Louis-Étienne Saint-Denis facts for kids
Louis-Étienne Saint-Denis (born September 22, 1788 – died May 3, 1856) was a very loyal helper to Napoleon I. He was known as "Mamelouk Ali" because he was part of Napoleon's special guard, the Mamelukes of the Imperial Guard. He is most famous for staying by Napoleon's side during his two times in exile, first on Elba island and later on Saint Helena.
Contents
A Loyal Friend to Napoleon
Louis-Étienne Saint-Denis was born in Versailles, France. His father worked for the royal family's horses, and his mother's father worked in the royal kitchens. His parents made sure he got a good education. He even worked as a clerk in Paris for a while.
Joining Napoleon's Household
Thanks to a family friend, Louis-Étienne got a job with Napoleon's household on May 1, 1806. He started as a stableman, taking care of the emperor's horses. Five years later, on December 11, 1811, Napoleon gave him a more important job. He became Napoleon's second personal assistant, called a "valet-de-chambre." Napoleon also told him to change his name to "Mameluk Ali." This was to honor the person he was replacing, who was also called Ali.
Adventures with the Emperor
Mameluk Ali traveled with Napoleon on many of his adventures. He went with him during the difficult trip to Russia. He also stayed with Napoleon when he was sent away to Elba island. Later, during the "Hundred Days" when Napoleon briefly returned to power, Ali was still by his side. Finally, he went with Napoleon to his last exile on Saint Helena, a faraway island.
In April 1814, Ali was promoted to be the main Mameluk. This happened after the previous Mameluk, Roustam Raza, left Napoleon. On Saint Helena, Ali did everything he could to make Napoleon's life better. He even made a special perfume, called eau de Cologne, for the emperor using things he found on the island. He also helped Napoleon by copying his writings and organizing his books.
Family Life and Return to France
In 1819, Mameluk Ali married Mary Hall. She was from Birmingham, England, and worked as a governess for the children of one of Napoleon's top generals.
Two years later, in 1821, Napoleon showed his thanks to Ali in his will. He left Ali a large sum of money. He also gave Ali the important job of taking some of Napoleon's books to his son, who was known as the former King of Rome.
After Napoleon's death, Ali returned to France. He started a family and worked a small job at a riding school. In 1826, he published his memories in a book called Souvenirs. He also took part in a special journey in 1840. This was called the Retour des Cendres, which means "Return of the Ashes." It was when Napoleon's remains were brought back to France to be buried in Paris.
In 1854, Napoleon III, who was Napoleon I's nephew, honored Ali. He made him a Knight of the Légion d'honneur, a very important French award. Louis-Étienne Saint-Denis, or Mameluk Ali, died two years later in Sens, a town in northern France, where he was also buried.
Writings
- Souvenirs, published in 1826. This book shares his memories.
- Journal inédit du retour des Cendres, published in 1840. This was a journal about the journey to bring Napoleon's remains back to France.
