes lhal our ears cracked.,
describe one officer vhiIe IIya Radozhilskii recaIIed
seeing lhese vomen seducing our youngslers vilh
lheir eyes and, if lhey gol no resonse, lhey vouId
inch lhem soreIy lo gel lheir allenlion.
65
Iedor
GIinka vriles vilh cerlain sarcasm, Adieu my dear
and deIighlfuI enchanlresses. you, vho sarkIe in
lhe Oera, slroII graciousIy on lhe bouIevards or
fIuller in gaIIeries and gardens of lhe IaIais RoyaI!
We viII be sending you our assionale sighs from
lhe banks of lhe Neva and Don. You never Iooked
al our faces. A bearded Cossack and fIal-faced
ashkir quickIy became favoriles of yours hearls if
lhey had money! You aIvays resecled lhe cIanking
sound of virlue!
66
ul lhese reIalions oflenlimes
Ied lo comIicalions and many Russians, Iike lheir
AIIied brelhren, soon conlracled venereaI diseases.
Young officer Kazakov vas Iodged al lhe house of
lhe famous Iarisian hysician aron GuiIIaume
Duuylren, vho befriended lhe Russian officer and
one day look him lo lhe HoleI-Dieu, shoved him
hosilaI rooms fuII of men vilh syhiIis and made
him romise lo have no sex.
67

Reading lhese memoirs and diaries ve see hov
much Russian officers vere deIighled by Iaris
vhich lhey describe as a Ieasure and
enlerlainmenl cailaI of lhe vorId. They vere
lhriIIed by arlislic lreasures of lhe cailaI,
fascinaled by lhe quaIily of food, and slruck by
freedom, one may even say frivoIily, of Iarisian
vomen. ul lhey vere aIso disiIIusioned by Irance
in generaI. Raised by Irench lulors, reading Irench
Iileralure and oflen seaking Irench beller lhan
Russian, lhey ideaIized lhis counlry since chiIdhood
and hoed lo find an earlhIy aradise lhere. And
even lhough Iaris lhriIIed lhem, Russian officers
vere slruck by videsread overly, misery and
economic hardshi in lhe resl of lhe counlry. They
vere surrised lo find Irenchmen from aII sociaI
cIass ralher ignoranl of lhe vorId oulside Irance, as
veII inconsiderale and boorish. Time and again, ve

65
Vq!crznki iz tcqcnnqkn zapisck., 89-90, Radozhilskii,
Pcknc!nqc zapiski, III, 127. Ior a Cossack vievoinl, see Na
chuzhbine slo Iel nazad, Kazacnii s|crnik, (Iaris, 1930), 95.
66
I. GIinka, Pisna russkcgc cjiiscra (Moscov, 1816), arl 8, 170.
67
Kazakov, Pcknc! tc |ranisiqut 1814 gc!u, 355.
see in memoirs references lo grime and un-
cIeanIiness in Irench lovns, causing one officer lo
remark lhal lhe Irench have a nalionaI lendency lo
fiIlhiness.
68
One officer slales, Many of our
officers, vho in lhe chiIdhood vere svayed by lheir
foreign lulors and, hoing lo find a romised Iand
in Irance, vere soreIy disaoinled uon seeing
videsread overly, ignorance and desair in
viIIages and lovns. Anolher commenled, The
overly around Langres is slaggering, eoIe are
derived of mosl necessilies... Houses are coId and
dirly. A fev days Ialer, lhe same officer recorded
in his diary, A easanl's food consisls of onIy
varm valer vilh a ig's fal and crumbIed bread,
vhich lhey caII a sou. A |Irenchj easanl is as
ignoranl as a Russian one, and is as oor as our
easanls in SmoIensk or Vilebsk, vriles Iushin.
More imorlanlIy, lo many officers, lhe facl lhal lhe
invasion of Irance unfoIded so easiIy soke of
unalriolic nalure of lhe Irenchmen. They
comared Russian resislance lo NaoIeon in 1812 lo
lhe Irench erceived inaclion in 1814. This in
lurn Ied lo reinforcemenl of lhe exisling slereolyes
of lhe Russian sueriorily, i.e. dedicalion, IoyaIly,
alriolism, abiIily lo sacrifice vhal's dear lo one's
hearl (i.e. Moscov) in order lo vin lhe var.

68
Radozhilskii, Pcknc!znqc zapiski, III, 45.