Napoléon and Joséphine met at a party given by Director Paul Barras. Ironically, Marie-Joseph-Rose de Beauharnais was Paul Barras mistress at the time. The truth can be stranger than fiction. Napoléon; a young French general; and Josephine; established in French society; met… and the rest is history. But who remember that Story..?
Joséphine (1763-1814) born Caribbean island Martinique to a wealthy sugar plantation family. In 1779 she was taken to France by her father. That same year she married Alexandre Beauharnais. They had two children: a son, Eugène and a daughter, Hortense. Hortense would later marry Napoleon’s brother Louis Bonaparte in 1802. Joséphine’s first husband was guillotined during the Reign of Terror.
Widowed with two small children Joséphine became the mistress to several leading political figures. For her to maintain the life style in which she was accustomed she would have to marry well or be a mistress of men of money and influence.
Joséphine was the current mistress of Director, Paul Barras. Paul Barras has grown wary of Joséphine and wanted a new mistress. Napoléon Bonaparte was his opportunity. Napoléon was a young and brilliant general. He was looking for a wife of status. He had won the battle of Toulon and had saved the Directory from the mob. Paul Barras invited, Napoléon to a party given by the Directory in 1795. Napoléon and Joséphine met. Joséphine was encouraged by Barras to flatter and entertain Napoléon. Joséphine did not realize Paul Barras had alternative motives. Napoléon was smitten and fell in love with Joséphine.
He pursued Joséphine’s hand in marriage. Joséphine was not impressed with Napoléon as a future lover or husband. Napoléon’s pursue of Joséphine was encouraged by Paul Barras. When Joséphine refused Napoléon’s marriage proposal, Barras informed her that he would not longer financially support her and her children. Without Barras support Joséphine could find herself penniless. O.K. her mind was made up Napoléon and Joséphine married 1796. Two days after their wedding Napoléon left for a campaign in Italy. He sent her several love letters expressing his love and asked Joséphine to join him in Italy. She refused and had several extramarital affairs while he was in Italy. Finally, Joséphine did visit Napoléon in Italy. After the Italian Campaign Napoléon returned home still madly in love. Joséphine, on the other hand still felt him as a bore.
During the Egyptian campaign 1978 Napoléon learned about Joséphine’s extramarital affairs. Her unfaithfulness destroyed him emotionally and he never loved Joséphine in the pure genuine way he once had. During the Egyptian campaign he took a mistress and continued to have mistresses throughout his marriage to Joséphine. In 1804 Napoléon said, “Power is my mistress.”
When Napoléon returned from Egypt he was determine to divorce Joséphine. Joséphine, a women of her time, had escaped the guillotine and persuaded Napoléon that they should remain husband and wife. The tables had turned, Napoléon was now the unfaithful husband and Joséphine was madly in love and became the faithful wife. Napoléon was no longer deeply in love with Josephine but had a deep devotion to her and her children. He recognized her ability has a hostess and her influence in furthering his political ambitions.
On 1804 at Notre Dame de Paris, Napoléon crowned himself Emperor of French and Joséphine became the Empress. Royals marry to increase power and for male heirs. Napoléon one of the greatest general of all times had conquered most of Europe except for England and Russia. He needed a wife that could bare a male heir.
Joséphine was six year older than Napoléon and was barren…
A New Marriage for Napoléon could:
– Strengthen alliances with another world power.
– A marriage to nobility legitimize Napoléon’s claim to royalty.
– Provide a young wife that could bare a male heir.
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Joséphine agreed to divorce Napoléon January 1810 and he married 18 year old Marie-Louise of Austria that same year. Marie-Louise was a member of the House of Habsburg. In 1811 she gave birth to Napoléon’s son
, Napoléon II. In 1814 Napoléon Bonaparte was forced to abdicate and was exiled to Elba. Marie-Louise with her son returned to Austria and never saw Napoléon again.
Napoléon and Joséphine remained in love until both of their deaths. Napoléon no longer had the burning passionate love for Joséphine but a respected love. She retained the title of Empress and he provided for her and her children after the divorce.
It is rumored that the last words he uttered was Joséphine and her last words were Napoléon.
