Napoleon's 1805 decrees: vaccination and the Iron Crown

Background. The Kingdom of Italy was established on 17 March 1805, transforming the Italian Republic into a client state of Napoleon's French Empire. Napoleon assumed the title of King, delegating the viceroyalty to his stepson Eugène de Beauharnais. The Iron Crown, a reliquary votive crown traditionally linked to the Lombards, was used in the 1805 coronation, echoing its medieval role as regalia for the coronation of some Holy Roman Emperors as kings of Italy.

Coronation and Regalia. Napoleon's coronation at Milan Cathedral included the medieval gesture of crowning himself with the Iron Crown, declaring in Italian: "God gave it to me, woe to him who touches it." Milanese coronation rites generally, according to liturgical sources, involved investiture with regalia such as the sword, sceptre, and orb, and sometimes the anointing of the king with holy oil, though these details are not confirmed specifically for the 1805 ceremony.

Military Context. The military forces of the Kingdom derived from the Italian Republic, which had conscripted civilians between 1803 and 1805. In 1805, the army included line and light infantry regiments, dragoons, and the Royal Guards. The regions had been demilitarized in the prior century, leading to a perception among administrators that Italians had limited military value, despite later contributions to Napoleon's armies.