Joséphine Beauharnais

Joséphine Beauharnais

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Born Marie-Joseph-Rose Tascher de La Pagerie, to a family settled in Martinique, she came to France at the age of 16 to marry a young officer, Alexandre de Beauharnais.

They had two children, a son, Eugène, in 1781, and a daughter, Hortense, in 1783.

The couple were unhappy, and eventually separated.

After returning to Martinique, repercussions of the Revolution caused her to come back to France in October 1790, where she returned to her husband, Alexandre.

Alexandre had returned to military service, and became a general in 1792, before resigning and returning to live on his property.

He was arrested there in March 1794.

Alexandre was then transferred to Carmes Prison, where he was joined by Joséphine in April, and then to La Conciergerie.

Alexandre was guillotined in July 1795.

Joséphine awaited her turn to die, but was set free with the fall of Robespiere.

Without any income and two children, she got by as best she could.

Joséphine was described as being of average height, svelte, shapely, with silky, long, chestnut-brown hair, hazel eyes, and a rather sallow complexion.

Her nose was small and straight, and her mouth was well-formed; however she kept it closed most of the time so as not to reveal her bad teeth.

She was praised for her elegance, style, and low, "silvery", beautifully modulated voice

She had a number of affairs, with several leading political figures.

Then one day, her friend introduced her to a promising young general, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon fell head over heels in love with her, and did not hesitate in giving her the nickname Joséphine.

In a letter to her, he wrote,

"I awake full of you.

Your image and the memory of last night’s intoxicating pleasures has left no rest to my senses."

She, on the other hand, did not seem to be so keen, as she was six years older than him, and was already the mother of two children.

Her grace and charm won his heart, and Joséphine accepted his proposal.

They married in a civil ceremony on 9 March 1796.

She followed him, as he rose from his rank of general to First Consul, then Emperor of the French in May 1804.

Two days after the wedding, Bonaparte left Paris to lead a French army into Italy.

During their separation, he sent Joséphine many love letters.

Some were hot and steamy, some where abusive.

Joséphine rarely wrote back and when she did, her letters were dry and often tepid.

It is known that Joséphine did not love Napoleon as much as he loved her, and that it took her years before she warmed to his affections.

After their marriage, Napoleon was said to have kept a picture of her in his pocket which he would plant many kisses on every passing hour.

Joséphine, however, never even looked at the picture of her new husband that Napoleon gave her.

In 1796 Joséphine began an affair with a handsome Hussar. Rumors of the affair reached Napoleon, he was infuriated, and his love for her changed entirely.

Napoleon started affairs of his own, and there were many!

Napoleon was elected Emperor of the French in 1804, making Joséphine empress.

The coronation ceremony took place at Notre~Dame de Paris, on 2nd December 1804

Napoleon first crowned himself, then put the crown on Joséphine's head, proclaiming her empress.

In her role as empress, Napoleon had a court appointed to her, and reinstated the offices which composed the household of the queen before the French revolution.

When after a few years, it became clear she could not have a child, Napoleon, while still loving Joséphine, began to think about the possibility of an annulment.

Over dinner on 30th November 1809, he let Joséphine know that he must find a wife who could produce an heir.

Joséphine agreed to the divorce.

The divorce ceremony took place on 10th January 1810, and was a grand but solemn social occasion, and each read a statement of devotion to the other.

Even after their separation, Napoleon insisted Joséphine retain the title of empress.

She remained on good terms with Napoleon, and lived at the Château de Malmaison, near Paris.

Napoleon married Marie~Louise of Austria, on the 11th March 1810.

Napoleon once said of Louise~

"It is a womb that I am marrying"

In March 1811, Marie~Louise was delivered of a long-awaited heir, Napoleon II, to whom Napoleon gave the title "King of Rome". Two years later Napoleon arranged for Joséphine to meet the young prince, "who had cost her so many tears".

Joséphine died of pneumonia on 29th May 1814.

She had been walking with Emperor Alexander I of Russia, in her gardens, where she allegedly said she was going to join Napoleon in exile.

Shortly after, she was taken ill.

Joséphine was buried in the nearby church of Saint Pierre-Saint Paul in Rueil.

Napoleon learned of her death while in exile on Elba and stayed locked in his room for two days, refusing to see anyone.

Napoleon claimed to a friend~

"I truly loved my Joséphine, but I did not respect her."

Despite her numerous affairs, eventual marriage annulment, and his remarriage, the Emperor's last words on his death bed were~

"France, l'armée, tête d'armée, Joséphine"

"France, the Army, the Head of the Army, Joséphine.

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https://en.chateauversailles.fr/.../josephine-beauharnais

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https://ko-fi.com/thetudorintruders

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Joséphine in 1804 by François Gérard