Imperial Decree Napoleon III – Tuileries Palace – 1855 – French Second Empire
Imperial Decree Napoleon III – Tuileries Palace – 1855 – French Second Empire
Napoleon III signed decree from 1855, an original French imperial administrative document issued during the Second French Empire and dated 21 February 1855.
Issued from the Palais des Tuileries in Paris, the document bears the imperial heading:
“Napoléon, par la grâce de Dieu et la volonté nationale, Empereur des Français”
and is connected with the Administration des Cultes, the French administrative authority responsible for religious affairs.
The decree concerns the appointment of a Catholic parish priest, providing a historical example of official French state documentation relating to ecclesiastical administration during the reign of Napoleon III.
The document retains its original printed imperial decree format, with handwritten administrative additions, signatures of government officials and a clearly embossed imperial seal. Its combination of imperial authority, Catholic administration and original archival features makes it an interesting 19th-century French historical document.
Historical Context
The document dates to the Second French Empire, the period of Napoleon III's rule from 1852 to 1870. Official administrative acts of the period could address matters involving the clergy, ecclesiastical appointments and church administration. The BnF's collections include extensive French official acts concerning the clergy and ecclesiastical matters.
The Palais des Tuileries was an important imperial residence in Paris, and official decrees of the period could be dated and issued from the Tuileries Palace. Contemporary imperial decrees preserved in French historical collections use the formula “Fait au palais des Tuileries” together with the date and imperial signature.
Key Details
- Date: 21 February 1855
- Place: Palais des Tuileries, Paris
- Ruler: Napoleon III
- Authority: Imperial Government of France
- Administration: Administration des Cultes
- Type: Imperial administrative decree
- Subject: Catholic parish appointment
- Language: French
- Material: Printed and handwritten ink on paper
- Features: Imperial heading, handwritten additions, official signatures and embossed imperial seal
Condition
Very good historical condition for its age, with:
- Original archival folds
- Light foxing and age toning
- Well-preserved handwriting
- Clear embossed imperial seal
- Original historical character
This is an original 1855 French imperial document, not a modern reproduction.
Collector Interest
This Napoleon III document will be of interest to collectors of:
- Napoleon III memorabilia
- Second French Empire documents
- French imperial decrees
- 19th-century French historical documents
- French political history
- Catholic ecclesiastical documents
- Administration des Cultes records
- French presidential and imperial autographs
- Historical manuscripts and archival documents