The Emperor continued Louis-Philippe's historical project by placing large paintings of the great events from his reign, including the Crimean War (1854-1856), Italian campaigns (1859) and Mexican campaigns (1862) in the Africa Rooms. © RMN-GP (Château de Versailles) / © Franck Raux Also noteworthy was the one held in 1862 for the Spanish King Consort, François d’Assise de Bourbon, Duke of Cádiz and husband of Queen Isabella II, during which the Neptune Fountain was illuminated and depicted in a painting by Lami.ĭinner held by Napoleon III for Queen Victoria on 25 August 1855

The programme comprised a visit to discover the palace and its gardens by day, followed by an evening party whose decor was immortalised by the watercolourist Eugène Lami and photographer Disdéri.

The most striking one was the party held for Queen Victoria of Great Britain in 1855 in the midst of the Crimean War, for the inauguration of the first Universal Exhibition in Paris. Versailles, a place of ostentation during the French Second Empireĭuring the reign of Napoleon III, Versailles, which had become a history museum, remained a prestigious venue where important figures visiting Paris were received, and was also the setting of grand parties. More information on the Collections website © RMN-GP (Château de Versailles) / Rights reserved Reception of the Siamese ambassadors by Emperor Napoleon III in the Palace of Fontainebleau, 27 June 1861 The French Second Empire was overthrown during the Franco-Prussian War on 4 September 1870.

On 29 January 1853, Napoleon III married a young Spanish aristocrat who had long been a Paris resident, Eugenia María, known as Eugénie, Palafox, Countess of Teba and daughter of the Count of Montijo. The Empress was the hostess of a brilliant Court in the Tuileries Palace and bore the Emperor a son, Louis-Napoleon who was given the title Prince Imperial. The new regime was Napoleonic through and through and renewed bygone military glory and ostentation in France, and was also a period of great economic prosperity. After a turbulent youth and several attempts to seize power during the July Monarchy, he was elected President of the French Second Republic in 1848. He turned his presidency into an imperial title thanks to a Coup on 2 December 1851, proclaiming himself Napoleon III, Emperor of the French.

The rise of napoleon