FRENCH
Napoleon's Cloak (Burnous)
1797 - 1805RCIN 61156
This burnous, or cloak, was taken from Napoleon's fleeing carriage immediately after the Battle of Waterloo. It was presented to Field Marshal Blücher, who in turn presented it to the Prince Regent, accompanied by the dramatic tale of its capture by a Prussian officer. It is modelled on the burnous worn by the Berbers of North Africa, but here the practical woollen cloak suitable for a soldier is lined in silk and appliquéd with a design resembling an eagle, more appropriate for the Emperor.