Christine Caccipuoti

Every year when December 2nd rolls around I smile, because in the 19th century it was a very significant date for my favorite imperial family: the Bonapartes. This date saw several Very Big Moments of Triumph for both Napoleon I and Napoleon III, and if there is one thing the Napoleons loved, it was Very Big Moments of Triumph. I suppose I enjoy them, too, because I got excited when I realized the air date for my final Bonaparte-related Footnoting History episode of the year

[Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769. This post is my way of marking it, so Happy Birthday, Napoleon!] When Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France he had many enemies, but did those enemies include a horde of unruly rabbits? That is what one enduring story proposes. In the almost two-hundred years since Napoleon’s death, the tale of his interesting encounter with a group of rabbits who didn’t respect his authority has morphed into something of an urban legend, with each v