LS in French, signed “Nap,” one page, 7.25 x 9, January 17, 1811. A letter to his cousin regarding his older brother Joseph Bonaparte, the king of Spain. In part (translated): "Make it known to the King of Spain that since I have given the government of Madrid to General Belliard and since he has not ceased to give me good service in general I won’t hear of his governorship being taken away from him; I especially don’t want to see it given to others not in the service of France; if however it is true and the king has taken away the governorship of Madrid from General Belliard, he must return it to him without delay; This is my formal order. [Further make it known to him] that in general I intend that no French troops be under orders from officers in the service of Spain.” One sentence has been boldly struck through. Intersecting folds with one tiny edge separation, some mild foxing, a trivial brush to the paraph of the signature, and a clipped upper right corner, otherwise fine condition.
In 1807, Napoleon invaded Spain and replaced King Charles IV with Joseph Bonaparte, who was not welcomed by the nation's people and grew to dislike the position. Napoleon had also appointed one of his generals, Augustin Daniel Belliard, as the governor of Madrid. When assembling a new army near the end of 1810, Napoleon appointed General Belliard as the chief-of-staff. Joseph then attempted to fill the vacant position with a general from his own Spanish army, for which Napoleon held great contempt. Angry with his brother's insubordination, Napoleon sent this letter to set him straight. An intriguing piece in which family ties—and a complicated relationship between the powerful younger brother and his subordinate elder sibling—color an international dispute. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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