Consulte de Lyon
The former chapel of the Jesuit college of the Trinity in Lyon hosted an extraordinary meeting from 11 to the 26th of January 1802. Napoleon Bonaparte decided to call this consulta as first consul during the French Consulate period. The Cisalpine Republic had been created after the first Italian campaign and included Lombardy, Mantua, Bergamo, Brescia, Verona, Cremona, Rovigo, Modena, Massa, Carrara, and three legations from Bologna, Ferrara, and Romagna. This republic served as the foundation for the political transformation that would follow. The proposal for the meeting was highly successful with 452 deputies named to attend it.
Deputies were vetted by Bonaparte before they could participate in the proceedings. An order of business was imposed upon the assembly without room for deviation. Pressure exerted on members ensured approval of Bonaparte's wishes throughout the session. The consultation continued its business over several days while the consul received deputations from neighbouring towns and departments. On the 26th of January the meeting took place in the presence of French ministers, generals, major functionaries, and Joséphine. The First Consul presided and opened the meeting with a speech delivered in Italian under pressure from Talleyrand.
Napoleon converted the Cisalpine Republic into the Italian Republic during his opening speech. This conversion brought applause from the assembly present in the chapel. Vincenzo Brunetti read the new constitution aloud on the 26th of January as secretary of the meeting. Both Aldini and Melzi had been offered the presidency but rejected it in turn. Talleyrand wished to end the quarrel between these two figures before the final vote occurred. The result established Napoleon as president of the newly formed state.
Antonio Aldini and Francesco Melzi d'Eril stood among the prominent Italian delegation members. Filippo Maria Visconti served as archbishop of Milan at age 82 when he travelled to Lyon for the meeting. He died of a heart attack whilst talking to Talleyrand at a dinner on the 31st of December 1801. Pietro Moscati tried in vain to save him after the event. Alessandro Volta appeared as inventor of the battery within the gathering. Other notable attendees included bishops of Pavia, Bergamo, Lodi and Cremona alongside Antonio Cagnoli who presided over the Italian Society of Sciences.
Talleyrand exerted pressure on Bonaparte regarding internal leadership disputes between Italian factions. The French foreign minister pushed for an end to the quarrel between Aldini and Melzi. This diplomatic maneuvering shaped how the opening speech would be delivered in Italian. Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord worked closely with Napoléon Bonaparte during the proceedings. Joachim Murat and Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte also attended as part of the French delegation supporting the political transition.
Nicolas-André Monsiau created a painting depicting the Consulte de Lyon between 1806 and 1808. This artwork serves as the primary visual documentation of the historical event today. Subsequent historiography has relied heavily on this representation when analyzing the meeting. Ronald Zins edited a collective work titled Lyon et Napoléon published by Faton editions in 2005 that discusses the event further. Catherine Brice documented aspects of Italian history within her Histoire d'Italie book released by Hatier Nations d'Europe publishers.
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Common questions
What was the Consulte de Lyon and when did it take place?
The Consulte de Lyon was an extraordinary meeting hosted in the former chapel of the Jesuit college of the Trinity in Lyon from 11 to the 26th of January 1802. Napoleon Bonaparte called this consulta as first consul during the French Consulate period.
Who attended the Consulte de Lyon besides Napoleon Bonaparte?
Notable attendees included Vincenzo Brunetti, Antonio Aldini, Francesco Melzi d'Eril, Filippo Maria Visconti, Alessandro Volta, bishops of Pavia, Bergamo, Lodi and Cremona, Antonio Cagnoli, Talleyrand, Joachim Murat, and Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte. The assembly also contained 452 deputies vetted by Bonaparte before they could participate.
How did the Cisalpine Republic change after the Consulte de Lyon?
Napoleon converted the Cisalpine Republic into the Italian Republic during his opening speech on the 26th of January. This political transformation established Napoleon as president of the newly formed state following a vote where both Aldini and Melzi had rejected the presidency.
What role did Talleyrand play at the Consulte de Lyon?
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord exerted pressure on Bonaparte regarding internal leadership disputes between Italian factions. He pushed for an end to the quarrel between Aldini and Melzi and influenced how the opening speech would be delivered in Italian under pressure from him.
Who created the primary visual documentation of the Consulte de Lyon?
Nicolas-André Monsiau created a painting depicting the Consulte de Lyon between 1806 and 1808. This artwork serves as the primary visual documentation of the historical event today and subsequent historiography has relied heavily on this representation when analyzing the meeting.