Jean Tulard (; born 22 December 1933, Paris) is a French academic and historian. Considered one of the best specialists of

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

and the Napoleonic era ( Directory,

Consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a ...

and

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

), he is nicknamed by his peers "the master of Napoleonic studies". He was a professor at the

Sorbonne University Sorbonne University () is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as a constituent college of the Unive ...

and at

Sciences Po Paris Sciences Po () or Sciences Po Paris, also known as the Paris Institute of Political Studies (), is a public research university located in Paris, France, that holds the status of ''grande école'' and the legal status of . The university's unde ...

. He is a member of the

Institut de France The ; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the . It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute manages approximately ...

via the

Académie des sciences morales et politiques An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

. He is also very interested in the history of cinema.

Career

After graduating first in his class with an

agrégation In France, the () is the most competitive and prestigious examination for civil service in the French public education A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all stu ...

in history and a PhD in literature, he became a boarder at the Fondation Thiers from 1961 to 1964, before becoming a research associate at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique) (CNRS). Director of Studies at the

École Pratique des Hautes Études École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...

in 1965, he was appointed professor at the Université Paris-Sorbonne and the

in 1981. Jean Tulard was President of the Société de l'histoire de Paris et de l'Île-de-France from 1973 to 1977, and President of the from 1974 to 1997. President of the Société de l'histoire de Paris et de l'Île-de-France (1973-1977), he was also president (1974-1999) and then honorary president (since 1999) of the Institut Napoléon, and a member of the board of directors of the

Cinémathèque française A cinematheque is an archive of films and film-related objects with an exhibition venue. Similarly to a book library (bibliothèque in French), a cinematheque is responsible for preserving and making available to the public film heritage. Typically ...

(since 2004) and 4.8. He is a member of the board of the Cinémathèque française and of the Comité pour l'histoire préfectorale (2012-2018), and was the historical consultant for the TV film ''Valmy'' (1968), by Jean Chérasse and

Abel Gance Abel Gance (; born Abel Eugène Alexandre Péréthon; 25 October 188910 November 1981) was a French film director, producer, writer and actor. A pioneer in the theory and practice of montage, he is best known for three major silent films: ''J'ac ...

, and for ''La Révolution française'' (1989), by Robert Enrico and

Richard T. Heffron Richard T. Heffron (October 6, 1930 – August 27, 2007) was an American film director. He worked on many television series such as ''The Rockford Files'' and films including ''I Will Fight No More Forever'' (1975), ''Futureworld'' (1976), ...

. Honorary president of the Institut Napoléon, he has chaired the scientific advisory board of the '' Figaro Histoire'' since 2012. A member of the Centre Vendéen de Recherches Historiques, he has also been a member of the

Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

since 16 May 1994, elected to the History and Geography section in the chair of Roland Mousnier. He was President of the Academy in 2005.

Why Napoleon?

Because of his family origins (his parents were both senior civil servants at the '' Préfecture de Police'', and his mother was director of the Préfecture de Police museum), Jean Tulard devoted his doctoral thesis to the history of the administration in Paris (''Paris et son administration, 1800-1830''). He intended to study at the Faculty of Law and become a magistrate. A problem with his enrolment led him to change his course. After completing his thesis, which covered the period of the

, he became a lecturer at the Sorbonne in 1967 and began to devote himself to Napoleonic studies. In 1965, Michel Fleury, director of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), under whose supervision he wrote a thesis on the Prefecture of Police under the

July Monarchy The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...

(republished by the CNRS under the title "La Police Parisienne entre Deux Revolutions - 1830-1848)"), created a new research department, the "Chair of History of the First Empire". Jean Tulard was elected to this chair, which he held for thirty-five years. At the same time, he joined the University of Paris IV (now

) to teach the history of the French Revolution and the First French Empire. He also taught administrative history at Sciences-Po Paris.

Forensic verification of Louis XVII's heart identity: Tulard's expertise in deciphering royal remains

Tulard was one of the experts involved in verifying the heart believed to be that of Louis XVII of France, actually the

Dauphin of France Dauphin of France (, also ; ), originally Dauphin of Viennois (''Dauphin de Viennois''), was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830. The word ''dauphin'' is French for dolphin and ...

as the heir apparent to the throne, who died in 1795 in imprisonment. Scientists using DNA samples from

Queen Anne of Romania Anne (born Princess Anne Antoinette Françoise Charlotte Zita Marguerite of Bourbon-Parma; 18 September 1923 – 1 August 2016) was the wife of King Michael I of Romania. She married Michael in 1948, the year after he had abdicated the throne. N ...

, and her son André de Bourbon-Parme, maternal relatives of Louis XVII, and from a strand of

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

's hair, proved the young royal's identity. Historic evidence as to the location of the heart over the decades was also considered. In a summary of the investigation in 2004, Tulard wrote: "This heart is ... almost certainly that of Louis XVII. We can never be 100 per cent sure but this is about as sure as it gets".

Film activities

Jean Tulard took part as a "historical consultant" in the TV film ''Valmy'', directed by Jean Chérasse and

and broadcast for the first time in 1967. With a total running time of 208 minutes, the film is divided into three parts: 1. the fall of royalty, 2. chronicling the summer of 1792, 3.

Battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

and birth of the Republic. In 1989, he was the "historical adviser" for the film ''La Révolution française'', directed by Robert Enrico and

, in a co-production with French, Italian, German, Canadian and British investors. Depending on the version, the film lasts between 180 and 360 minutes. Jean Tulard is a member of the Sponsorship Committee of the Institut régional du cinéma et de l'audiovisuel de Corse, chaired by French director Magà Ettori (since 2009).

Literature

Jean Tulard is a member of the jury for the Prix des Hussards, created by Food critic

Christian Millau Christian Dubois-Millot, pen name Christian Millau (, 30 December 1928 – 5 August 2017), was a French food critic and author. Born in Paris, he began his career as a journalist in the "interior policy" department of ''Le Monde'' newspaper. In 1 ...

Private life

Jean (Claude, Fernand) Tulard spent his childhood in

Albi Albi (; ) is a commune in France, commune in southern France. It is the prefecture of the Tarn (department), Tarn Departments of France, department, on the river Tarn (river), Tarn, 85 km northeast of Toulouse. Its inhabitants are called ...

in the region of

Occitania Occitania is the historical region in Southern Europe where the Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes used as a second language. This cultural area roughly encompasses much of the southern third of France (except ...

in the

Southern France Southern France, also known as the south of France or colloquially in French as , is a geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas e ...

, and developed a passion for cinema. His mother started out as a primary school teacher and later became curator of the archives of the Musée de la Préfecture de Police. Married to Marie-Josée Fagnot, Jean Tulard had three children.

Publications

Many of the following books have been translated into many languages, including English: * 1962 : Histoire de la Crète. * 1964 : L'Anti-Napoléon, la légende noire de l'Empereur. * 1964 : La Préfecture de Police sous la monarchie de Juillet. * 1965 : Alexander von Humboldt, L'Amérique espagnole en 1800 (édition critique). * 1968 : Première édition critique des Œuvres littéraires et écrits militaires de Napoléon, 3 volumes. * 1970 : Nouvelle Histoire de Paris : le Consulat et l'Empire. * 1971 : Bibliographie critique des Mémoires sur le Consulat et l'Empire. * 1971 : Le Mythe de Napoléon. * 1973 : Atlas administratif de l'Empire français. * 1973 : Lettres inédites de Cambacérès à Napoléon (édition critique). * 1976 : Paris et son administration (1800-1830). * 1978 : La Vie quotidienne des Français sous Napoléon. * 1978 : Napoléon ou le mythe du sauveur. * 1979 : Napoléon et la noblesse d'Empire. * 1981 : Napoléon à Sainte-Hélène. * 1982 : Dictionnaire du cinéma. Tome I : Les Réalisateurs (réédition 1996-1997). * 1982 : Le Grand Empire - rééd. 2009. * 1983 : Murat. * 1985 : Dictionnaire du cinéma. Tome II : Acteurs, producteurs, scénaristes, techniciens (réédition 1996-1997). * 1985 : les Révolutions. * 1985 : Joseph Fiévée, conseiller secret de Napoléon. * 1987 : Histoire et dictionnaire de la Révolution française 1789-1799 (en collaboration). * 1988 : Dictionnaire Napoléon (sous la direction de J. T.). * 1989 : Nouvelle Histoire de Paris : la Révolution. * 1990 : La Contre-Révolution (sous la direction de J. T.). (ISBN 2-262-00609-1) * 1990 : Guide des films (sous la direction de J. T.). (ISBN 2-221-90054-5) * 1990 : Almanach de Paris (sous la direction de J. T.). (ISBN 2-85229-702-7) * 1990 : Les Écoles historiques (en collaboration). (ISBN 2-13-042835-5) * 1991 : Le Directoire et le Consulat. (ISBN 2-13-043980-2) * 1991 : Le Métier d'historien (en collaboration). (ISBN 2-13-044024-X) * 1991 : Jean Tulard (dir.), Alfred Fierro (collaborateur) et Jean-Marc Leri (collaborateur), L'histoire de Napoléon par la peinture, Paris, Belfond, 1991, 317 p. (ISBN 2-7144-2693-X, BNF 35419262), prix Paul-Marmottan 1991. * 1992 : Napoléon II (17e prix Fondation Pierre-Lafue 1993). (ISBN 2-213-02966-0) * 1993 : Procès-verbal de la cérémonie du sacre et du couronnement de Napoléon signé par Louis-Philippe de Ségur. (Présentation et notes) (ISBN 2-11-081287-7) * 1993 : Napoléon : jeudi 12 octobre 1809, le jour où Napoléon faillit être assassiné. * 1993 : Itinéraire de Napoléon au jour le jour (en collaboration). * 1994 : La Petite Histoire de France (en collaboration). * 1994 : Le Marché de l'histoire (en collaboration). (ISBN 2-13-046169-7) * 1995 : La France de la Révolution et de l'Empire. (ISBN 2-13-054191-7) * 1995 : Dictionnaire du Second Empire (sous la direction de J. T.). (ISBN 2-213-59281-0) * 1995 : Histoire et dictionnaire du Consulat et de l'Empire (en collaboration). (ISBN 978-2-221-11421-6) * 1995 : La Morale de l'histoire (en collaboration). * 1996 : Mémoires de Talleyrand (présentation et notes). (ISBN 2-7433-0172-4) * 1996 : Le Temps des passions : espérances, tragédies et mythes sous la Révolution et l'Empire (en collaboration). * 1997 : Napoléon : le pouvoir, la nation, la légende. * 1997 : Jeanne d'Arc, Napoléon, le paradoxe du biographe (en collaboration). * 1998 : Joseph Fouché. (ISBN 2-213-59991-2) * 1999 : Le 18-Brumaire. Comment terminer une révolution. (ISBN 2-262-01221-0) * 2005 : Dictionnaire du roman policier, 1841-2005 : auteurs, personnages, œuvres, thèmes, collections, éditeurs (Fayard). (ISBN 2-213-62590-5) * 2005 : Les Thermidoriens (Fayard). (ISBN 978-2-213-62012-1) * 2006 : Napoléon - Les grands moments d'un destin. (ISBN 978-2-8185-0308-9) * 2008 : Les Pieds Nickelés de Forton (Armand Colin), coll. « Une œuvre, une histoire » (ISBN 978-2-200-35055-0). * 2009 : Dictionnaire amoureux du cinéma (ISBN 978-2-259-20831-4) * 2009 : Alexandre Dumas (PUF), (ISBN 978-2-35764-005-4). * 2011 : Talleyrand ou la douceur de vivre, Bibliothèque des Introuvables, Paris (ISBN 978-2-84575-343-3). * 2012 : Détective de l'histoire, Éditions Écritures * 2012 : Dictionnaire amoureux de Napoléon, Plon * 2012 : La Berline de Napoléon Albin Michel * 2012 : Le Pouvoir du Mal, les méchants dans l'Histoire Éditions SPM * 2012 : Napoléon chef de guerre, Tallandier (ISBN 978-2847349924). * 2013 : Quand Laurel rencontra Hardy, éditions SPM, Paris, (ISBN 978-2-917232-15-6). * 2014 : La Police parisienne - Entre deux révolutions (1830-1848), éditions du CNRS, collection Biblis, Paris, 194 pages, (ISBN 978-2-271-07994-7). * 2014 : Napoléon et quarante millions de sujets - La centralisation et le Premier Empire (avec Marie-José Tulard), Tallandier, (ISBN 979-1021001473). * 2015 : Le Monde selon Napoléon, Tallandier * 2016 : Rossini sous Napoléon, éditions SPM, (ISBN 978-2-917-232-49-1). * 2016 : Les historiens de Napoléon, éditions SPM, (ISBN 978-2-917-232-36-1). * 2017 : Le Monde du crime sous Napoléon, La Librairie Vuibert (ISBN 978-2-311-10202-4). * 2018 : Le Nouveau Guide des films (tome V), dir., Bouquins, 928 p. * 2019 : Tyrans, assassins et conspirateurs éditions SPM, (ISBN 978-2-917-232-94-1). * 2019 : De Napoléon et quelques autres sujets, Tallandier, (ISBN 979-10-210-3798-4). * 2019 : Le Musée du crime - Chroniques du 36 quai des Orfèvres (avec Hélène Tulard), Maisonneuve et Larose (nouvelles éditions), Hémisphères (éditions), (ISBN 9-782377-010387). * 2020 : L'Europe au temps de Napoléon (dir.), Cerf. * 2021 : Marengo ou l'étrange victoire de Bonaparte, Buchet/Chastel, * 2023 : L'Empire de l'argent, Tallandier

Prizes and awards

* Grand prix Gobert from the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

(1971). * Prix Berger from the

Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres The () is a French learned society devoted to history, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the . The academy's scope was the study of ancient inscriptions (epigraphy) and historical literature (see Belles-lettres). History ...

(1973), for his ''Nouvelle Histoire de Paris'' ("New History of Paris"), written with French historians Raymond Cazelles and Marcel Reinhard, and published under the auspices of the Council of the City of Paris. * Prix Georges-Mauguin from the

(1973). * Grand prix national de l'Histoire (1977). * Prix du Mémorial, grand prix littéraire d'

Ajaccio Ajaccio (, , ; French language, French: ; or ; , locally: ; ) is the capital and largest city of Corsica, France. It forms a communes of France, French commune, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Corse-du-Sud, and head o ...

(1981) - for the body of his work. * Prix Marmottan from the

Académie des Beaux-Arts The (; ) is a French learned society based in Paris. It is one of the five academies of the . The current president of the academy (2021) is Alain-Charles Perrot, a French architect. Background The academy was created in 1816 in Paris as a me ...

(1992). * Prix Pierre-Lafue (1993), for his book '' Napoléon II'', the son of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

. * Prix Richelieu (1993). * Prix Simone-Genevois (1998). * Prix de l'Union (2001). * Ambassadors Prize (''Prix des Ambassadeurs'') (2007). In April 2010, he became Commander of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

, created by Napoleon.Le Figaro
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tulard, Jean Historians of the Napoleonic Wars Members of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques Commanders of the Legion of Honour 1933 births Living people 20th-century French historians First French Empire Historians of the French Revolution Film historians Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite French male writers