Napoleon Bonaparte, renowned for his military genius, has had his life’s trajectory cast into the limelight once again. His rise from modest Italian origins to the emperor of post-revolutionary France captivates people worldwide, a fascination that Ridley Scott’s latest film, “Napoleon”, attests to. Despite having passed over two centuries ago, every aspect of Bonaparte’s life, including his well-known equestrian passion, continues to be meticulously examined.
Marengo: The Legend Examined
The tale of Marengo, Napoleon’s alleged warhorse, has intrigued equestrian historians for years. Though Marengo’s very existence remains shrouded in legend due to a lack of archival evidence, new findings suggest there might be truth to the stories after all.
Napoleon I famously named his horse Marengo after his victory at the Battle of Marengo, where the horse reputedly carried him unscathed through the conflict. Marengo’s renown grew to the point that he was immortalised alongside Bonaparte in Jacques-Louis David’s iconic painting, “Crossing the Alps.”
An Arabian stallion, Marengo is said to have been brought to France at six years old following the Battle of Abukir in 1799, possibly as a prize of war. Despite his diminutive stature for an Arabian, standing at 145 cm, Marengo was a remarkable mount.
Serving in the French Army, Marengo bore Napoleon through many victories, including the battles of Austerlitz, Jena-Auerstedt, Wagram, and Waterloo. However, it is believed that during the ill-fated Battle of Waterloo, which signalled the end of Napoleon’s rule, Marengo was not the emperor’s mount; instead, Napoleon rode Desirée, another horse named after his once betrothed.
Captured at the age of 22 by William Petre, 11th Baron Petre, after the Battle of Waterloo, Marengo was transported to England and sold to Lieutenant-Colonel Angerstein of the Grenadier Guards. Attempts at breeding proved fruitless, and Marengo retired peacefully, passing away at 38 in Brandon, Suffolk.
Much-needed Makeover
After Marengo’s death, his skeleton became a treasured exhibit, first at the Royal United Services Institute and later at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London. As time took its toll, the skeleton’s pose lost its natural equine grace, leading to a meticulous restoration by Arianna Bernucci, a conservator from the Natural History Museum. Bernucci remarked on the unnatural stance of the skeleton and, with her team, worked diligently to restore its historic integrity.
Since the spring of 2017, Marengo’s skeleton has been redisplayed, capturing the imagination of countless Napoleon enthusiasts and preserving a slice of history with its unique and storied past.
