Longwood House

Longwood House was the residence of exile of Napoleon Bonaparte after his exile on the island of St. Helena. He lived there from December 10th 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821. The building is located in the northeast of St. Helena, in rather windy and humid part of the island.

History

First, Longwood was the residence of the British governor and was specially prepared accordingly for the collection of Napoleon and his entourage. Shortly before his death a replacement house called New Longwood was under construction, which no longer but was ready on time. In February 1818, the then Governor, Sir Hudson Lowe Lord Bathurst suggested Napoleon to move to another house, which was in a friendlier climate. But the publications Gourgauds in London prompted Lord Bathurst to Napoleon to leave in Longwood, to prevent a possible escape. The house is located in the windy and humid part of the island and has climatically unfavorable conditions for health to what Napoleon, who always went out in his exile from being intentionally physically weakened and poisoned by the British authorities Dern, in a way, was quite.

After Napoleon's death

After Napoleon's death, the house of the East India Company was passed, but came back in 1833 in direct possession of the British crown. Initially it was used for agricultural purposes. Reports on the increasing deterioration of the house reached Napoleon III. , Who negotiated with the British government in 1854 to sell the land to France. 1858 finally Longwood House and the area was handed over around the grave for a total of 7100 pounds. Since then, both owners are under the administration of the French Foreign Ministry. A representative of the government lives in Longwood and is responsible for the conservation, maintenance and management of both possessions. In 1959, the House of Balcombs family of Mabel Brookes was also handed over to the French nation as a gift. Here the Emperor spent the first two months on St. Helena at a friend's family, before he could move in Longwood.

Today, Longwood House is a museum and residence of the French consul on the island.