Macron to commemorate 200th anniversary of Napoleon's death
ABC News
President Emmanuel Macron is marking the bicentenary of the death of Napoleon Bonapart, the warrior and emperor who famously bequeathed to France its civil code still in place but whose legacy is today tarnished in the eyes of some for reinstating slavery
PARIS -- President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday is marking the bicentenary of the death of Napoleon Bonapart, the warrior and emperor who famously bequeathed to France its civil code but whose legacy is today tarnished in the eyes of some for reinstating slavery. In a speech, Macron is expected to commemorate — not celebrate — the larger-than-life figure who died in exile on the remote volcanic island of St. Helena exactly 200 years ago on May 5, 1821. He will then lay a wreath at Napoleon’s tomb in Paris under the gold-dome Les Invalides, a grandiose resting place for a man who gave France its civil code and penal code, established the system of prefects, representatives of the state in each French territory, and lycees, or high schools, among other things. In a touchy distinction, Macron doesn't intend to polish Napoleon’s image. Instead, he means to “deconstruct” it, with “neither denial nor repentance,” an official at the presidential Elysee palace said. That means learning lessons to move forward, the official said on customary condition of anonymity.More Related News