Napoleon's penis
Napoleon died on the 5th of May 1821 on the island of Saint Helena. An autopsy followed his death, and some accounts claim François Carlo Antommarchi removed the emperor's penis during that procedure. No primary source records such an incident taking place. Philip Dwyer, a biographer of Napoleon, calls the claim highly fanciful. Some stories suggest the chaplain bribed Antommarchi to cut off the organ as revenge for Napoleon calling him impotent. None of the accounts from St. Helena mention the removal of the emperor's penis.
The alleged item passed into the possession of Napoleon's chaplain after he smuggled it out of St. Helena to his home on Corsica. It remained in the priest's family until 1916 when Maggs Bros Ltd purchased it. A Philadelphia-based bookseller named A. S. W. Rosenbach bought the piece in 1924. He exhibited it in New York City at the Museum of French Art in 1927. John K. Lattimer purchased the item in 1977 for three thousand dollars. His daughter inherited it upon his death and was offered at least one hundred thousand dollars for it.
A reviewer present at the 1927 exhibition described the object as similar to a maltreated strip of buckskin shoelace. Others considered it to look like a piece of leather or a shriveled eel. The item went on display at the Museum of French Art before moving through private collections. James Comyn read an affidavit about Eric LeVine, a collector of items relating to Napoleon. He referred to the item as a certain part rather than calling it a penis. The current owner has allowed ten people to see it but never recorded it on camera.
Judith Pascoe wrote in The New York Times that the preserved specimen is barely recognizable as a human body part. A documentary aired on Channel 4 called Dead Famous DNA measured the item to be very small. It remains unknown what size it was during Napoleon's lifetime. The preserved penis resembles a piece of leather or a small shriveled eel according to contemporary descriptions. No record exists of its appearance while Napoleon lived.
The story remains unverified since no primary source records such an incident taking place. Philip Dwyer states that claims regarding Antommarchi cutting off the penis are highly fanciful. Experts question whether the artifact truly belongs to Napoleon. The current state of the item makes authentication difficult for historians and collectors alike. Some accounts suggest the chaplain may have been bribed to cut it off by Napoleon's chaplain as revenge for Napoleon calling him impotent. None of the accounts from St. Helena mention the removal of the emperor's penis.
Common questions
When did Napoleon die on the island of Saint Helena?
Napoleon died on the 5th of May 1821 on the island of Saint Helena. An autopsy followed his death and some accounts claim François Carlo Antommarchi removed the emperor's penis during that procedure.
Who purchased the alleged Napoleon penis in 1977 for three thousand dollars?
John K. Lattimer purchased the item in 1977 for three thousand dollars. His daughter inherited it upon his death and was offered at least one hundred thousand dollars for it.
What happened to the alleged Napoleon penis after it left St. Helena?
The alleged item passed into the possession of Napoleon's chaplain after he smuggled it out of St. Helena to his home on Corsica. It remained in the priest's family until 1916 when Maggs Bros Ltd purchased it.
How does the preserved Napoleon penis look according to contemporary descriptions?
A reviewer present at the 1927 exhibition described the object as similar to a maltreated strip of buckskin shoelace. Others considered it to look like a piece of leather or a shriveled eel.
Why do experts question whether the artifact truly belongs to Napoleon?
Experts question whether the artifact truly belongs to Napoleon because no primary source records such an incident taking place. The current state of the item makes authentication difficult for historians and collectors alike.