author
prince de François-Ferdinand-Philippe-Louis-Marie d'Orléans Joinville
1818–1900
A French prince who chose the sea, he became a naval officer, writer, and public figure remembered for helping modernize the French Navy. He is also closely linked with the 1840 return of Napoleon’s remains from Saint Helena to France.
1 Audiobook
Memoirs (Vieux Souvenirs) of the Prince de Joinville
by prince de François-Ferdinand-Philippe-Louis-Marie d'Orléans Joinville
About the author
Born in 1818, the Prince de Joinville was the third son of Louis-Philippe, who later became king of the French. Rather than staying only at court, he entered the navy while still young and built a serious military career.
He served in major operations, including the French attack on Veracruz in 1838, and became especially well known for leading the 1840 mission that brought Napoleon’s remains back from Saint Helena. Reference works also describe him as a writer on naval and military subjects, reflecting how involved he was in debates about France’s armed forces and the modernization of its fleet.
After the fall of the July Monarchy in 1848, his life also took on a political dimension in exile and later public life. Alongside his military reputation, he is remembered as a cultured figure with artistic interests, making him more than simply a royal name in a family tree.