Obituary > Claude-Napoléon, Baron de Méneval (1933-2024)
We have received news of the death, in his 92nd year, of Claude-Napoléon de Méneval. He was a descendant of Napoleon I’s secretary (later Marie-Louise’s), a man of great learning, inspired by a gentle but tenacious determination. He was a major player in the Napoleonic world for several decades: member and even president of the Souvenir Napoléonien (2002-2005), vice-president and general secretary of the Amis du Musée Murat, member of the Board of Directors of the Fondation Napoléon from 1997 to 2005. At the Fondation, he held the positions of deputy treasurer (1998-2001) and secretary (2001-2005). He was a frequent visitor to the Fondation and attended most of the events we organised (including a memorable trip to Monterrey, Mexico, in the company of his wife, who passed away in 2017). He was appreciated by all for his curiosity and unfailing friendliness. Not only did he love long historical conversations, one might also say he loved his fellow man. Through his research into his ancestor, the archives of whom he preserved, he took part in the Fondation’s venture to publish the Correspondance générale de Napoléon (Napoleon’s General Correspondence), providing us with invaluable information about the Emperor’s itinerary thanks to his ancestor’s original registers.
The Fondation Napoléon extends its sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Published 3 October 2024
