The film is about the famous lady Emma Hamilton, who was the mistress of the legendary British admiral Horatio Nelson. Thanks to his war plan, English fleet was able to defeat the combined squadron of Spain and France, which became one of the turning points in the history of the Napoleonic Wars.

And now more about the film itself. To be honest, I thought Alexander Kord’s film was one of the best examples of British cinema. Reviewers have already mentioned that “Lady Hamilton” was Sir Winston Churchill’s favorite film (the ubiquitous Wikipedia also tells us about this). Prime Minister British Empire I watched the film so often that I wore out the film to holes. In the end, I became interested: Winston Churchill’s favorite film this time; starring an amazing actress, one of the queens of classic cinema Vivien Leigh that's two; historical events that's three; and finally, the acting tandem of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh that's four. And so, I decided to look.

I liked the film, and I couldn’t help but like it. When Vivien Leigh plays, her incomparable beauty is completely in harmony and combined with her incomparable acting talent; the talented duo of Lee and Olivier, beautiful scenery and excellent cinematography and directorial direction in the end you have to try very hard so that the picture does not attract your attention at all. But at the same time, I couldn’t shake the feeling of some kind of staged performance. Yes, this feeling of props rarely slips through, because the viewer is captive interesting dialogues, good acting, but still it slips through. Someone will tell me that all films were like that back then. Why bother? But they somehow filmed “Gone with the Wind” in such a way that even now you don’t feel any falsehood and you know that this production is eternal. She is beyond all time and judgment. However, we have deviated from the topic and this is my personal opinion.

I would also like to add that now the picture may look somewhat naive. The creators somewhat ennobled the image of Lady Hamilton, giving it true aristocratic features, nobility, and fidelity. In life, unfortunately, everything was somewhat darker and more prosaic. But this is only a huge plus that such a great and pure feeling in the film is freed from all unnecessary everyday filth, which would only distract and frighten the viewer. However, grains of salt remained. The smart one will see them.

The film was filmed when the flames of war were already beginning to rage in Europe, and when the filming process ended and the film was released, the flames of World War II were already raging with might and main. Therefore, in “Lady Hamilton” there are episodes filled with scenes of sincere patriotism of sailors and officers when raising flags, Admiral Nelson’s angry speech that no peace treaties are possible with dictators and other heresies that threaten the world (oh, if Mr. Chamberlain knew this when let the Reich eat Czechoslovakia), as well as the “noble” background of the war itself (I don’t blame the creators, it was wartime then).

So, the movie "Lady Hamilton" is a complete and beautiful picture, but still for me there are artistic gaps in it.

Emma Lyon, Lady Hamilton

The famous adventurer, by a happy coincidence, married William Hamilton, the British ambassador in Naples.

She was the confidant of the Spanish Queen Caroline. Later she was a member of love relationships with the famous Admiral Nelson. She was awarded the cross "For Special Merit" by Paul I.

Her life was rich in adventures. She knew poverty and wealth, brilliance and misery, grief and death. Lady Hamilton was married to Sir William Hamilton, a famous collector of antiques and diplomat, and British Ambassador to Naples. This marriage elevated her, a modest servant from an ordinary London tavern, who gave herself to anyone who paid well, from the bottom of society to the top of the elite.

She was called the “beautiful bacchante,” and when she drove through the streets of Naples, people stopped, amazed by her beauty. However, the beauty, alas, faded quickly and inevitably. Lady Hamilton loved good food, and she loved porter even more. However, even after three bottles it was difficult to think that she had missed at least one glass. Lady Hamilton's incomparable form began to blur excessively. Having once believed in her extraordinary beauty, basking in compliments, she did not see that she was changing, did not notice how the admiration of her admirers began to subside. The white dresses she preferred only emphasized the shortcomings of her plump figure. They began to slander that she had bad manners and that there was a lot of vulgarity in her behavior.

But in singing and dancing-pantomime she had no equal. Once, at a reception at Hamilton's house in Naples, she even competed with the singer Georgina Brigitte Bundy. After Emma's performance, her opponent exclaimed: “Oh my God, what a voice! I would give my entire fortune for one like this!”

But her pantomimes were the greatest success. Goethe, who was traveling in Italy and was invited to Sir William’s house, wrote in his diary: “Sir William Hamilton... after for long years passion for art and nature crowned his successes in this area, finding himself beautiful woman... This is a twenty-year-old Englishwoman, beautiful and wonderfully built. He ordered her to sew very flattering Greek clothes, and she walks around in them with her hair down... In the tireless movement and constant change one can see what thousands of artists would like to portray: here she looks seriously, sadly, flirtatiously, raising her eyes in surprise , modestly lowers them, looks now seductively, now with fear, now menacingly... She knows how to drape a scarf and a hundred different ways decorate their head. The old husband can’t get enough of it and wholeheartedly admires everything she does.”

Of course, Emma was pleased with this. She hoped that the echo of delight would reach London, where her lover, Sir Charles Greville, from the noble Warwick family, would hear it.

Yes, she didn’t love anyone so much, she dreamed that maybe Greville would come to Naples to see her, and then she would be able to persuade him to take her to London.

Who was this singer, dancer, who inspired artists?

She was born in Chester, Cheshire. Some of her biographers claim that her father was the blacksmith Henry Lyon, but more likely she was a "child of love." She was baptized on 12 May 1765 at Great Neaston Church. Soon the father died. As a thirteen-year-old girl, Amy, later called Emma, ​​left her native village with her mother. Fate was not kind to them: Emma had to do odd jobs on the London streets and serve in cheap taverns. At seventeen she gave birth to a girl. One day she was noticed by a certain Doctor Graham, a charlatan and adventurer who claimed to have invented a miraculous electric bed on which elderly men gained vitality and youth. Dr. Graham gave Emma a job in his office, where she appeared covered in a transparent gaseous material. The office of the “miracle worker” has become fashionable. Representatives of the highest circles began to visit the so-called Temple of Apollo with the Goddess of Health.

Fate changed dramatically when the young baronet Sir Harry Featherstonehoff fell in love with her. Amy followed him to his ancestral castle. A new, hitherto completely unknown life began for the adventurer. Unlimited possibilities opened up before her. Balls followed one another. Huge sums passed through the hands of the courtesan. Holiday horseback riding showed that Amy is a skilled horsewoman. The baronet's guests were fascinated by her talents. But the baronet was tired of the frivolous beauty, who had depleted his treasury, so he rented her a modest apartment in a remote part of London - and that was it.

Poverty has returned. Amy was pregnant, but the born child soon died. It is unknown what her fate would have been like in the future if she had not met Sir Charles Greville, a fan of fine arts and owner of a magnificent collection of paintings. He took her into full support, setting a strict condition: to lead a virtuous lifestyle. Frivolous, extravagant Amy became diligent, homely and economical. Charles invited teachers who gave her spelling, music and singing lessons. Emma fell recklessly in love with the young aristocrat. Greville was not far from the idea of ​​making her his wife. The feeling was mutual. To hide her past, she called herself Miss Emma Hart.

Artists have visited Greville's house. George Romney immortalized her in numerous sketches.

This idyll lasted for almost four years. During this time, Emma gave birth to three children - two girls and a boy. But Greville never married her. Partly for reasons of economy, partly due to indecision and disapproval of this marriage on the part of the closest relatives.

In 1784, Charles introduced the beauty to his uncle, the recently widowed Sir William Hamilton. Sir Hamilton lived in Naples and was ambassador to the court of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Emma began to interfere with Greville, and he asked his uncle to invite her to Naples, under the pretext of learning to sing from Italian masters. Perhaps a deal was made between uncle and nephew - Sir William paid off Greville’s debts, who gave him the girl in return.

Emma left with her mother. The aging diplomat received them with extraordinary hospitality in Naples. They settled in the ambassador's residence, and Emma found in Sir William a caring guardian, ready to fulfill her every wish.

But Emma remained faithful to Greville. She sent him fourteen letters, but received only one. The one she loved so much advised her to forget him.

In November 1786 she became Hamilton's mistress and married him five years later to take revenge on the unfaithful Charles. This wedding left open the question of Sir William's inheritance: after all, he could bequeath his entire fortune, which Greville so counted on, to his wife.

In 1791, the couple traveled to London to consecrate their marriage in their homeland. On September 6, the wedding took place in St. Mary's Church in London in the presence of numerous representatives of the English nobility. Emma signed marriage contract named "Emmie Lyon", but during the wedding ceremony he was announced as "Miss Emmy Hart". Now, as Sir Hamilton's wife, she was entitled to all the signs of respect accepted in society. ^ However, in order not to return to Naples without being recognized by the European courts, the intriguing Emma forced Sir William to go to Paris and get an audience for her with Marie Antoinette, the sister of the Neapolitan queen. After this, all class barriers were removed. Lady Hamilton was very cunning; many of her contemporaries accused her of excessive slander and love of gossip. The only one with whom Emma was friends was the Neapolitan queen Maria Carolina. Lady Hamilton knew how to be a devoted friend and dangerous enemy, a prude and a libertine, loved political intrigue. In general, her mind was not at all feminine.

Lady Hamilton's friendship with the queen knew no bounds. If you haven't seen the ladies! at least for a day they wrote letters to each other. They dressed like twins and spent long hours together, ignoring the rules of etiquette. The Queen knew that Sir William trusted his wife much. During friendly conversations, Maria Caroline learned from her friend information that interested her. It happened, however, that it was Lady Hamilton who persuaded the queen to be frank in matters so important that Sir William was forced to send dispatches about them to London by emergency mail. It is believed that it was from them that the English government learned about Spain's military preparations.

Emma wanted to shine in society and be revered by both the nobility and the common people. She was surrounded by an aura of mystery, which she tried to maintain with all the means of her acting skills.

In September 1793, Rear Admiral Horace Nelson appeared in Venice, famous for his victory over the Spanish fleet. Nelson stayed at the ambassador's residence and was introduced to his wife. She is at the peak of her enchanting beauty. Nelson, short, thin, missing his right arm, was seven years older than Emma and married to the widow Fanny Giesbeg. whose son, Joshua, served under his command.

From Nelson, who was inconspicuous at first glance, energy flowed like a fountain and emanated extraordinary confidence. He enjoyed great success with women.

Life began for the three of us. “One heart in three bodies,” as Lady Hamilton put it. The aged Sir William was tolerant of this novel and was not indignant even when he learned that he had become the father of a daughter. However, there was a moment when he offered her separation. But he never returned to it.

All three knew their worth and, although they were different from each other, they achieved Everyday life amazing harmony. This allowed Nelson to feel at home in the Hamiltons' home as if it were his own, as he openly wrote to his wife Fanny about. Apparently, at Nelson’s request, or perhaps driven by her own cunning, Emma also wrote to Fanny. Well, Horace generally tried to surround his wife with care and attention. It seemed that the trio could be turned into a quartet. However, Fanny, truly loving her husband, left him. Gone forever.

The affairs of the marital triangle might have remained a banal story if the romance of Lady Hamilton and Nelson had not been intertwined with events of historical significance

On August 1, 1798, Nelson won a famous victory over the French at the Battle of Aboukir. All of Europe rejoiced at this tremendous success.

When Nelson entered the harbor of Naples aboard the Vengarde, the Italians warmly hailed him as a liberator. The King, Queen, English Ambassador and his wife joined them to express their gratitude. And here Lady Hamilton’s talent as an actress again manifested itself. With an exclamation: “Oh God, is this really possible!” she fainted and straight into the arms of the hero of the seas...

Lady Hamilton now had only one goal: by any means necessary to ensure that her name sounded along with the name of the legendary Nelson

Emma tried to hide her relationship with Nelson, but his personal affairs increasingly influenced his official ones. When Nelson, for example, received orders to sail from Naples to join Admiral Lord Keith, Emma objected and Nelson obeyed her! In 1799 Grand Master of the Order of Malta Russian Emperor Paul I awarded Nelson the Order of the Cross; Emma liked it so much that she certainly wanted to add it to her collection of jewelry. Tsar Paul also awarded her, supposedly in recognition of her services to helping the inhabitants of the island. This, however, was not without formal difficulties, for the woman who received this cross had to be of noble birth and swear an oath of chastity. Since Emma Hamilton was neither one nor the other, the king said that the cross was given to Lady Hamilton in gratitude for the gift of 10,000 livres and for the transport from Sicily.

In a word, Emma has reached the pinnacle of success. However, the time had come to return to London: Sir William was recalled from his post. And here it could not have happened without Nelson. Without any authority, he allegedly promised Malta to the Neapolitan king Ferdinand. For this unreasonable step, apparently dictated by excessive self-confidence, the British government brought him to justice. Nelson received a letter from the First Lord of the Admiralty recommending that he leave the Neapolitan court. The trio returned to London.

Charles Greville met them there. He had not seen Emma for almost ten years and looked with surprise, and perhaps with dislike, at her curvaceous form.

Well, an explanation awaited Nelson with his wife. The meeting ended with the separation of the spouses and the division of property. But Emma didn't have to celebrate her victory: public opinion accused her of destroying the family.

Nelson's stay in England did not last too long. Promoted to vice admiral, he departed for military operations against Denmark. During his absence, Emma gave birth to a daughter, Horatia, who was quietly taken out of sight. The nanny was told that the child's father was Mr. Thompson, the mother was a lady from high society, and was obliged to strictly keep the secret. Horatia should never have known who her mother was. She only knew that she was the adopted daughter of Lord Nelson.

During this period, Nelson's letters to Emma were filled with concern about her health. Then this topic gave way to the anxiety of a jealous lover. Emma deliberately teased him, telling him in letters about an invitation to dinner with Prince Valia and about meetings with Charles Greville. This “news” drove Nelson crazy. However, it didn’t come to dinner with Prince Valia, and Greville didn’t bother him anymore. In one of his letters, Nelson called her his wife for the first time. “There is nothing in the world that I wouldn’t do so that we could be with our child.”

The admiral made plans for a joint departure to a place where the evil rumors of their imaginary friends would not reach, where they could live in peace and only for themselves. He also stated that he did not want to see his wife Fanny anymore. Never before had Lord Nelson written so openly; not a single letter of his had contained such ardent assurances that there was no other woman for him except Emma. They moved to a small house in Merton, near London. From then on, economic issues and concerns about the house in which they wanted to live together began to occupy a lot of space in Nelson’s letters to Emma.

In this house they had no time for themselves. Nelson was constantly distracted by work, and both of them by friends' receptions. This was the last home of the Great Admiral.

On October 21, 1805, Nelson fell in the famous Battle of Trafalgar, defeating the French fleet. The letter that Nelson wrote to Emma before the battle began with the words: “My dear, beloved Emma, ​​my dear heart friend...”

He left them alone, Emma and Horatia, for Sir William had by then died. They said that he died in Emma's arms, clutching Nelson's hand. The same narrators added, not without gloating, that he was then unconscious. The only proof of the sobriety of his thoughts was his will, in which he left Emma only 700 livres of an annual pension, and the entire fortune to Charles Greville.

Without her husband and friend, Emma felt lost. Nelson left her a substantial fortune. However, she threw money away, lived large and in the end went completely broke. Due to debts, she went to prison and there she fell ill with jaundice.

During this difficult period of her life, Thomas Lovell unexpectedly published two volumes of Letters from Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton, apparently stolen. The books aroused great interest.

The publication brought Lady Hamilton new torment. Her reputation, already badly tarnished, was completely ruined. If until then there was any hope of retirement, now it has vanished forever.

It is unknown how long she would have remained in prison if lawyer Joshua Jonathan Smith, a member of the London City Council and co-owner of a successful company, who had previously served on the admiral's ship Victoria, had not appeared. He found her in prison and brought back the blood-stained uniform of the Grand Admiral, then paid her bail and helped her escape to France. With fifty pounds in her pocket, Lady Hamilton found herself in Calais with Horace. The incorrigibly frivolous woman settled in a luxurious hotel, from where she was soon forced to move out. “She chose modest Sant Pierre, two miles from Calais. Feeling more and more acutely the lack of money, Emma turned to Nelson’s family for help, who did not ignore this request.

Lady Hamilton became often ill and died on January 15, 1815. Nobody knows where she is buried.

I first learned about Lady Hamilton as a child after watching a sad film with Vivien Leigh. The film story begins with a scene in a poor quarter, where a poor woman tells the story of her life. It’s hard for her interlocutor to believe that the middle-aged, drunken ragamuffin is Lady Hamilton herself, the most beautiful lady in England who captivated Admiral Horatio Nelson.

The film Lady Hamilton, starring Vivien Leigh, was Winston Churchill's favorite film. They said that the politician watched this movie more than 80 times. “Lady Hamilton” was for Churchill what “The Girl of My Dreams” was for Hitler. Personally, I prefer Churchill's taste.

The role of Horatio Nelson in the film was played by Laurence Olivier. It’s a beautifully structured movie that’s a pleasure to watch, but the biography of the courtesan is, of course, idealized.

At the age of 15, Emma Lyon went to London to work as a maid. In the capital, she met a local charlatan sorcerer and took part in his magic performances. “Shepherdess Emma” attracted the attention of noble gentlemen who provided her with their patronage.

Artist George Romney created a series of portraits of Lady Hamilton in different images. “Photo shoot” of the gallant century. Judging by the portraits, Emma Hamilton was indeed pretty.

The attractive young girl was noticed by the venerable diplomat Sir William Hamilton. He received Emma as a gift from his nephew, Sir Greville, who for a long time patronized the courtesan.

"Angelique" - Michelle Mercier as Lady Hamilton

Biographer Jack Russell notes: “That such a deal could be concluded by two civilized gentlemen with refined manners, who traded a woman like a horse, testifies only to the level of morality of those days ... That a mistress passed from a nephew to an uncle was considered a little eccentric, a little funny, but no one made a fuss, no one reproached, although everyone knew well when Emma established herself in Naples. Greville later became a member of the royal court... And Sir William held his post for another fifteen years.”.

The aging William Hamilton, after some reflection, decided to marry a young courtesan. “Such a woman, after some polishing, can be a good wife for a diplomat”- the diplomat reasoned. Hamilton was on his way to Naples, where he wanted to appear in the company of a young lady.

The whole of London mocked a 60-year-old man who married a 24-year-old courtesan:

O knight of Naples, is it true,
What, leaving the gallery where I kept it
You are the marble and bronze gods,
Married to a goddess, but alive?
Lock the palace with a hundred cunning locks
Out of fear that the beauty is yours
He will go off to wander - just like that, out of self-indulgence.
And if suddenly, missing the deity,
You will rush to search the temple,
Don't be surprised if you find her -
Properly rummaging through the bushes.

The great lover Giacomo Casanova spoke philosophically about this marriage: “He was a smart man, but he ended up marrying a young woman who managed to bewitch him. This is the fate that awaits the intellectual in old age. Marriage is always a mistake, and when a person’s mental and physical abilities decline, it’s already a disaster.”.

The newlyweds went to Naples, where the courtesan had a love adventure that would glorify her throughout the centuries.

Emma Hamilton attracted the attention of Neapolitan society with her "living pictures", acting in the image of the heroines of antiquity. A unique performance of the gallant age.

The poet Goethe wrote about these studies: “The old knight (Hamilton) ordered a Greek suit for her, which suits her amazingly. In a tunic, with her hair flowing, manipulating a pair of shawls, his wife takes a wide variety of poses, changes the expression of her eyes and face, and so skillfully that the viewer seems to be dreaming in reality. The viewer sees the creations of artists who considered them their luck in movement, in delightful variety and perfection. Here she stands, here she kneels; sits, then lies down. We see her serious or sad, playful or jubilant, repentant or thoughtless; she either threatens or suffers - all these states of the soul quickly replace each other. With amazing taste, she drapes the shawl differently depending on her facial expression; from the same scarf she is able to make different headdresses. The old knight holds a lamp in his hands and experiences this performance with all his soul.”.

Lady Hamilton met Admiral Nelson in 1798, she was 33 years old, Nelson was 40 years old. In the film Lady Hamilton, Emma helps Nelson gain Naples' support in the war against the French. The image of the courtesan is presented as heroic - everything to save her native England.

And in her notes, Emma Hamilton describes her meeting with Nelson as an episode from a book in which she is a character. “When Sir William returned home from his first meeting with Captain Nelson, he told his wife that he was going to introduce her to a man who was not particularly handsome. However, Sir William added, “this English sailor, Captain Nelson, will in his time become the greatest man that England has ever produced. I understood this already from the few words that I managed to exchange with him, and I affirm that one fine day he will lead the world into amazement. I have never received officers in my house before, but I intend to invite him to us. Let him be placed in the room prepared for Prince Augustus." After which Nelson was introduced to Lady Hamilton. He lived in her husband's house all that time a short time that was in Naples. From that moment on, an ardent friendship between the three people arose, which, becoming ever stronger, continued until their death. Emma Hamilton had the bitter fate of being the last to die.".

In his diaries, Nelson spoke glowingly of Lady Hamilton, "She's one of the best women in the world"- he said.

“You are always in my soul, your image does not leave me for a second, and I hope that very soon I will be able to hug the real you. I am sure this will bring us both true pleasure and happiness... Continue to love me as passionately as I love you, and we will the happiest couple in the world"- the admiral wrote passionate letters to his lady love.

In the novel “Confession of a Favorite” by Alexandre Dumas, a version is presented that Lady Hamilton was also an “intimate friend” of the Neapolitan Queen Caroline. In the era of gallantry, such “female friendship” between a married noble lady and a courtesan was not condemned and was considered commonplace. Queen Caroline did not love her husband Ferdinand and surrounded herself with favorites, one of whom was John Acton. Like many emotional ladies, she wanted to discuss her personal experiences with a close friend.

Ambiguous episodes about the relationship between the queen and the courtesan are presented in the film “Lady Hamilton. The Path to High Society" starring Michelle Mercier.
According to other statements, Dumas’s creation is just the fantasy of an aging writer who wants to entertain a bored bourgeois public with piquant episodes.

Historian Jack Russell finds a political explanation for Caroline's friendship with Emma: “The reason why Caroline smiled tenderly at Emma Hamilton must be sought in the field of politics. Naples was vulnerable from the sea, and England was the most powerful naval power. That is why Caroline took care of Lady Hamilton, and through her the elderly English Ambassador. As the threat from France increased, so did Caroline's friendship for Emma."

According to biographers, the queen wrote to Hamilton about his wife: “I really like sweet Emma. And I assure you with all responsibility that as Lady Hamilton she will always be accepted at our court! I sincerely hope that we will become friends!”

Queen Caroline with her family

Queen Caroline was the sister of the executed French Queen Marie Antoinette and adhered to strict counter-revolutionary policies. Caroline could not help her sister; the army of Naples was powerless against France. In 1798, Naples was captured by the French, and the Neapolitan queen herself had to flee on Admiral Nelson's ship. A year later, Naples was liberated by the Russian fleet under the command of Ushakov. After returning to the liberated city, Queen Caroline ordered the execution of everyone associated with the rebels.

Horatio Nelson

On land, the French suffered defeats in the Alps region from the army of the great Russian commander Suvorov. Admiral Nelson, who was usually jealous of other people's victories, did not hide his respect for Suvorov. “I am showered with awards, but today I received the highest of awards - they told me that I look like you.”- he wrote to the Russian commander.

As contemporaries noted, Nelson was irritated by the naval victories of the Russian admiral Ushakov, whose fleet was an ally of England. Nelson treated someone else's military success as his own defeat. The admiral's pride often made him forget about the political benefits of England, which caused bewilderment among English diplomats.

Lord Keith laughed at Nelson's vanity, saying: “He is the most absurd figure in terms of stupidity and vanity... He is all hung with stars, medals and ribbons and looks more like an opera singer than a conqueror of the Nile. It’s sad to see that this brave and decent man, the favorite of his homeland, looks so pitiful...”

According to chronicler Tarle, Admiral Nelson tarnished his name by participating in the “White Terror” against the enemies of the Naples monarchy:
“If the influence of Emma Hamilton and Queen Caroline was felt, it was somewhat later (not in 1798, but in 1799), and it was expressed in the connivance of the ferocious connivance that dishonored the memory of the famous English admiral white terror and even some direct participation in the ugly excesses of that time...

Nelson decided to hang Admiral Caracciolo, who commanded the Republican fleet. He hastily organized a military court and, prompted by his mistress Lady Hamilton, who, preparing to leave, wanted to be present at the hanging, ordered the sentence to be carried out immediately. Caracciolo was hanged on the very day of his trial, June 18 (29), 1799, on board the battleship Minerva. Caracciolo's body continued to hang on the ship all day. “An example is needed,” explained the English Ambassador Hamilton, who was quite worthy of his wife.”

Queen Caroline, through Emma Hamilton, demanded that Naples be drenched in the blood of revolutionaries: “I would advise Lord Nelson to treat Naples as he would treat any rebellious city in Ireland.”.

According to eyewitnesses, Nelson’s soldiers, on the orders of the admiral, “cut and shot people right on the street, and sometimes burned them alive.” In total, about 9 thousand people were executed, 30 thousand were arrested, 7 thousand were sent into exile. And according to unofficial data, about 40 thousand people were killed without trial or investigation on the streets of the city; the victors did not spare either women or children.

The romantic relationship between the married admiral and Lady Hamilton was heatedly discussed throughout Naples. It was said that the cunning old ambassador, through his wife, influenced Admiral Nelson.

From a letter from Ambassador Hamilton: “I advise you to contact Captain Nelson, he can express his opinion about Lady Hamilton. She will never disgrace the family into which she ended up for her merits. Everyone loves and respects her, but she just made me happy. Come and see for yourself - I swear on my life, she will conquer you. Apparently, you understand that I would not have taken this step if I had not seen with all clarity what awaited me. I can’t say that I suddenly fell in love with a pretty face, since we had already lived together for five years before that, and then - you yourself know that at my age all faces seem more or less the same.”.

When the seriously wounded Nelson returned to Naples after the battle with Napoleon on the Nile, Lady Hamilton personally looked after him. According to biographer Edgington: “Nelson lived in rooms provided in the palace, and Lady Hamilton looked after him with great enthusiasm. The head wound apparently caused a slight concussion; Emma treated the scar, washing it with donkey milk, and at the same time looked at Nelson with undisguised delight. The milk didn’t help at all, but her obvious admiration did wonders: the admiral’s good spirits and self-confidence returned. When Emma was in the room, he did not take his eyes off her: she was the embodiment of blooming feminine charm. She wore neither long pantaloons nor petticoats, and her light muslin dresses barely covered her curvy body. Soon the sick, blind in one eye and one-armed admiral, felt that every day he was falling more and more in love with his devoted “nurse.”

As a gift for his care, Nelson gave Lady Hamilton a Nubian slave servant, although slavery had already officially been abolished in Europe.

In honor of the admiral, Lady Hamilton arranged a magnificent ball at which the hero’s feat was glorified:
Great Nelson is with us,
First in list of heroes,
Let us sing his glory,
Let us praise him.
He exalted England
Having defeated Bonaparte on the Nile,
And we hear the echo of the battle:
"God save the king."

Admiral Nelson regularly wrote about the virtues of Lady Hamilton in messages to his legal wife Fanny. Each letter from the admiral contained lines about “good Lady Hamilton.”

Rave reviews are also present in letters to friends - « Secular society unable to say of Lady Hamilton's kindness all that it deserves. We know this kindness well, and we should tell about it to everyone it can reach, verbally and in writing, because no one has a more pure, noble and devoted heart than hers.”

Nelson's contemporaries did not share his enthusiasm; one of the English diplomats wrote: “For everything I have to thank this empty, greedy, vulgar woman; she wants to preserve her husband’s position for which he is no longer suitable either by age or inclination, she will stop at nothing to keep everything secret, she will prevent her husband from giving me tasks... Sir William wanted to initiate me into the politics of the royal court and business practices, but Her Ladyship's power over her husband (and Lord Nelson) is unlimited. She performs all the boring daily duties herself and turns her husband around as she wants. As for Nelson, his extravagant love made him the laughing stock of the entire fleet, deprived him of power and diplomatic abilities. Sir William’s friends regret that he retains his title by abandoning his duties!”

In 1800, Nelson and Lady Hamilton returned to London after traveling through Europe. The admiral later recalled about the days spent in Naples: "Oh, those were happy times, days of complete carelessness and nights of pleasure!

King George III, dissatisfied massacres in Naples and Nelson's moral character, he greeted the admiral coldly. “His Majesty only asked Nelson if his health had improved, and then, without waiting for an answer, turned to the general... with whom he spoke for about half an hour very cheerfully and animatedly. The conversation clearly could not be about the general’s successes.”

Admiral bought Vacation home, in which he settled with Emma. He broke up with legal wife, obliging to pay maintenance, but according to the laws of that time, the admiral was unable to obtain an official divorce. Old 70-year-old Sir William Hamilton settled in the house of his wife and her lover.

As biographer Edgington writes: “Soon all three lived a measured life, which could be called an idyll. Nelson lived like a rural landowner, which he dreamed of since childhood. She and Emma reveled in being together; They held hands all the time and looked into each other’s eyes, like teenagers in love, and Sir William seemed content to exist “in a corner” of their lives. He spent almost all his time fishing in the bend of the river flowing through the estate, which they all called the “canal.” The lovers behaved like husband and wife even in the presence of strangers, and Sir William looked like their guest. Emma and Nelson were always in a kind of feverish excitement, perhaps because they realized that they were eating from forbidden fruit. Undoubtedly, their passion was fueled by the rules they set for themselves: they never saw each other early in the morning. Emma, ​​for example, has never seen her hero unshaven. They slept in different rooms and saw each other only when they were both “on parade.” And so every day."

Emma Hamilton, who actually received the role of wife, remained in the status of a courtesan and could not appear at court with Nelson. However, the rich balls and salons on her estate were a hit with noblemen.

Ambassador Hamilton died in 1803, which caused controversy in society. Gossips suspected Nelson of murder. The admiral had to publicly swear an oath of innocence. He bequeathed his fortune to his nephew Charles Greville, who once gave him “shepherdess Emma.”

In 1801, Emma gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Horatia after Nelson. The girl's christening took place in secret; the admiral tried to bribe the priest to erase Horatia's name from the church book, but the vicar refused to take the sin on his soul.
The admiral could not stay on the shore for long; new battles awaited him. Setting off on a sea voyage, he wrote a letter to dear Emma entitled “Lord Nelson to his Guardian Angel.”

That anchor chain was cut,
That my ship was kept at the pier.
But the anchor in my heart is that stronghold.
That will allow us to start all over again.

He wrote the response letter from Emma himself as “Guardian Angel Reply to Lord Nelson”:
Swim where fate takes you
And the trumpet of glory is calling you,
I will always be with you mentally,
I will follow the flight of your soul.
Now in India, now beyond the Arctic Circle,
Sometimes in peaceful silence, sometimes in the thick of battle
Your angel will be there, an eternal friend,
Your angel is always, everywhere with you.
Your angel is me and our souls
Neither the ocean nor the land will separate,
And valor, constancy and love -
The motto is forever ours, although not new.

Caricature of the separation of Emma Hamilton and Admiral Nelson

Emma Hamilton herself dedicated passionate poems to Nelson:
No, there will never be despondency
Reign in my soul,
My admiral, I believe, will not forget
Give me courage.
And if suddenly the soul, despising the monastery,
He will fly away into freedom,
Where will I be, my winner,
Keep confessions?
Where will I take care of what I have accumulated:
A smile, a sigh and a look,
Those little things that I, my dear Nelson,
Do they talk that much?
No, be with me, my soul, forever
And keep it safe
All I know about this man is
And the heat of his love.

During the famous Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Admiral Nelson was seriously wounded; on the verge of death, he remembered Emma Hamilton, his last words were about her.
Even before the battle, anticipating his death, the admiral addressed his beloved a farewell letter:

“My dearly beloved Emma, ​​my closest heart friend, a signal has now been given that the united enemy fleet is leaving the harbor. The wind is very light, so I have no hope of seeing him before tomorrow. May God crown my efforts! In any case, I will do my best to ensure that my name remains dear to both of you, since I love both of you more than my own life. And just as now my last lines, which I write before the battle, are addressed to you, so I hope to God that I will remain alive and finish my letter after the battle. May heaven bless you: this is what your Nelson prays for.”

Upon receiving the letter, Lady Hamilton wrote “Oh, poor, unhappy Emma! O glorious and happy Nelson!. The deceased admiral was 47 years old.

According to legend, Nelson's body was transported to England in a barrel of rum. At the end of the mourning journey, the sailors drank the contents of the barrel for the repose of the deceased admiral. According to another version, the rum was bottled, which was uncorked only important holidays. One enterprising merchant, having heard this story, launched the production of a strong drink called “Nelson’s Blood.”

It's time to pay back for years of wealth and fame. Emma Hamilton's difficulties began after the death of the admiral. She made up her mind financial support and patronage. "I bequeath Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia to their homeland"- the admiral wrote before his death, but his will was not fulfilled. The strict queen refused to pay a pension from the treasury to support a woman of indecent behavior. The abandoned wife of the admiral Fanny, on the contrary, was showered with royal favor. Society sympathized with the noble lady.

The brilliant Lady Hamilton, after 10 years of wandering, died in 1815 at the age of 49 in a poor quarter of the French port of Calais. It was said that the dying lady had portraits of Admiral Nelson and her mother hanging above her bed. Emma bequeathed to be buried next to Nelson, but her request was not heard; Lady Hamilton was buried in the Calais poor cemetery in an unmarked grave.

Horace's daughter, from the age of four, wandered with Emma Hamilton, hiding from creditors. After the death of her mother, a 14-year-old girl secretly returned to London, disguised as men's suit. She found shelter with her aunt, the admiral's sister. To avoid gossip, relatives hid Horace's true origins. In society, the young lady was called “Admiral Nelson’s Adopted Daughter.”

Horace Nelson, the resemblance to her father is noticeable

Horatia married the priest Philip Ward; contemporaries recalled that their union was happy. Horatia lived a long, quiet life; she died at the age of 80. Queen Victoria remembered Nelson's exploits and ordered a payment of one hundred pounds to each of her daughters. The "Committee of Friends of Lord Nelson" took care of Horace's sons.

News from the world of art

Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun. Emma Hamilton as a Bacchante, ca. 1790

On December 8, an exhibition dedicated to the legendary Lady Hamilton (1765-1815) - the lover of Admiral Horatio Nelson, one of the most beautiful women of its time. Lady Hamilton was at the end of the XVIII - early XIX centuries a true European celebrity.

During her lifetime, the beauty posed for many artists and became the most frequently depicted woman in British history. Lady Hamilton's life, rich in adventures and scandals, is immortalized in numerous novels, films and other works. Hearing the name Lady Hamilton, we most often imagine Vivien Leigh, who played her in the movies, and remember the name of General Nelson, but the exhibition is dedicated not only to this remarkable period and in the end tragic life Emma Hamilton.
Emma's story is told in more than 200 exhibits, many of which have never been on public display. Among them are not only numerous paintings, engravings and caricatures, but also personal letters, costumes and jewelry. The exhibition centers on paintings by George Romney, Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Lawrence. Here is Emma's correspondence with her lovers, personal belongings, including one of wedding rings, which she exchanged with Nelson, as well as her songbooks and decorative items indicating celebrity status.

George Romney. Emma Hart as Circe, 1782

A twelve-year-old girl from Cheshire came to London in the late 1770s hoping to escape poverty. She managed to get a job as a servant in a wealthy family, and then for four years, essentially having no other choice, she moved from one man to another, until at the age of 16 she became pregnant by an aristocrat. The child's father immediately abandoned her, after which Emma turned to Charles Greville for help, who forced her to place the child in a foster family. Greville introduced her to the artist George Romney, and Emma became Romney's muse thanks to her innate theatricality and striking appearance.

George Romney. Emma as a spinner, 1782-1785

Throughout his life, Romney painted about fifty portraits of her. Many of them are presented at the exhibition.

George Romney. Emma Hamilton, 1782

When Greville was about to marry a wealthy heiress, he handed over his mistress to his uncle William Hamilton, the ambassador in Naples, and from that moment Emma's rapid social rise began. She very quickly learned Italian and French, learned to sing so that she was invited to work opera houses, and turned out to be a talented actress.

George Romney. Emma Hamilton as a Bacchante, 1785

Emma came up with her own one-woman show, in which, dressed in a classic white dress with a bright shawl, she appeared in the images of famous literary, historical and mythological heroines - from Medea to Cleopatra and Penelope. The performance was such a huge success that scenes from it began to appear even on dinnerware sets. The exhibition brought the scenes of the play to life modern actress, and looking at the screen, you can imagine yourself in the place of aristocratic spectators at Emma’s performances.

George Romney. Emma Hart, later Lady Hamilton as Ariadne, c. 1785

Hamilton, for whom Emma was at first simply an exciting “project,” gradually fell in love with her and married her in 1791, despite her past and the discontent of the family.

Sir Thomas Lawrence. Emma as Reverie, 1791-1792

From this moment it began new life Emma is a respectable wife and noble lady. Thanks to her husband's status, she gained access to the highest society, became close to the Queen of Naples, Maria Carolina of Austria, and began to carry out the most delicate diplomatic assignments. That’s when she met Nelson, which grew into a passionate affair that ruined her life.

Lemuel Francis Abbott. Portrait of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1800

Letters from Nelson and Emma, ​​the rings they exchanged, the few surviving items from their shared home, Merton Place in Surrey, where they settled when they returned from Naples, are on display in the museum, as are portraits of people who unwittingly made the impossible their happiness: Hamilton and Nelson's wife Frances. At the exhibition you can see a lock of hair that Nelson asked to give to his beloved, and his uniform with a bullet hole, which she kept at her bedside.
Of the six years they had left to spend together, Nelson spent half of the time on military duty. Before the Battle of Trafalgar, which became fatal for him, Nelson wrote a letter in which he recalled Emma’s diplomatic merits and asked for help in the event of his death for her and his “adopted”, and in fact their own daughter, Horatia. But Nelson's request, despite the fact that he was a national hero, was not satisfied by the British government.

Nelson's Tunic

Emma was left alone, her husband William Hamilton had also died by that time, she did not know how to save money, and very quickly fell into debt. In 1813, she went to prison for debt, from which her friends helped her get out. But this could not change anything: Lady Hamilton, having hidden with Horace from creditors in France, tried in vain to get help from her former powerful friends, drank a lot and died in 1815. By that time, nothing remained of her former beauty, which was captured in numerous portraits...

Caricature by James Gillray "Dido in Despair", 1801

Exhibition "Emma Hamilton: Seduction and Glory" at the National Maritime Museum in London, telling the story of outstanding woman in the world of men, will last until April 17, 2017.

National Maritime Museum in London

Great love stories. 100 stories about great feeling Mudrova Irina Anatolyevna

Nelson and Hamilton

Nelson and Hamilton

Horatio Nelson was born in 1758. He was a naval commander, vice admiral during the Napoleonic wars. A brave admiral, adored by soldiers and sailors, Horatio Nelson remains a symbol of the British Navy to this day.

At the age of twenty, he already commanded an English frigate and was appointed captain of the Royal Navy. Nelson had been married since 1787. When the Anglo-French War began, Admiral Nelson became a national hero of England, and a year later, in battles with the French in 1794, he lost his right eye. In July 1797 Nelson lost right hand. Crippled but happy, he was returning after another victory over the French fleet.

The admiral's ship arrived in Naples. In Naples, where Nelson was sent to help the Kingdom of Naples in the fight against France, his affair began with the wife of the English ambassador, Lady Emma Hamilton, which lasted until the admiral’s death.

Emma was born on April 26, 1765 in Cheshire in the family of a poor blacksmith. Besides her, her parents had several more children, and as soon as they grew up, their father tried to get them some work. Emma suffered the same fate. A young, beautiful girl was placed in the house of rich people to work as a servant. And a few years later, when the girl was barely seventeen, she found herself in the house of a wealthy unmarried aristocrat, Charles Greville. The sophisticated, educated and handsome bachelor awakened Emma's first feeling. They became lovers.

The poor girl hoped that Greville would marry her, but he did not even think about such a union. Greville was looking for an opportunity to get rid of her, and it very soon presented itself.

In 1784, the lovers were visited by Charles's uncle, Lord William Hamilton. A 50-year-old widower, William was a sophisticated man, superbly educated and good-natured. Lord was interested in art Ancient Rome And Ancient Greece, loved to travel with archaeological expeditions and was professionally involved in the study of volcanoes. Emma found him very interesting, and, greedy for knowledge, she listened to his stories for hours. Fascinated by the girl’s charms, without hesitation, the lord agreed to become her patron. Lord Hamilton was the English envoy to Naples.

Soon Emma and Lord Hamilton got married. The bride was twenty-six years old, her groom was sixty-one. During her seven years in Italy, Emma learned the Italian language, took up music, singing, and mastered social manners. Always open and sincere, Lady Hamilton quickly won the sympathy of those around her. And even the Neapolitan queen Maria Carolina became a close friend of the wife of the English ambassador.

Emma was very beautiful. Contemporaries noted that, quite tall and plump, the lady was nevertheless delightful: all her gestures, manners and smile attracted the gaze of not only men fascinated by her, but also envious women. She was smart, open, extremely honest and decisive.

In 1798, Horatio Nelson was sent by England to defend Naples from Bonaparte. From this time on, Emma's fate is forever intertwined with Nelson's. Until this meeting free choice Emma didn't. Necessity forced her to go to Greville, ambition to Lord Hamilton, and love to Horatio Nelson. On Nelson's part it was also a real, great feeling.

Rumors about passionate romance The admiral and the wife of the English ambassador reached London. Nelson's wife immediately wanted to come to Naples, but her husband categorically refused her. Those around him did not approve of the admiral's love affair; in the navy they even ridiculed the position of their boss. Once decisive, principled and strong, Nelson could not leave his mistress. At that moment, neither his career, nor his reputation, nor his close people were important to him. His thoughts were occupied only by one woman, " only wife before God", "precious Emma".

In the early summer of 1800, Nelson and the Hamiltons returned to England. Burning with passion, Nelson wrote to his beloved: “Continue to love me as passionately as I love you, and we will be the happiest couple in the world.”

In 1801, Horatio Nelson left his wife, although he was never able to obtain an official divorce. From that time on, he no longer wanted to hide his heartfelt affection for Emma Hamilton and often spent all his free time with her in a country house purchased for this purpose.

Lord Hamilton forgave his wife for her betrayal and tried to ignore his wife’s unambiguous relationship with the admiral. By that time, Emma had a daughter from Nelson, who was named Horace in honor of her father. High society did not want to put up with the admiral's mistress. Nelson was received with open arms everywhere; for Emma, ​​the doors of the palaces were closed. The queen was especially zealous, forbidding Lady Hamilton to be received at court. Sir William died in 1803. After his death, Emma Hamilton moved in with Nelson in a small house in Wimbledon, south London.

Soon Nelson went to sea again - to defend England. Preparing for the famous Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson wrote to his beloved: “My dearest, most beloved Emma, ​​my dear intimate friend... May the God of War crown all my efforts with success! In any case, I will do everything possible to make my name worthy of you and Horatia, those whom I love more than my life...”

Nelson was mortally wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805. According to the famous words of Winston Churchill, at the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson shielded England from the Napoleonic invasion.

The admiral died. He was forty-seven years old. The last thing he managed to say before his death were the words: “I bequeath Lady Hamilton and my daughter Horatia to my homeland.”

Nelson was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, and the central square of London was named after his last battle - Trafalgar.

Last will national hero was not fulfilled. Former lover Greville, without a shadow of regret, kicked Emma out of the London house. The Queen refused the pension Hamilton had bequeathed to her. The woman was sliding further and further down. She even sold the bloody uniform of the hero Trafalgar and the silver medallion Nelson gave to his daughter. She went to prison for debt and came out with just a few pounds in her pocket. She had to flee to France, as she was threatened with re-arrest. Here Lady Hamilton drank heavily and changed her housing for increasingly worse ones until she found herself in the attic. In January 1815, she fell ill with bronchitis, which turned into pneumonia. Lady Hamilton was dying in a cold room with bare walls. On the day of her death, January 15, 1815, portraits of Nelson and her mother hung above her bed. And sad Christ on the crucifixion.

Take her to last way sailors, captains and officers of English ships came.

Emma's daughter Horatia was taken away from her immediately after her father's death. She was raised by one of Nelson's sisters. On Horatia's tombstone it is inscribed: “ Stepdaughter Admiral Nelson."

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