Canine Capers Co-Starring Napoleon Quiz

Answer: Fortune attacked and bit him.

As a memento of this wedding night Napoleon would bear both a grudge against dogs and a calf scar for the rest of his life.

Answer: Name any dog "Napoleon".

Acting in haste to mimimize any association between himself and canines may have led to leisurely repentence for failing to include other animals in the legislation, such as, donkeys, chickens, and assorted vermin.

Answer: A cat.

Gerard's idea was that the inclusion of a dog in the painting would symbolize Napoleon's power, pride of ownership, loyalty, and warmth. Napoleon was somewhat open to the idea until he found out that the only dogs available for posing were those of Josephine.

Answer: Fortune adored Hippolyte Charles.

The one and only Fortune of the wedding night debacle was famous for nasty, snappish behavior toward everyone but Josephine. However, Fortune displayed no negative behavior toward Hippolyte Charles, which was accurately assessed by Napoleon as evidence of friendliness on other fronts.

Answer: "Bring him (your dog) back. Perhaps he will rid me of the new dog, too!"

Josephine's devotion to the new dog was as strong as her devotion to the much missed Fortune. When the new dog became ill she insisted that Napoleon procure the eminent Milanese physician, Pietro Moscati. Moscati cured the dog and in gratitude Josephine became his patron.

Answer: All of the answers are correct.

Napoleon further stated, "In fact, I can think of a dog that is probably resting on Josephine's bed at this very moment that I would be glad to see hanging from the end of an enemy lance". Needless to say after Josephine's departure there would be no more pampered dogs in the Napoleon household.

Answer: Boatswain picked up a letter Napoleon had dropped and delivered it to the Prince of Wales.

The purpose of the Carlton House reception was to persuade Prussia to join Britain and and complete the alliance against France. During a private conversation including the Prince of Wales, William Pitt, Prime Minister, and the Prussian diplomat Boatswain came in carrying a letter.

The Prince of Wales believing the missive was for him opened the letter. After reading it he passed it to the Prussian ambassador. After the Prussian read it and turned red the letter was given back to Boatswain to be returned to Napoleon. Six weeks later a new coalition against the military tyranny of France was signed with Prussia having joined the alliance. So what was so explosive about the contents of this letter that it could change the course of political history? The letter between the French envoy and ambassador stated that a rapproachment between Britain and Prussia should be prevented at all costs.

However, that this goal should not be difficult to achieve since the Prussian ambassador was slow witted and had a complacent nature.

Answer: The H.M.S. Nymph's ship dog.

After hearing about the boarding Napoleon spat out, "Dogs! Must I be defeated by them on the battlefield as well as in the bedroom?".

Answer: Taste tester.

Aware of British assassination plots against him the dog was not a pet, but a measure for determining whether his food was being poisoned.

Answer: The embarrassment of being rescued by a Newfoundland dog.

While no one else noticed Napoleon drowning a fisherman's dog that had previously saved another drowning man took the initiative and saved him doggone it!

Sources:

Coren, Stanley (2002). The Pawprints of History:Dogs and the Course of Human Events. The Free Press, New York, New York.
Thurston, Mary Elizabeth (1996). The Lost History of the Canine Race. Andrews and McMeel, Kansas City, Missouri.