WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -After Catholicism had been banned by the French revolution, Napoleon’s invitation of Pope Pius VII to come and consecrate him in Notre Dame was part of the Emperor’s policy to reconcile Catholics to the regime, but also to mark his power over Catholicism.

Detailed explanation-2: -On 2 December, 1804, the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris was the stage on which the coronation of Napoleon I was played out, in the presence of Pope Pius VII. The new emperor broke with tradition by crowning himself and pronouncing an oath guaranteeing the preservation of the gains of the Revolution.

Detailed explanation-3: -This was not the only original feature of the ceremony: Pope Pious VII, sitting behind Napoleon, gave him the sacred unction and was preparing to take hold of the imperial crown when Napoleon seized it and crowned himself.

Detailed explanation-4: -However, at the ceremony, Napoleon surprised everyone by not allowing the Pope to crown him. Instead, he placed the crown on his own head, and then crowned Josephine Empress. A few months later, on May 26, 1805, Napoleon crowned himself again– this time with the iron circlet that symbolized the rule over all of Italy.

Detailed explanation-5: -Towards the close of 1804, Napoleon entrusted to Fesch the difficult task of securing the presence of Pope Pius VII at the forthcoming coronation of the emperor at Notre Dame in Paris (2 December 1804).

Detailed explanation-6: -Louis Bonaparte was Napoleon’s third brother. He married the daughter of his brother’s wife, Josephine, and was made king of Holland. Annoyed at this marriage, Napoleon’s two other brothers, Lucien and Jerome, did not attend the coronation and are missing from the painting.