«Napoleonic legend» as a part of the official ideology of the July Monarchy
Tanshina Natalia
The focus of the article is the development of the cult of Napoleon and the formation of the "Napoleonic legend" in France during the years of the July monarchy (1830-1848). King Louis-Philippe of Orleans, who came to the throne as "the king of the barricades", in an effort to legitimize his own power, legitimized Napoleon. Napoleonic legend has become, in fact, part of the official ideology of the July monarchy. The restoration of the statue of Napoleon on the Vendome Column, the transformation of Versailles into the National Museum of France and the opening of the Glory Gallery there, and, most importantly, the reburial of Napoleon’s ashes on December 15, 1840 - all these are evidences of Napoleonic worship. The article concludes that all these events hardly helped Louis-Philippe to strengthen his power, and comparisons with Napoleon were clearly not in his favor.