Death Of JosĆ©phine Beauharnais~Wife Of Napoleon . 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, EugĆØne, 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 JosĆ©phine in April, and then to La Conciergerie. Alexandre was guillotined in July 1795. JosĆ©phine 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. JosĆ©phi...