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CHAPTER 1THE FAMILY ORIGIN OF CHARLES DE LAMBERT The family of de Lambert, the coat of arms of which are described as follows ‘Scutcheon in gules and silver, crossed with greatly-indented line of partition of three points and two half points’, can be traced back to the year 1287 in the person of Guillaume Lambert.  Fig. 1-1 Originally of Poitou, former province in the West of France, and the county of Angoulême, the de Lambert family not only produces landowners, but especially military commanders and civic leaders of high esteem. Several marquises de Saint-Bris and several marquises de Lambert receive flattering marks of royal gratitude. On July 14 1789 with the storming of the old state prison of Paris, the Bastille, the French Revolution starts. The power of the nobility – with its privileges and immunity from taxation – and the clergy is broken and in the third year of the revolution the absolute monarchy is abolished. France becomes a constitutional monarchy. A changeable constitution of the state with a fundamental law arises, power is taken over by the middle classes. King Louis XVI tries to escape but is beheaded in the end. Also his much hated spouse Mary-Antoinette meets her end under the guillotine. The revolution causes a break-up in the destiny of this family. Henri-Joseph marquis de Lambert (* 1728, x 1765 Paris: Marie Anisson-Duperron, † 1808) inspector and governor of Arras, Knight in the Order of the King, leaves the country in the company of his youngest son Charles-Marie (translated in the Ciryllic: Karl Osipoviĉ) (* 1772 Paris - † 1843 district of Konstantinograd). At first the marquis enters the service of the contra-revolutionary army of the princes (1792) and he becomes a minister. Then he goes, like literally hundreds of French aristocrat officers, in exile to Russia. The advent of the empire under Napoleon(e) B(u)onaparte does not cause them to return to France because, as keen adversaries of ‘the usurper’, they continue with zeal and without concerning themselves in the czarist army with the title of general. Karl Osivopiĉ, already bearer of a considerable number of titles and honours such as lieutenant-general and inspector-general of the cavalry, becomes ‘general in service of Czar Alexander I’. On January 1 1795 he is Knight in the in czaristic Russia very highly regarded and exclusive, ‘Military Order of St. George’ Fourth Class nr. 588. This “as most gracious esteem for the professional zeal and the excellent bravery shown October 24 1794 in the reduction by storm of the by Polish patriots (commanded by Tadeusz Kościuszko and consisting of an army mainly composed of farmers armed with scythes) “who stoutly defended the suburb of Warsaw called Praga where he was the first one with a number of riflemen who penetrated into a battery”. “As reward for the bravery and audacity shown at the time of the fight with the French troops, in the night of December 23 on 24 1806, during the battle of Czarnowo, where he as commander of all advanced outposts, and by setting a fearless example he inspired his subordinates, and with the outposts he repulsed several times the hostile attack, during which he got injured at the leg” on January 31 1807 he receives the decoration of Knight in the ‘Military Order of St. George’ Third Class nr. 144. Furthermore he is raised to the Russian peerage on May 28 1836. He marries the daughter of marshal Deeva, Julija Michajlovna (1791 Saint-Petersburg – 1838), of excellent and illustrious descent. The fairly strongly built and resolute countess de Lambert – an heritage of her ancestors – managed at the time of the passage of the Berezina on November 11 1812 to stop the fleeing hussars of her severely injured husband, crying to the desperate troopers on the run for the French, “Children, you’re not abandoning your injured general are you?”. By consequence the life of her husband was saved and the warriors were spared indignity. Julija Michajlovna countess de Lambert born Deeva also suffered from extreme shyness, bordering on the eccentric. It so happened that, during the summer of 1831, she was living in Carskoe Selo, ‘Village of the Czar’, the residence of the czar near Saint-Petersburg. Her house was situated opposite the house of author Alexander Puškin, and she always kept curtains drawn, hoping she wouldn’t catch the eye of her famous neighbour, afraid as she was that he would “make critical verses on her”.  Fig. 1-2 The poet did not acquit himself well. According to some sources he gave her the nickname “madame Tolpege” (‘stupid, crass, unmannered person’). Moreover ‘he collected all kind of nonsense on his woman next door, the wife of general Lambert’, so that the fear of the latter may in some measure be considered as well-founded. In the end they became reconciled rather quickly. On August 25 1831 Julija Michajlovna, hearing of the eagerly awaited fall of Warsaw, hurried to Puškin to bring him as first one the news. As thanks he sent her the first copy of the brochure just come out ‘On the surrender of Warsaw’ in which his poem ‘To the slanderers of Russia’ was printed, with his signature. Soon a personal acquaintance followed and the brave Julija Michajlovna no longer avoided the first poet of Russia whereas he came to appreciate her intelligence and character. Karl Osipoviĉ (Charles-Marie) de Lambert took part in the reduction of Paris in 1814. One year later he accompanied, together with his wife Julija Michajlovna, Czar Alexander I to the French capital. Staying is his suite in the Elysée in October 1815 Charles-Alexandre (Karl Karloviĉ) is born, father of our hero.  Fig. 1-3 With power back in the hands of Louis XVII the house of Bourbon is reigning again over France and Karl Osipoviĉ could very well have been staying in his country. No doubt the combined pressure of the czar and his wife persuaded him to continue his life ‘in service of His Majesty the emperor of all Russias’. Karl Karloviĉ de Lambert in his turn will make a highly brilliant military career as friend and faithful servant of Alexander II. He is described as Chief General in service of H.M. the emperor of all Russias, Aide-de-camp, General of the Cavalry, member of the Council of the Empire, President of the commission in charge of the organisation of the southern colonies, Lieutenant-General in the kingdom of Poland and as Commander of the First Army. He also receives several decorations. From August until October 1861 he is the fifth namiestnik (governor) of the Kingdom of Poland. A boycott of municipal elections contemplated by political activists fails.With a view of restore the peace Karl Karloviĉ, as ordered by czar Alexander II, proclaims martial law on October 14 1861. On October 15 1861 inhabitants of Warsaw, demanding unification of Poland, take part in the commemoration of the death of the Polish general Tadeusz Kościuszko, in spite of a prohibition. The three churches, in which “God saves Poland” sounds, are surrounded by Russian troops and the congregations refuse to end the services. Next day at dawn Russian troops, on orders of military commander governor-general Alexandr Danilowicz Gerstenzweig, no doubt against the orders of namiestnik Karl Karloviĉ de Lambert, enter the St. John cathedral and Bernardins (St. Anna) church and arrest 1878 churchgoers. As a protest against the arrests even inside a cathedral the roman-catholic diocese closes all churches of the town. On October 17 1861 initiatives are taken in the formation of a komitet miejski (Municipal Committee) – the highest authority of the ‘Red’ plot. De Lambert yields and liberates the prisoners. A vehement conflict arises between both officers. Gerstenzweig considers the orders of his principal as inconsistent. They make a bet: he who looses will commit suicide with a poisonous drink. It is Gerstenzweig who dies by his own hand. Governor and viceroy Karl Karloviĉ de Lambert resigns. With a critical pulmonary disease and in moral shock he precipitately leaves Warsaw on October 26 1861 and returns in France. At the age of 46 years general de Lambert is still a bachelor, his health already ruined. As a great lover of horses he got acquainted during the years of 1833-1835 with the famous equerry Louis-Stanislas Savary count de Lancosme-Brèves, while he visits all European riding academies. A joint passion and blood ties – Lancosme-Brèves and de Lambert were related twice through the Anisson-Duperron and the de Menou family – united both men and they started exchanging letters. So it is logical that when the general returns to Paris he finds shelter with the Lancosme-Brèves who live on 9, rue Richepanse, the apartment just above the one of count Ferdinand Marie de Lesseps, the inventor of the Suez-canal. Charles-Alexandre (Karl Karloviĉ) count de Lambert, on the advice of doctors who recommend residence in a milder climate, decides to settle down on Madeira. He stimulates his friends Louis-Stanislas Savary count de Lancosme-Brèves – depressed by his political failures and tired by financial problems – and his, as an amateur painter talented wife, countess de Lancosme-Brèves born Marie-Antoinette Juliette Gaudar de Laverdine, to accompany him an they accept ‘the exile’. After earlier visits to Lisbon, London and Madeira the count definitely resides in September 1863 in Madeira’s capital Funchal and rather in Rua Ponte S. Lazaro. In March 1864 he buys for 9.000.000 ruis the ‘Quinta das Augústias’ at Rua da Imperatriz D. Amélia, possibly called so on account of the fact that the chapel which is connected to the main building, honours ‘Nossa Senhora das Augústias’. Then in October that year he becomes owner of a part of a terrain situated next to it where the villa, renamed ‘Quinta Lambert’, situated at a height of forty meters gives a splendid view of the sea. From the beginning of May 1984 it is, under the borrowed name of ‘Quinta Vigia’ (the former ‘Quinta Vigia’ was demolished twenty five years before to make place for the casino and the hotel Casino Park) in the beautiful Parque de Santa Catarina, the official residence of the Regional Government of Madeira. In a glass fronted garage a reputed possession of Charles-Alexandre count de Lambert, a car, is still on display.  Fig. 1-4 It is unknown who had the idea to connect Marie-Louise Marguerite Savary de Lancosme-Brèves, young 25 years, with general de Lambert man of almost fifty and seriously ill already (presumably consumption, frequent in the 19th century). Two arguments come to mind: Marguerite, for sure an extraordinary well educated person, did not have sufficient physical attraction to induce possible suitors to forget about the shabby dowry resulting as consequence of the more than unsteady finances of her parents. De Lambert is extraordinary wealthy. An ex-curator of the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace speaks of estates with a surface equal to a French province (let’s say about 15.000 km²).  Fig. 1-5    Fig. 1-6 Translation: ‘On the nineteenth day of the month of February of the year thousand eighthundred and sixty five, in the chapel of Nossa Senhora das Augustias, situated in the quinta das Augustias of the parish of San Pedro, council and diocese of Funchal, with faculty of his Dear and Most Reverend Sir Dom Patricio Xavier de Moura, Diocesan Bishop, with consent of the fourteenth of this month, have appeared in my presence the to be married couple Mr Count Alexandre Charles de Lambert and Miss Marie Louise Marguerite de Savary de Lancosme Brèves, whom I know in person, exempted from the hindrance of the third and fourth grade of affinity on the father’s side, for their grade of affinity, and we by resolutions of the Dear and Most Reverend Prelate, with the date of fourteen of this month, without any hindrance according to church rules or civilian of their marriage, he forty nine years old, Russian subject, unmarried real property owner and Aide-de-Camp of His Majesty the Emperor of Russia, born in Paris where he was baptised, inhabitant of this quinta das Augustias parish San Pedro of this town, legal son of Mr Count Marie Charles de Lambert and of Mrs Countess Julie Deeff de Lambert, he born in Paris and she in Saint-Petersburg; and she with the age of twenty five years, unmarried, without profession, born in Paris, where she was baptised, inhabitant of the same quinta das Augustias, legal daughter of Mr Count Louis Stanislas de Savary de Lancosme Brèves, and of Mrs Marie Antoinette Julie Gaudar de Laverdine countess de Lancosme Brèves, real property owners born in Paris, these married people have been declared man and wife, and have entered into matrimony and have obtained this entire certificate in accordance with the admission of the holy catholic apostolic roman mother church. Were present the following witnesses, whom I know in person, Mr Count Octave de Bastard, captain General Staff of the French Army married, resident in rua da Imperatriz, parish San Pedro of this town, Joaquim José Bernes, Russian consul of this town, married, resident in rua João Tavira, and Mr César Blaize Vice Consul of France, married, living in rua do Aljube, parish of the Cathedral. And as official confirmation of this fact I have drawn up this certificate in twofold and having presented and read out it for those present and all witnesses have all signed it. Marie Louise Marguerite de Savary de Lancosme Brèves Count Alexandre Charles de Lambert Aide-de-camp of H.M. The Emperor of all Russias. – Count Octave de Bastard Joaquim José Bernes C. Blaise De Laverdine Countess de Lancosme Breves Count de Lancosme Brèves Lancosme Countess Octave de Bastard The canon Priest Filippe José Nunes. ‘  Fig. 1-7 Within half a year, on August 1 1865 Charles-Alexandre count de Lambert passes away peacably at the age of 49-years in Funchal, leaving his widow pregnant of the future pioneer of aviation and inventor. The corpse is embalmed and, in expectation of another destination, laid out in the chapel.  Fig. 1-8 Translation: ‘On the first day of the month of August of the year thousand eighthundred sixty five, at 4 o’clock in the morning, in the House of his residence Quinta das Augustias of the parish San Pedro, Council and Diocese Funchal, passed away a person of male sex, named Count Alexandre Charles de Lambert, forty nine years old, Married With her Exc. Maria Luiza Margarida de Savary Lancosme-Breve, Russian national, Count Aide-de-camp of His Imperial Majesty of all Russias, and General of the Cavalry, born in the City of Paris, Empire of France, legal son of his Exc.Count Marie Charles de Lambert, born in same Town of Paris and of her Exc. Countess Madam Julia Deeff de Lambert, born in Saint-Petersburg; he has not made any will, the corpse has been embalmed and laid out in the Chapel of the residence, in expectation of its further destination. And for official confirmation, I have drawn up this certificate in two copies and signed Cannon Priest Gregório João Moniz’. |