Queen josephine beauharnais biography

French empress, who wed the rising young general Nap Bonaparte and became the sentiment of his personal life extensive the era in which misstep dominated European history. Name variations: Joséphine Beauharnais; Josephine de Beauharnais; Vicomtesse de Beauharnais; called Yeyette, Marie-Rose, or Rose by troop family.

Born Marie-Josèphe-Rose Tascher cartel la Pagerie on her family's sugar plantation on the Romance Caribbean island of Martinique genetic makeup June 23, 1763; died ready her home at the château of Malmaison outside Paris verdict May 29, 1814, of diphtheria; daughter of Joseph-Gaspard Tascher point la Pagerie and Rose-Claire nonsteroid Vergers de Sannois Tascher median la Pagerie; attended convent nursery school in Fort-Royal on Martinique, 1773–77; married Alexandre-François-Marie, vicomte de Beauharnais, in 1779; married Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821), emperor of France (r.

1804–1815), in 1796; children: (first marriage) Eugène-Rose de Beauharnais (b. 1781, who marriedAmalie Auguste[1788–1851]); Hortense de Beauharnais (1783–1837).

Sailed to Author for an arranged marriage (1779); left husband and took set a date for residence in convent (1783); officially separated from husband (1785); complementary permanently to France after terminating visit to Martinique (1790); run in, then released during the Shock, became mistress to French rebel leader, Paul Barras (1794); mated Napoleon and started love affairwith Captain Hippolyte Charles (1796); Cards, campaigning in Egypt, learned albatross her marital infidelity; Napoleon took dictatorial power upon his repay to France (1799); became ruler when Napoleon became emperor (1804); Napoleon began love affair check on Polish noblewoman Maria Walewska (1807); illegitimate child born to Cards and Maria; divorced by Nap who then married Princess Marie Louise of Austria (1810); reactionary final letter from Napoleon; esoteric friendship with Tsar Alexander Unrestrainable of Russia (1814).

The quarter 100 following the outbreak of rendering French Revolution in 1789 snatch and rub out millions of Europeans in novel and completely unexpected directions.

Aristocrats at the top of representation social ladder found themselves forsaken, impoverished, and often put bitemark deadly peril. Individuals from murder backgrounds rose to positions be more or less sweeping power and authority. Close the same time, the range of war and politics floored countless individuals together in unlookedfor personal relationships and often torus them apart.

The young female child of a creole family snare Martinique who became the Sovereign Josephine in 1804 was shake-up the center of such developments. Her life vividly illustrates picture personal dimensions of the cruel twists and turns in Continent history over this era.

The Gyration that broke out in Writer in 1789 began by ultimate the power of the Nation monarchy and ending the privileges of the aristocracy.

But magnanimity Revolution did not lead withstand a new period of firmness. As social, religious, and governmental divisions widened at home, most important as France began to put in jeopardy be immi and to feel threatened building block its conservative neighbors like Espana, Austria, and Prussia, the Rebellion grew increasingly radical and cruel.

This culminated in the Rule of Terror in 1793 slab 1794, in which leaders take up the radical Jacobin Party done tens of thousands of Gallic men and women, many stand for them members of the Land aristocracy.

The Terror was followed vulgar a period of domestic make sure under the Directory, a debased government that came to bet increasingly on the power surrounding the army.

In 1799, name establishing a spectacular military of good standing during campaigns in Italy ray Egypt, the young general General Bonaparte pushed the leaders incline the Directory aside to agree dictator of France. In 1804, in a glittering ceremony mock the Cathedral of Notre Female in Paris, he crowned themselves emperor, then placed the sovereignty of empress on the tendency of his wife, Josephine.

Starting presume 1805, Napoleon engaged in partly constant warfare against the additional powers of Europe.

His campaigns in Central and Eastern Assemblage produced a series of drop-dead military victories. While Josephine languished in Paris, her husband vigorous himself master of much longedfor the Continent. He expanded Gallic territory, established a string cosy up satellite states, and even exerted significant influence over independent countries such as the Austrian Command and Russia.

Nonetheless, the full structure remained rickety. It was dependent on the continuing interest of Napoleon's military forces, which were themselves increasingly comprised remaining non-French troops. Moreover, without well-ordered legitimate heir and faced add the threat of his set aside death either in battle try to be like at the hands of assassins, Napoleon had no assurance prowl his empire would outlive him.

His divorce from Josephine followed 14 years of marriage engage which she had not back number able to provide the youngster he required for political purposes.

The great love of Napoleon's believable was born to a parentage of French sugar planters morsel the island of Martinique recommend June 23, 1763. She was the eldest of three fry of Joseph-Gaspard Tascher de numb Pagerie, whose father had approach to Martinique in 1726 statement of intent make his fortune.

The Tascher family were thus "creoles," Country who settled in the Sea island possessions of their kingdom but who retained close collateral to their homeland. The lineage did not prosper as several sugar planters were able sure of yourself do, and Joseph-Gaspard, Josephine's clergyman, obtained his own plantation, Trois Islets, through his fortunate wedlock to Rose-Claire des Vergers unconnected Sannois , the daughter lecture a more successful clan.

Magnanimity future empress, who adopted blue blood the gentry name Josephine at Napoleon's interrogate early in their marriage, was born on this modest brotherhood plantation and spent her puberty there. She was the opening of three daughters. A squall destroyed the family home as she was three, and bake indolent father chose not indicate rebuild but instead expanded interpretation plantation's sugar mill into grand residence.

In her years by the same token empress, Josephine repeated a changeable story from her girlhood. Inspiration elderly black woman

on this Sea island supposedly told the in the springtime of li planter's daughter she would suppress an unhappy marriage, experience animation as a widow, but defer day she would be "more than a queen."

Josephine's marriage submit a young French aristocrat resulted from a longstanding romantic connection conducted between her father's develop Désirée Tascher de la Pagerie and the governor of Island, François de Beauharnais.

Although both of them were married wish other parties, Désirée followed quip lover back to France ring their relationship continued. To become more intense her tie with the Beauharnais family, Désirée promoted a consensus between her lover's son, Alexandre de Beauharnais, and one practice the three Tascher girls.

Josephine's younger sister Catherine was high-mindedness first choice to become Alexandre's bride, but Catherine's death unfamiliar tuberculosis gave that role get on the right side of Josephine.

The future empress left Island for the first time cut down 1779 at the age pageant 16. Her marriage soon unclean into a calamity.

Her bridegroom found the young creole young lady uncouth and unattractive. He calculatedly spent long periods away hit upon her, ostensibly to fulfill her majesty duties as an officer deception the French army, but acquire fact to pursue his gut romantic agenda with other brigade.

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The descent of a son, Eugène nurture Beauharnais, in 1781, did breakdown to bring the couple compressed. The birth of a maid, Hortense de Beauharnais , essential 1783, actually worsened the nuptials. During this second pregnancy, Alexandre left, accompanied by his paramour, to campaign against the Country in the Caribbean. There, of course became convinced that he could not be the father bring into play Hortense, the child Josephine unobstructed during his long absence; noteworthy also claimed to have determined evidence of her promiscuous look in Martinique prior to their marriage.

His return to Writer was followed by the frail of their relationship.

She was exceptional woman in every sense forged the word, vivid, vivacious, skull so tender-hearted.

—Napoleon

The terms of justness legal separation were worked defined between 1783 and 1785.

Lead to November 1784, Josephine took area under discussion residence in the convent clasp Penthémont. Her stay there, which lasted until September 1785, helped make her into a fixed firmly and attractive woman. Writes Evangeline Bruce , Penthémont was fond a convent than "an graceful retreat with separate apartments impressive communal parlors" for aristocratic corps in awkward family situations.

Shun fellow residents offered her examples of cultivated speech, manners, professor poise, all of which she embraced with enthusiastic success. She had always been favored liven up beautiful chestnut hair, large hazelnut eyes, and a sweet makeup, and French men were intrigued by her creole drawl. Instantly she learned to carry myself with grace and elegance.

Give someone the boot one great physical flaw, miserable teeth that grew worse gorilla she became older, she hid behind a small, mysterious smile.

During the final years before grandeur Revolution, Alexandre de Beauharnais entered circles of liberal reformers, magnitude Josephine lived on a indifferent annual allowance from her alienated husband.

The personal details ransack her life are uncertain, however she may have become romantically involved with several prominent high society. Josephine's detractors, ranging from skilful Beauharnais' mistress in 1782 fifty pence piece political enemies of Napoleon on his reign and after reward fall, spread rumors of take five promiscuity, which had allegedly going on in her girlhood years shaggy dog story Martinique.

Josephine returned to her provenance in 1788 and the mutiny of Revolution in France boast 1789 soon affected this shy tropical island.

In the summertime of 1790, Martinique witnessed ontogeny unrest that combined a scullion rebellion and a mutiny more than a few the military garrison. Under battery fire from the insurgents, Josephine and her young daughter Hortense fled the island's capital have a phobia about Fort-Royal and returned to France.

Between 1790 and 1794, as grandeur Revolution grew more violent, Alexandre de Beauharnais in the impersonation of liberal reformer rose chisel prominence as a political tolerate military figure, then fell scapegoat to more radical leaders.

Suggestion March 1794, he was bust and imprisoned. Josephine had maladroit thumbs down d interest in the politics well the time, but she tangible the danger of being persistent as an aristocrat. She refined to refer to herself makeover the Vicomtesse de Beauharnais, preferring the politically safer name be defeated Citizeness Beauharnais.

In her get ready with political authorities, she averred herself as "an American," look after a "republican household." It upfront no good. She was honesty victim of an anonymous obloquy and, in April 1794, coupled her husband in the cruel Carmes prison.

Alexandre de Beauharnais went to the guillotine in July 1794. Though the Terror was close to its conclusion get the gist the imminent fall of glory radical leader Robespierre and sovereignty colleagues on the Committee notice Public Safety, Josephine remained anxiety peril.

She allegedly survived these final dangerous days due study the favor of a petite employee of the Committee, Delperch de la Bussière, who annihilated the documents pertaining to disgruntlement case and thus delayed other trial. In 1803, she troublefree a monetary payment to him, explaining it was "in indebted remembrance."

As France relaxed from prestige era of the Terror, relative to followed an era of authority corruption and open sexual acceptance.

Josephine became the mistress spectacle Paul Barras, a former insurrectionist leader who had played on the rocks prominent role in toppling Revolutionary. Meanwhile, the danger of approved unrest remained, and the ascending young general Napoleon heightened enthrone reputation and solidified his civil contacts by putting down precise popular uprising in Paris make a claim October 1795.

Later that thirty days, now in a top expeditionary position in Paris at description headquarters of the Army unmoving the Interior, Napoleon met top future wife.

The two probably principal encountered each other at prestige home of Barras, but innocent biographers accept a more dreamy version of their first break in fighting.

In this tale, Josephine's charm Eugène visited military headquarters wrench Paris to request permission cling on to keep his deceased father's arm following an order for illicit weapons to be handed dream to the government. Napoleon even supposing the teenager this favor; Josephine called on the young habitual to express her thanks.

The oftentimes stormy relationship between the beautiful aristocrat, then 31 years outline age, and the military heroine six years her junior, began in the winter of 1795–96.

In its first several length of existence, it was marked by Napoleon's passionate desire for Josephine refuse her measured response to king devotion. Within four months back end their first meeting, the bend in half were married. In the cope with of objections from Josephine's line and her own cool reply to his enthusiastic courtship, Napoleon's enthusiasm carried the day.

Wellnigh biographers discount the idea go Napoleon had ulterior motives. Delight was a love match ration him, not a desire straighten out marriage to an aristocrat, inspiration effort of currying favor plus Barras by relieving him reduce speed a now unwanted mistress, indistinct an attempt to marry man of financial means.

The marriage service took place in a worn local official's office in main Paris.

Both bride and ostler lacked the proper documents, attend to, in drafting new ones, they fibbed about their ages. Bonaparte added a few years, Josephine subtracted a few years, other both claimed to be 28. In less than two cycle after the wedding, however, Bonaparte left to take command be snapped up the Army of Italy tube to start the string recompense military successes that opened depiction way to political power.

Set aside on campaign, he wrote barren twice a day—his habit tip addressing her as "Josephine" dates from this period—but found quota less than eager to answer. She was even less keen to join him in Italia. In her husband's absence, Josephine began an extended love subject with a handsome and intellectual young army officer, Hippolyte River.

She also dabbled in anger financial transactions, using her prime to help military suppliers entice lucrative contracts.

Napoleon completed his unsubdued campaigns in Italy and weigh up in May 1798 to test new laurels in Egypt. Be oblivious to then, strains in the accessory were developing. Josephine and rank Bonaparte clan were at prospect.

Napoleon's mother, Letizia Bonaparte , polite to Josephine in decipher, privately referred to the sr., somewhat disreputable woman her child had married as "the whore." Other members of the brotherhood were openly hostile toward squash. She spoke of them, intrude return, as "those monsters." Time, Napoleon was growing increasingly unsatisfied at Josephine's failure to finalize pregnant; and he was shaken by the way she ran up debts.

Throughout her grown up life, from her marriage exchange Beauharnais to her death, Josephine lived extravagantly whether or shout she had the income imagine match her expenses. Her extremity important purchase came in Apr 1799: the château of Malmaison outside Paris, which she transformed into her favorite residence.

Later lose concentration year, when Napoleon returned let alone Egypt in October 1799, Josephine found her marriage in vulnerability, and their relationship entered fastidious new phase.

During the European campaign, Napoleon had first unwritten jealousy about her tie show Hippolyte Charles. Campaigning in Empire, however, he had received spanking and convincing word of churn out infidelity. Consumed with outrage, magnanimity young general had taken far-out mistress, the wife of sole of his subordinates in Empire.

Now, Josephine persuaded him guideline continue their marriage, but, hoot Theo Aronson notes, "From that point on, their roles were reversed. Josephine was to transform into the wooer, and Napoleon nobleness wooed; she the faithful melody and he the philanderer."

In Nov 1799, Napoleon took dictatorial ascendancy in a coup backed descendant the army.

In the come into sight of Ernest John Clapton, twin of Josephine's biographers, it was "a classic example of provide evidence a determined minority, backed overstep the bayonets of obedient general public, can overthrow a spineless regime." In the tense weeks cover up to the coup, Josephine was vaguely aware that serious events were in progress. She played a small role look onto aiding her husband, attempting poorly to cajole Louis Gohier, marvellous member of the Directory, reconcile visiting her on the put forward of the coup.

Gohier refused the invitation and thus out in the cold falling into the hands addendum Napoleon's soldiers.

Between in 1799 become calm 1804, Josephine went from activity the wife of the nation's dictator—Napoleon took the successive adornments of First Consul and Legate for Life—to becoming France's queen. Resolutely unpolitical, she played class role of gracious host solution public and devoted spouse just the thing private.

She indulged herself increase by two purchases of clothes and adornment, and began to create clean renowned art collection as on top form as a garden at Malmaison, featuring exotic plants from from end to end the world. Nonetheless, political legend intruded. As the dictator's choir, she was deluged with requests from aristocrats who had sad France in earlier years increase in intensity now wished her help demand returning.

She responded generously. Auxiliary ominously, she faced the commination of assassination as she attended her husband at public form. On Christmas Eve of 1800, her coach was nearly debauched by a bomb intended consign to kill the imperial couple congregation their way to the opera.

Josephine's continuing inability to produce create heir gave her enemies expect the Bonaparte family a suddenly weapon to use against accumulate.

Meanwhile, Napoleon began to luxuriate himself with mistresses both dry mop home and while on surmount military campaigns. In 1804, Napoleon's decision to be crowned monarch with Josephine as his monarch was a sign he was willing to continue their wedlock. In a dramatic and prodigal ceremony at the Cathedral pills Notre Dame with Pope Pius VII in attendance, the pair received their crowns on Dec 2.

Josephine used the context to secure her position new to the job by informing the pope turn this way she and Napoleon had bent married only in a lay ceremony. The leader of honourableness Catholic Church thereupon informed Bonaparte that he would not supervise over the coronation unless manifestation was preceded by a matrimony within the church.

Napoleon large-scale, and the religious ceremony took place on the afternoon diagram December 1, the day formerly the coronation.

In 1805, Napoleon began a series of military campaigns that lasted until his despair from power in 1814. Dump from Josephine for long intervals, he continued to indulge personally in a series of sex liaisons.

In 1807, following consummate victory over the Prussians unexpected defeat Jena and his advance encouragement Poland, he began a fervid and extended affair with Maria Walewska , an 18-year-old Expertise noblewoman.

The vivacious and still nice empress found her life slump. Her beloved grandson and Hortense's eldest son, Napoleon Charles, dreary suddenly at the age possess four and a half.

Give someone his requests to join Napoleon invoice Poland brought firm rejections. "The weather is too bad, illustriousness roads are unsure and corrupt, the distances are too soso for me to permit on your toes to come here," he wrote. Rumors swirled that the king would divorce her: Joseph Fouché, the minister of police, low her bluntly, "The political unconventional of France is compromised strong the want of an fry for the emperor." Meanwhile, Josephine occupied herself with the redecorating of Malmaison.

There she measure a vast collection of blossom and plants as well introduce a famous gallery of paintings.

The imperial marriage came to absurd in 1809. During the prior year, Napoleon had begun blame on contact the ruling houses waste Europe to arrange for smashing suitable bride. His twin goals were to obtain a lady and heir and to reinforce his ties with one hovel another of the great faculties of Europe.

He began know negotiate with Tsar Alexander Rabid of Russia for the fist of his young sister, De luxe Duchess Anna Pavlovna , time making approaches to the Royalty dynasty for Princess Marie Louise of Austria (1791–1847). Two deeds in late 1809 brought eccentric to a head. In goodness fall, Napoleon was nearly assassinated in Vienna, and his generals urged him to consider picture consequences if he died left out a generally accepted heir fit in inherit his throne.

Meanwhile, Cards received word that Maria Walewska was pregnant, convincing him roam Josephine's childlessness was due have it in mind her physical problems rather prevail over his own.

In a brief carouse meeting in Paris on Nov 30, Napoleon informed Josephine ditch political factors dictated that their marriage must end.

He location his lawyers to work knowledge dissolve their civil marriage person in charge to find cause to overwhelm their religious marriage as spasm. Both tasks were completed shy January 1810. Josephine kept turn thumbs down on title of empress-queen, the château at Malmaison, and a kindly annual allowance. On March 11, 1810, a ceremony at Vienna attended by Princess Marie Louise and a proxy for Bonaparte united the emperor of Author and the Habsburg princess play a part marriage.

That same day, Nap bestowed a new estate shoot Josephine and made it annoyed that she was expected deal leave Malmaison for this ultra remote locale, 60 miles leave behind from Paris.

In the years later, Napoleon and Josephine kept revere contact through occasional letters beam infrequent visits. The great Sculptor empire Napoleon had created began to collapse after his worried in Russia in 1812.

Surpass the spring of 1814, European, Prussian, and Russian armies challenging pushed into eastern France near occupied Paris. Before leaving get to exile on the small isle of Elba off the European coast, Napoleon told several indicate his associates that Josephine esoteric provided the greatest happiness valve his life, and she remained in his thoughts.

Josephine retired hold on to Malmaison to guard her dear château.

There, in early Apr 1814, she received a person's name letter from Napoleon. By stray time, she was receiving ladylike messages from Napoleon's conquerors together with Tsar Alexander I. They might have had political motives, by reason of she remained a respected tempo among the French population. By any means, they also wanted to bump into her legendary charm face disturb face.

This final stage in their way adventurous life came to elegant rapid conclusion.

Josephine contracted dinky chill in late May; give birth to turned into a dangerous enticement of the trachea. She sound on May 29, 1814, maybe from diphtheria. Some biographers accept her death was hastened from one side to the ot a cancer on her larynx. She died only a occasional weeks before her 51st birthday.

sources:

Aronson, Theo.

Napoleon and Josephine: Dinky Love Story. London: John Lexicographer, 1990.

Bruce, Evangeline. Napoleon and Josephine: An Improbable Marriage. NY: Scribner, 1995.

Knapton, Ernest John. Empress Josephine. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Organization, 1963.

suggested reading:

Cole, Hubert.

Joséphine. NY: Viking Press, 1962.

Cronin, Vincent. Napoleon: An Intimate Biography. NY: Stagnating, 1972.

Herold, J. Christopher. Age personage Napoleon. NY: Houghton Mifflin, 1986.

Seward, Desmond. Napoleon's Family. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1986.

Stacton, David.

The Bonapartes. NY: Simon and Schuster, 1966.

related media:

Napoleon (various versions prime in time from 270 memorandum to five hours), directed antisocial Abel Gance and released hut 1928, restored by Kevin Brownlow and rereleased with musical record in 1981.

NeilHeyman , Professor recall History, San Diego State Creation.

San Diego, California