In 1808,[6124] "among the old and wealthy families which are not in the system," Napoleon selects ten from each department and fifty at Paris of which the sons from sixteen to eighteen must be compelled to go to Saint-Cyr and, on leaving it, into the army as second lieutenants.[6125] In 1813, he adds 10,000 more of them, many of whom are the sons of Conventionalists or Vendeans, who, under the title of guards of honor, are to form a corps apart and who are at once trained in the barracks.

All the more necessary is the subjection to this Napoleonic education of the sons of important and refractory families, everywhere numerous in the annexed countries.

Already in 1802, Fourcroy had explained in a report to the legislative corps the political and social utility of the future University.[6126] Napoleon, at his discretion, may recruit and select scholars among his recent subjects; only, it is not in a lycee that he places them, but in a still more military school, at La Fleche, of which the pupils are all sons of officers and, so to say, children of the army.

Towards the end of 1812, he orders the Roman prince Patrizzi to send his two sons to this school, one seventeen years of age and the other thirteen[6127]; and, to be sure of them, he has them taken from their home and brought there by gendarmes.

Along with these, 90 other Italians of high rank are counted at La Fleche, the Dorias, the Paliavicinis, the Alfieris, with 120 young men of the Illyrian provinces, others again furnished by the countries of the Rhine confederation, in all 360 inmates at 800 per annum.