Peers during First French Empire

During the Hundred Days, the institutional organization of the Empire underwent a number of changes, collected by Benjamin Constant in the Acte additionnel aux constitutions de l'Empire.

View of the Conservative Senate Palace, still called the Luxembourg, by V.J. Nicolle
View of the Luxembourg Palace, by V.J. Nicolle  Enlarge

Among other changes, a new upper chamber, the Chambre des Pairs, replaced the Conservative Senate in terms of both its powers and its location at the Palais du Luxembourg.

One hundred and seventeen peers were appointed on June 2, 1815. However, the Constitution stipulated that there was no limit to their number. Among them were all the (male) members of the imperial family, including Lucien Bonaparte, finally reconciled with his brother.

Jean-Jacques Régis de Cambacérès, as Archchancellor of the Empire, presided over the assembly.

After the defeat at Waterloo, the Chamber of Peers was the scene of bitter debates on the future of the regime. Support for the Emperor proved less solid than expected.

On June 22, 1815, Napoleon abdicated for the second time, in favor of his son. Recognition of l'Aiglon became a major political issue. Pending a decision, the Peers appointed two of their number, Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt and Nicolas Marie Quinette, to take part in the provisional government commission chaired by Joseph Fouché, in whom the reality of power resided.

The following day, the Assembly merely tacitly recognized Napoleon II, in application of the Constitution, without expressing its support through a solemn vote. It thus left the way open for all those working for the end of the Empire, led by Fouché.

  • ABOVILLE, François Marie (January 23, 1730 - November 1, 1817) - Count of the Empire

  • ALSACE-HÉNIN-LIÉTARD, Pierre-Simon (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • ANDREOSSY, Antoine François (March 6, 1761 - September 10, 1828) - Count of the Empire

  • ARJUZON, Gabriel (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • ARRIGHI DE CASANOVA, Jean-Thomas (March 8, 1778 - March 22, 1853) - Duke of Padua

  • AUBUSSON, Pierre Raymond Hector (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • BARRAL, Louis-Mathias (April 26, 1746 - June 7, 1816) - Count of the Empire

  • BAUFFREMONT, Alexandre Emmanuel Louis (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • BEAUHARNAIS, Eugène (September 3, 1781 - February 21, 1824) - Prince français

  • BEAUVAU-CRAON, Marc Etienne Gabriel (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • BELLIARD, Augustin Daniel (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • BIGOT DE PREAMENEU, Félix Julien Jean (March 26, 1747 - July 31, 1825) - Count of the Empire

  • BOISSY D'ANGLAS, François-Antoine (February 23, 1781 - November 12, 1850) - Baron of the Empire

  • BONAPARTE, Jérôme (November 15, 1784 - June 24, 1860) - Prince Français

  • BONAPARTE, Joseph (January 7, 1768 - July 28, 1844) - Prince français

  • BONAPARTE, Louis (September 2, 1778 - July 25, 1846) - Prince Français

  • BONAPARTE, Lucien (March 21, 1775 - June 29, 1840) - Prince Français

  • BRAYER, Michel Silvestre (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • BRUNE, Guillaume Marie-Anne (March 13, 1763 - August 2, 1815) - Count of the Empire

  • CAFFARELLI DU FALGA, Louis Marie Joseph (February 21, 1760 - August 14, 1845) - Count of the Empire

  • CAMBACÉRÈS, Etienne Hubert (September 11, 1756 - October 25, 1818) - Cardinal, Count of the Empire

  • CAMBACÉRÈS, Jean-Jacques-Régis (October 18, 1753 - March 8, 1824) - Prince-grand dignitaire de l'Empire, Duke of Parma

  • CAMBRONNE, Pierre Jacques Etienne (Decembre 29, 1770 - January 28, 1842) - Count of the Empire

  • CANCLAUX, Jean Baptiste Camille (August 2, 1740 - December 27, 1817) - Count of the Empire

  • CARNOT, Lazare Nicolas Marguerite (May 13, 1753 - August 2, 1823) - Count of the Empire

  • CASABIANCA, Raphael (November 27, 1738 - November 28, 1825) - Count of the Empire

  • CAULAINCOURT, Armand Augustin Louis (December 9, 1773 - February 19, 1827) - Duke of Vicenza

  • CHAMANS DE LAVALETTE, Antoine Marie (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • CHAPTAL, Jean Antoine (June 5, 1756 - July 30, 1832) - Count of Chanteloup

  • CHOISEUL-PRASLIN, Charles-Félix (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • CLARY, Joseph Nicolas (? - ?) -

  • CLAUZEL, Bertrand (September 12, 1772 - April 21, 1842) - Count of the Empire

  • CLÉMENT DE RIS, Dominique (February 1st, 1750 - October 21, 1827) - Count of the Empire

  • COLCHEN, Jean-Victor (November 6, 1751 - July 21, 1830) - Count of the Empire

  • COLLIN DE SUSSY, Jean Baptiste (January 1, 1750 - July 7, 1826) - Count of the Empire

  • CORNUDET DES CHAUMETTES, Joseph (September 15, 1755 - September 13, 1834) - Count of the Empire

  • COSMAO-KERJULIEN, Julien Marie (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • CROIX, Charles Lidewine Marie (October 15, 1760 - April 10, 1832) - Count of the Empire

  • DAVILLIER, Jean Antoine Joseph (? - ?) -

  • DAVOUT, Louis Nicolas (May 10, 1770 - June 1st, 1823) - Duke of Auerstaedt, prince of Eckmühl

  • DECRÈS, Denis (June 18, 1761 - December 7, 1820) - Duke of the Empire

  • DEJEAN, Jean François Aimé (October 6, 1749 - May 12, 1824) - Count of the Empire

  • DELABORDE, Henri-François (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • DELLAY-D'AGIER OU DEDELAY D'AGIER OU DELAY, Claude Pierre (December 25, 1750 - August 4, 1827) - Count of the Empire

  • DOULCET DE PONTÉCOULANT, Louis-Gustave (November 17, 1764 - April 3, 1853) - Count of the Empire

  • DROUET D'ERLON, Jean-Baptiste (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • DROUOT, Antoine (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • DUCOS dit ROGER-DUCOS, Pierre-Roger (July 25, 1747 - March 16, 1816) - Count of the Empire

  • DUHESME, Guillaume Philibert (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • DULAULOY RANDON, Charles François (December 9, 1761 - 1832 1832, 1832) - Count of the Empire

  • DUROSNEL, Antoine Jean Auguste (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • EMERIAU DE BEAUVERGER, Maxime Julien (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • EXELMANS, Rémy Joseph Isidore (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • FABRE (DE L'AUDE), Jean-Claude ou Jean-Pierre (December 8, 1755 - July 6, 1832) - Count of the Empire

  • FALLOT DE BEAUMONT DE BEAUPRÉ, Etienne André François de Paule (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • FAY DE LATOUR-MAUBOURG, Marie-Charles-César-Florimond (February 11, 1756 - May 28, 1831) - Count of the Empire

  • FESCH, Joseph (January 3, 1763 - May 13, 1839) - Cardinal, Prince français

  • FLAHAUT, Charles (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • FORBIN-JANSON, Charles (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • FOUCHÉ, Joseph (May 21, 1759 - December 26, 1820) - Duke of Otranto

  • FRIANT, Louis (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • GASSENDI, Jean Jacques Basilien (December 18, 1748 - December 14, 1828) - Count of the Empire

  • GAUDIN, Martin Michel Charles (January 16, 1756 - November 5, 1841) - Duke of Gaëta

  • GAZAN, Honoré Théodore Maxime (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • GÉRARD, Etienne Maurice (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • GILBERT DE VOISINS, Pierre Paul Alexandre (? - ?) -

  • GIRARD, Jean-Baptiste (Februrary 21, 1775 - June 27, 1815) - Duke of the Empire

  • GROUCHY, Emmanuel (October 23, 1766 - May 29, 1847) - Count of the Empire

  • HUCHET DE LA BÉDOYÈRE, Charles Angélique François (april 17, 1786 - August 19, 1815) - Knight of the Empire

  • JANNOT DE MONCEY, Bon Adrien (July 31, 1754 - April 20, 1842) - Duke of Conegliano

  • JOURDAN, Jean-Baptiste (April 29, 1762 - November 23, 1833) -

  • KELLERMANN, François Étienne Christophe (May 28, 1735 - September 13, 1820) - Duke of Valmy

  • LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, Alexandre-François (August 26, 1767 - March 2, 1841) - Count of La Rochefoucauld and of the Empire

  • LALLEMAND, François Antoine (? - ?) - Baron of the Empire

  • LAMETH, Alexandre Théodore Victor (October 28, 1760 - March 18, 1829) - Baron of the Empire

  • LAVILLE-SUR-ILLON DE LACÉPÈDE DIT LACÉPÈDE, Bernard Germain Étienne (December 26, 1756 - October 6, 1825) - Count of the Empire

  • LEBRUN, Charles-François (March 19, 1739 - June 14, 1824) - Princes-grands dignitaires de l'Empire, Duke of Piacenza

  • LECOURBE, Claude Jacques (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • LEFEBVRE, François Joseph (October 25, 1755 - September 14, 1820) - Duke of Dantzick

  • LEFEBVRE-DESNOUETTES, Charles (September 14, 1773 - April 22, 1822) - Count of the Empire

  • LEJÉAS-CARPENTIER, Martin (October 16, 1748 - December 12, 1831) - Count of the Empire

  • LE MAROIS, Jean Léonor François (March 17, 1776 - October 14 or 15, 1836) - Count of the Empire

  • LEVESQUE DE LAFERRIÈRE, Louis Marie (? - ?) - Baron of the Empire

  • MARET, Hugues-Bernard (July 22, 1763 - May 13, 1839) - Duke of Bassano

  • MARMIER, Philippe Gabriel (June 20, 1783 - July 8, 1845) - Count of the Empire

  • MASSÉNA, André (May 6, 1756 - April 4, 1817) - Duke of Rivoli, prince of Essling

  • MOLÉ, Mathieu Louis (January 24, 1781 - November 23, 1855) - Count of the Empire

  • MOLITOR, Gabriel Jean Joseph (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • MOLLIEN, François Nicolas (February 28, 1758 - April 20, 1850) - Count of the Empire

  • MONGE, Gaspard (May 9, 1746 - July 28, 1818) - Count of Pelusium

  • MONTALIVET, BACHASSON DE, Jean-Pierre (July 5, 1766 - January 22, 1823) - Count of the Empire

  • MONTESQUIOU FEZENSAC, Anne Elisabeth Pierre (September 30, 1764 - August 4, 1834) - Count of the Empire

  • MORAND, Charles Antoine (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • MORTIER, Adolphe Edouard Casimir Joseph (Februrary 13, 1768 - July 28, 1835) - Duke of Treviso

  • MOUTON DE LOBAU, Georges (Februrary 21, 1770 - November 27, 1838) - Count of Lobau

  • NEY, Michel (January 10, 1769 - December 7, 1815) - Duke of Elchingen, prince of Moskowa

  • NICOLAÏ, Aymard-François (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • NOMPERE DE CHAMPAGNY, Jean-Baptiste (August 4, 1756 - July 3, 1834) - Duke of Cadore

  • PAJOL, Pierre Claude (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • PERREGAUX, Alphonse (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • PRIMAT, Claude François Marie (July 26, 1747 - October 10, 1816) - Count of the Empire

  • QUINETTE, Nicolas Marie (September 16, 1762 - June 14, 1821) - Baron of Rochemont

  • RAMPON, Antoine-Guillaume (March 16, 1759 - March 2, 1842) - Count of the Empire

  • RAPP, Jean (April 27, 1771 - November 8, 1821) - Count of the Empire

  • REILLE, Honoré Charles (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • ROEDERER, Pierre Louis (February 15, 1754 - December 17, 1835) - Count of the Empire

  • SAVARY, Anne Jean Marie René (April 26, 1774 - June 2, 1833) - Duke of Rovigo

  • SÉGUR, Louis Philippe (September 10, 1753 - August 27, 1830) - Count of the Empire

  • SIEYÈS, Emmanuel-Joseph (May 3, 1748 - June 20, 1836) - Count of the Empire

  • SOULT, Jean-de-Dieu (March 29, 1769 - November 26, 1851) - Duke of the Empire

  • SUCHET, Louis-Gabriel (March 2, 1770 - January 3, 1826) - Duke of the Empire

  • THIBAUDEAU, Antoine Claire (March 23, 1765 - March 9, 1854) - Count of the Empire

  • TIMBRUNE DE THIEMBRONNE DE VALENCE, Jean-Baptiste Cyrus Adélaïde (September 22, 1757 - February 4, 1822) - Count of the Empire

  • TRAVOT, Jean-Pierre (? - ?) - Baron of the Empire

  • TURENNE D'AYNAC, Henri Amédée Mercure (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

  • VANDAMME, Dominique-Joseph René (Cassel - Cassel) - Count of Unsebourg

  • VERDIER, Jean Antoine (? - ?) - Count of the Empire

View of the Peer Chamber