Josephine Beauharnais significant events from her life. Josephine Beauharnais

Her house was quite modest, but this did not matter to Bonaparte. Before him was a woman, beautiful and gentle. The delicate features of her face were enlivened by a light playful smile, beautiful Brown hair fell onto the shoulders. However, this is not what attracted Napoleon so much. The Creole had a charming, flexible body with a grace of movement that was unique to her.

Napoleon began to often come to visit the former viscountess. It didn’t bother him that she was always surrounded by men who came to her without their wives. 15 days after their first visit, Bonaparte and Josephine learned the joy of intimacy. Napoleon fell passionately in love. And Josephine discovered the love of an ardent admirer, whose passion proved that she was beautiful and could arouse desire in a man. After much persuasion, Josephine Beauharnais agreed to get married. She realized that she had nothing to lose, and, perhaps, over time, the enterprising general would reach heights. On March 9, 1796, the wedding took place. In the registration act it was written that the groom was 28 years old and the bride was 29 (in reality he was 26 years old, she was 32). Immediately after the wedding, General Bonaparte went to the Italian army, and Madame Bonaparte, as an exemplary wife, remained waiting for him in Paris.

Napoleon sent her letter after letter, begging her to come: “I warn you, if you hesitate, you will find me sick.” The conqueror's triumphal march was not easy for him: in 15 days he won 6 victories, but a severe fever exhausted his body, his strength was running out. However, the hardships of camp life did not appeal to the sophisticated and spoiled Josephine. She was much more interested in Paris, where she became one of the queens, a participant in all festivities and receptions. Napoleon was tormented by fits of violent jealousy, he sent messengers, and in order to at least temporarily refuse to leave Paris, Josephine invented a non-existent pregnancy.

Nevertheless, this rather compelling circumstance did not stop Napoleon in love, and Josephine went to see him. He rode to Milan for only two days, but these were days full of irrepressible desire and passion. Then separation followed again: Napoleon needed his army, which had been drained of blood and had lost faith. Again love letters flew in, in which he asked, begged, and ordered. Josephine, already a seasoned lover, was beginning to get tired of this eternal fiery appeal. True, she now had high incomes, she spent money without an account. Josephine did not meet her husband until the end of December. At that time she was already about 40 years old, but for Bonaparte she still remained the most desirable woman.

Before going to Egypt, Josephine promised her husband that as soon as he conquered this country, she would immediately come to him. But already on the way he began to be overcome by anxiety and doubts. As the true Josephine revealed herself to him, Napoleon began to think about divorce, and since the woman he passionately loved and, more importantly, trusted, did not deny herself pleasures, then he could allow himself the same. With the army there were the wives of officers who, dressed in men's dresses, followed their spouses everywhere.

After all the heartbreak, Napoleon's gaze settled on Margarita-Pauline Belisle, the wife of Lieutenant Fouret. The beautiful blonde did not surrender immediately, and General Bonaparte needed assurances, letters and expensive gifts to persuade madam to secret date. Lieutenant Fouret was sent with dispatches to Italy, and at this time Bonaparte invited his wife to dinner, during which he awkwardly knocked over the decanter and doused the guest. Then he took Margarita to his apartment so that she could put herself in order. The next day Madame Fouret received a separate house. The returning husband was forced to divorce, and his ex-wife, now called Belilot, began to live quite openly as Bonaparte's favorite.

The general's passion was so strong that he decided to divorce Josephine and marry Belilot if she gave birth to a child. But that did not happen. Napoleon quickly lost interest in her charms; in addition, he soon made peace with Josephine and devoted all his time only to her. At this stage career growth he could no longer afford to openly have a kept woman, otherwise rumors would spread in society, and this would be an extremely unfavorable circumstance for him. However, with the funds that her lover generously bestowed on her, Belilot could not only lead comfortable life, but also allow yourself luxury goods.

Meanwhile, Napoleon returned to France in triumph with the firm intention of breaking off his relationship with Josephine. She assessed the situation and realized that with a divorce the end of her carefree existence would come. She spent almost a day at the door of Napoleon's apartment, tearfully begging for a meeting. When she called for help from the children, Bonaparte gave in and let his wife in. He forgave her, but in their relationship he began to crucial moment. Bonaparte, having experienced diversity, decided to no longer torment himself with fidelity to his wife. In his opinion, the wife should remain a friend and adviser, a gentle nurse and an intelligent interlocutor, sometimes a mistress, always ready to fulfill any desire of her husband. In addition, Josephine was assigned a role in an important political move: her duty was to attract the nobility to her husband and establish the necessary secular connections. Josephine's attitude towards Bonaparte also changed: now that she had become an all-powerful ruler, the fear of losing her husband's favor settled in her heart, which resulted in endless scenes of jealousy that drove Napoleon to fury.

In 1803, when Josephine went to a resort to be treated for infertility, Bonaparte summoned Italian actors to Malmaison to perform the play “The Nights of Dorina.” Bonaparte's attention was attracted by the young actress Louise Rolando. Their passionate romance was interrupted by Josephine, who returned from the resort and created a huge scandal for her husband. In the same year, Napoleon was inflamed with passion for Mademoiselle Georges (her real name- Weimer). The beauty of her body was worthy of an artist's brush. The actress came to Bonaparte for two years, causing Josephine great concern.

With the growth of political power, the number of women in Napoleon's life increased significantly. Between 1800 and 1810, Bonaparte was just at the height of his fame, mental and physical strength. He was not looking for love affairs; women offered themselves. At the same time, Bonaparte was not distracted from state affairs for a minute.

As Napoleon's influence grew, his wife's prestige in the world fell. Any mistake of hers could lead to an outburst of anger from the emperor, then she would lose everything. After another scandal that Josephine caused him, Bonaparte announced that he intended to get a divorce. For two days Josephine begged her husband for forgiveness, and he again could not resist her tears. Moreover, he even ordered her to prepare for the coronation. The wedding was an important advantage of Josephine over other women of Napoleon.

Warm relations connected Eleanor Denuel de la Pleigne with the emperor. She found herself among the courtiers due to a difficult situation after her husband, a dragoon captain, went to prison.

It was hard not to pay attention to Eleanor: excellent figure, lively black eyes, lush hair. Once at court, she made every effort to interest Napoleon, and she succeeded. However, he did not awaken true feelings in her heart. Recalling the hours of love spent with the emperor, Eleanor said that in Napoleon’s arms, during his caresses, she moved the large hand of the wall clock placed in the alcove with her foot, sometimes even half an hour forward. Thanks to this trick, Napoleon, who had the habit of looking at his watch after each love impulse, jumped up, hastily dressed and returned to his studies. In April, Eleanor announced that she was expecting a child. Nine months later, a boy was born who was named Leon. The son received generous support from his father; Bonaparte even discussed the issue of officially recognizing the illegitimate child, but he failed.

From that time on, Napoleon often began to think that France needed an heir. At first he was going to make his nephew, his son, heir to the empire younger brother Louis and Josephine's daughter Hortense. Bonaparte showed such tender feelings that it was rumored that this was his son. Unfortunately, the boy fell ill and died. So it collapsed last hope Napoleon should be declared heir to one of his relatives' children. Then he began to accuse Josephine of being childless and look for any opportunity to acquire an heir.

The bright star in Napoleon's life was Maria Walewska, the wife of a wealthy Polish aristocrat. The young beauty resisted Bonaparte's advances for a long time. However, some influential Poles tried to persuade her to yield to the emperor for the sake of the freedom of Poland. Maria amazed Napoleon with her meek beauty. On the day after the first date, Bonaparte wrote to Walevskaya: “Maria, sweetest Maria, my first thought belongs to you, my first desire is to see you again. You'll come again, won't you? You promised me this. If not, then the Eagle himself will fly for you. I will see you at the table, that’s what I’m promised.”

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“My marriage to Josephine de Beauharnais allowed me

establish contact with the party of aristocrats"

From the memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte

I will continue to debunk the image “ ideal lover"of the first French emperor, various stories about which surf the Internet and are especially adored by “female” resources. From the second part of the material devoted to the biography of Josephine, you will learn that she was not only a slutty lady, an irrepressible spender, but also... however, read for yourself.

At the end of August 1799, Napoleon left the army in Egypt, realizing that the war initiated by the Directory would drag on indefinitely. During the Egyptian company, the Corsican, disappointed in his marriage, takes on a 20-year-old mistress - Margarita-Polina Belle-Ile, the wife of one of the officers of the French army.

Pauline Belle-Ile, blonde "Napoleon's Cleopatra"

In France, Napoleon is met by Josephine, she begs him to preserve the marriage relationship and vows to break off her love affair with Hippolyte Charles. After several nights in the marital bed, the husband agrees to forgive his unfaithful wife, he fully pays her debts to creditors (the total amount of debts was indicated by a seven-digit figure). Even before her husband left for Egypt, Josephine purchased Malmaison Castle in installments, ordered its complete reconstruction and redevelopment - Napoleon paid for these considerable expenses.

18 Brumaire (November 9, 1799) Napoleon seizes power, appointing himself first consul of France, i.e. its de facto ruler. From this moment on, Josephine becomes the First Lady of France - she is extremely happy. Social receptions, balls, the attention of the public and leaders of all stripes - Malmaison becomes an exact copy of Versailles.

With Napoleon acquiring the post of first consul, the problem of Josephine's infertility sharply worsens. In 1800, Napoleon's 37-year-old wife went to the Lorraine resort of Plombiere for treatment for infertility. Two years later, during which Josephine made repeated attempts to conceive a child for the first consul, she again heads to the waters, but this is rather an act of desperation and an attempt to delay the inevitable divorce (“I’m doing everything I can, Bonnie! Although the problem is you!”) – Napoleon’s wife understands that pregnancy is not in the cards for her.

It would seem, what’s the catch here - after all, many spouses have lived childless since ancient times and this did not become a critical problem for the marriage? But Josephine Beauharnais was well aware of the magnitude of Napoleon Bonaparte's ambitions - he wanted to become an emperor, to found his own dynasty of French rulers. And for this you need offspring, and the wife’s adopted children from her first marriage cannot plug the hole in the dynastic plans.

Josephine quietly begins a campaign against her husband, having reached an agreement with the head of the French police, Joseph Fouche, who has his own reasons (whether Napoleon loses or wins, Fouche wants to keep his position unshakable, so he plays in the interests of all conflicting parties) - lifelong first consul Napoleon should not become emperor France. She hints to her husband in every possible way about the pointlessness of founding a dynasty, because he is clearly barren - Napoleon has no chance of having his own heir. The intrigues of the “ardent Creole” went to waste - in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself and his wife, acquiring the title of Emperor Napoleon I.

The situation with the childlessness of the newly-minted 41-year-old Empress of France, which was quietly whispered about at all social events in Paris, is not yet a big problem - in 1802, Hortense de Beauharnais (daughter of Josephine) and Louis Bonaparte (Napoleon’s younger brother) had a son, Napoleon- Charles, declared by the Emperor as his heir. But in 1807, five-year-old Charles died of croup, and a year earlier an event occurred that became a real disaster for the future Josephine Beauharnais - 19-year-old Eleanor Denuel de La Plenie, who in 1805 became the mistress of Napoleon Bonaparte (Eleanor was a reader for Caroline Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister - Marshal Murat, Caroline's husband, brought her to him) gave birth to Charles Leon, exact copy Emperor!..

Birth illegitimate son, the first son makes the emperor wonder - is he as barren as his adored wife swears? Napoleon's ability to reproduce was finally consolidated in 1810, when, after love affair The 24-year-old Polish Countess Maria Walewska gave birth to his second bastard, Alexander.

Napoleon urgently needs a legitimate heir of royal blood, from a high-born aristocratic mother, a descendant of one of royal families Europe - and he doesn’t care who it is. In mid-1809, he told 46-year-old Josephine that, despite his deep feelings for her, the emperor wanted an immediate divorce. The Empress throws a furious scene, either throws various objects at her husband and curses at the top of her lungs, then throws herself to the ground and struggles in sobs, promising to certainly take her own life away from her lover, but the 40-year-old Napoleon is firm in his decision. The divorce of Napoleon I and Josephine de Beauharnais took place in December 1809.

After the divorce, Josephine retained the title of empress, Malmaison castle and retinue, she was entitled to fabulous security - ex-husband was generous. The former wife of the first French emperor spent the rest of her life doing her favorite activities from her youth - she squandered money, throwing lavish receptions and balls, buying paintings and other luxury items. During her life, Josephine was fond of collecting various types plants and animals from all over the world - naturally, she herself did not dig into the soil and did not clean up the waste of the animals; she had a large staff of servants for that.

After defeat at the Battle of Leipzig, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated the throne in 1814. Josephine is shocked - her ex-hubby is being sent into exile on the island of Elba, who will support her?! By chance, Emperor Alexander I of Russia turned out to be favorable to her - he allocated the necessary sums for Josephine’s maintenance, however, the 51-year-old woman could no longer offer the Russian autocrat anything other than walks through the gardens of Malmaison. After one of these walking meetings with Alexander I, Josephine de Beauharnais was caught in a downpour and caught a severe cold. On May 29, 1814 she died.

Why didn’t Napoleon Bonaparte’s “loving wife” give birth to the children he wanted, since she had a son and a daughter from her first marriage? History is, as they say, silent about this. Most likely, the reason for Josephine’s childlessness is connected with her stupid love affairs, or, more simply, with abortions, of which there were most likely several. In the 18th century, medical workers provided similar services for ladies of high society who sought to preserve the shape of their bodies for rich and influential, as they would say now, sponsors. At the beginning of her marriage to Napoleon, his wife did not take the marriage seriously, considering this relationship to be temporary - who knew that the militant Corsican would soar so high up the career ladder.

So who was Josephine de Beauharnais - a sweet lover faithful to Napoleon Bonaparte or a sexually talented kept woman jumping from bed to bed with the next rich man? I think the answer is obvious...

On May 5, 1821, the deposed Emperor of France passed away on the island of St. Helena Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon's aide-de-camp Count Montolon, who followed him into exile, recalled that just before his death, the emperor barely audibly whispered three words: “Army. France. Josephine".

They passed away almost the same age - Napoleon was 51 years old, Josephine 50. But they were not destined to die on the same day, because by the time the last hour of the French emperor came, his wife had long been no longer in the world.

Marie Rose Josepha Taché de la Pagerie, who today is known to the whole world simply as Josephine, was born on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean, in the family of a French planter Joseph-Gaspard Taché de la Pagerie. According to the legend that Josephine herself loved to tell, as a child, an old black woman told her that one day she would “become more than a queen.”

At the age of 16, Josephine was married to a Viscount Alexandra de Beauharnais. At the same time, the girl became a “spare bride” - her father was going to marry her off to a wealthy gentleman younger sister Catherine, but she died.

This marriage was beneficial to Josephine’s father, as it allowed him to improve his financial affairs, which had fallen into disrepair. But Great love there was no relationship between the spouses: the Viscount de Beauharnais enjoyed success with women and did not take seriously the obligations of marital fidelity.

Josephine in a portrait by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon. Photo: reproduction

Mistress of the Great Revolution

In 1785, the couple de facto separated. From her marriage, Josephine was left with two children, her husband’s influential surname and a good financial capital, which, however, the woman quickly spent.

She returned to Martinique, but the revolution of 1789 reached this island. Fearing for her safety, Josephine left for France, where she ex-spouse, Alexandre de Beauharnais, managed to become an influential person in the revolutionary National Assembly.

The position of her ex-husband allowed Josephine to feel confident, but in 1794, following a false denunciation, he was arrested, declared an enemy of the people and sent to the guillotine.

The revolutionaries also took on the relatives of the executed man, after which Josephine found herself in prison awaiting her turn to be beheaded.

The next coup gave her life and freedom, but not a livelihood. For a society lady, accustomed to life on a grand scale, this was no less a disaster than the guillotine.

The temperamental Josephine, who after her divorce from her husband changed lovers like gloves, found a new patron in the person of Viscount de Barras, one of the leaders of the Thermidorian coup and the Directory.

The new lover rented a mansion for Josephine and paid all her expenses. She soon became one of the most influential ladies in Paris, a trendsetter.

Napoleon in 1792. Filippoto, 1834. Photo: reproduction

Love-match. And according to calculation

In 1795, in the salon of his closest friend Teresia Tallien 32-year-old Josephine meets 26-year-old General Napoleon Bonaparte. On that moment future emperor was just another of the capable officers of the revolutionary army, who skillfully suppressed the royalist rebellion.

General Bonaparte was smitten by Josephine's charm and fell passionately in love with her. Josephine found the new gentleman sweet and funny, but, unlike her previous wealthy lovers, he was unable to satisfy her financial needs.

But Napoleon did not want to be a lover, he wanted to be a husband and proposed to Josephine, at the same time promising to adopt her children.

Josephine could not resist such pressure and said yes. On March 9, 1796, the marriage between Josephine and Napoleon was concluded.

In addition to passionate feelings, sober calculation occupied an important place in this story. The most influential mistress will never be accepted in society in the same way as a married lady. Marriage to Napoleon allowed Josephine to get rid of sidelong glances.

For Napoleon, this marriage was an opportunity, through his wife, to establish relations with representatives of the French elite who did not take him seriously. In addition, he mistakenly believed that Josephine had a large fortune, and after the marriage he was forced to endure the disappointment of learning that his wife was spending her lover’s money.

Viscount de Barras was also happy - being a tight-fisted person by nature, he could no longer tolerate his mistress’s easy attitude towards money. So for him, Napoleon's marriage to Josephine was a relief from his headache.

"My heart has never experienced anything insignificant"

Upon marriage, Napoleon added two years to himself, and Josephine “became younger” by four, which made it possible to reduce the six-year age difference to zero.

Two days after the wedding, Napoleon was forced to leave Paris to take command of French troops in Italy. Having arrived at the place, he sent his wife many letters with persistent requests to come to him.

“Your misfortune is to judge me by the same standards as ordinary men. My heart has never experienced anything insignificant,” Napoleon wrote to his wife. Josephine responded with short replies and was not eager to go to Italy. Her attitude towards marriage was formed from the experience of living with her first husband - the Viscount de Beauharnais did not limit himself in amorous adventures, but provided similar freedom to his wife. Josephine believed that relations with Napoleon would be the same.

But Bonaparte wanted to be the only one and did not allow the possibility that his wife would share a bed with someone else. In June 1796, Josephine gave in to her husband's demands by visiting him in Italy. In her retinue rode Hippolyte Charles, adjutant of General Leclerc and new lover Josephine.

Night of repentance

For the time being, Napoleon, in love, did not notice anything. But after returning to Paris, he learned about love affairs wife, and about her participation in financial fraud, after which a scandal broke out between the spouses.

Josephine was distinguished not only by her beauty, but also by her intelligence. She managed to convince her husband that all this was just slander from enemies.

In the spring of 1798, Napoleon and his army left for Egypt. Josephine remained in France and resumed her old ways. When news of this reached Napoleon, he began to prepare for divorce.

Returning to Paris, to their common Home, Bonaparte did not find his wife - she left to meet him, and the couple missed each other on the way. By the time Josephine returned, her things were dumped at the entrance, and Napoleon himself locked himself in the bedroom.

The wife spent the entire night on her knees at the bedroom door, sobbing and begging for forgiveness. No one except Josephine herself knows how sincere these tears were. Perhaps the husband's ardor really awakened reciprocal feelings. But perhaps the woman did not want to lose her husband, whose career was rapidly going up.

Be that as it may, Napoleon forgave his flighty wife, and at the same time paid off her numerous new debts.

Crown as a gift

After the “coup of the 18th Brumaire,” Napoleon Bonaparte became first consul, the de facto head of France. Now Josephine has to play the role of the first lady of France, who must not only be worthy of her husband, but also solve political problems. Having connections and influence among the aristocracy, she was supposed to attract representatives of this part of society to Napoleon’s side. Her weapons are lavish celebrations and receptions at the Malmaison castle.

Josephine coped with the task - many aristocrats accepted the native of Corsica as the new leader of the country.

In 1804, Napoleon became Emperor of the French Empire and placed the empress crown on his wife's head.

Contemporaries believed that Josephine was fully suited to the role of empress, despite the fact that her husband’s family literally hated her. Napoleon's relatives treated her as a “loose woman”, an “old woman”, and tried in every possible way to persuade him to get a divorce.

Napoleon's cousins ​​refused to carry Josephine's train during the coronation, a gesture that infuriated him. The newly-minted emperor promised to send his relatives into exile and forced them to participate in the ceremony, assigning trusted officers to them for safety.

Consecration of Emperor Napoleon I and coronation of Empress Josephine in the cathedral Notre Dame of Paris December 2, 1804. Jacques Louis David, reproduction

Divorce in the name of empire

But Napoleon's love for Josephine turned out to be weaker than his ambitions. Having created an empire, he dreamed of creating a new ruling dynasty. While generously distributing European crowns to relatives and marshals, he dreamed of passing on the French crown to his son.

Josephine could not realize her husband’s dream, because by this time she was suffering from infertility. Napoleon waited for several years, hoping for a miracle, but in 1809 he announced a divorce to his wife.

He left Josephine with the title of Empress, the Elysee Palace, the Castle of Navarre and the Castle of Malmaison. She didn't know the need for financial means, lived luxuriously, surrounded by her former courtyard. Having experienced a nervous shock due to parting with Napoleon, she then accepted her fate with humility.

The Emperor married the Austrian Princess Marie-Louise, who in 1811 gave birth to his long-awaited son.

After the divorce, Josephine devoted a lot of time to botany, collecting a rich collection of flowers in the greenhouses of Malmaison. exotic plants from all over the world. Her collection of roses included 250 species.

If the marriage of Josephine and Napoleon once seemed strange to many, then the divorce turned out to be unusual. They retained warm feelings for each other, and these feelings were more than friendly. Their correspondence is that of lovers or spouses separated against their will.

"Farewell my dear Josephine"

Napoleon's ambitious plans, because of which he divorced Josephine, were not destined to come true. Marie Louise left her husband when military failures began to haunt him, taking her son with her. Napoleon's heir never ascended to the French throne - the young man, perceived by European monarchs as an annoying memory of a bygone era, died at the age of 21.

Marie Louise of Austria with her son. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

On April 6, 1814, at the Fontainebleau Palace near Paris, Napoleon abdicated the throne. Abandoned by almost all his loved ones, on the night of April 12-13, he tried to commit suicide by taking poison. But even the deadly potion betrayed him, losing its properties due to long storage.

On April 16, 1814, Napoleon wrote his last letter to Josephine: “My fall is bottomless. Farewell, my dear Josephine. Humble yourself, as I have humbled myself. Never forget someone who has never forgotten you. I will never forget you." On April 20, he went into exile on the island of Elba.

The victors who entered France treated Josephine with respect and respect. The Russian Emperor visited her Alexander I, to whom she prayed for one thing - to allow her to go into exile with Napoleon. Alexander considered this desire very worthy, but still refused Josephine.

Empress Josephine receives Emperor Alexander I and his children at Malmaison. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Josephine's grandson became French Emperor

At the end of May 1814, the Empress fell ill due to a severe cold.

A native of distant Martinique received an imperial funeral. On June 2, 1814, about 20 thousand people gathered to say goodbye to her. The ceremony was attended by a representative of the Russian Emperor, a representative of the King of Prussia, numerous French princes, marshals and generals.

After Josephine's death, Napoleon will make a desperate attempt to return to power, which will go down in history as “100 days.” Then there will be a new exile, and death on a small island in the Atlantic.

Daughter of Josephine and stepdaughter of Napoleon Hortensia Beauharnais married her stepfather's younger brother Louis Bonaparte. Their son, Charles Louis Napoleon, ascended the French throne under the name Napoleon III.

But Josephine’s grandson and Napoleon’s nephew never managed to create the dynasty that the first French emperor dreamed of, who sacrificed the love of his life for this.

Biography and episodes of life Josephine Beauharnais. When born and died Josephine Beauharnais, memorable places and dates important events her life. Empress Quotes, images and videos.

Years of life of Josephine Beauharnais:

born June 23, 1763, died May 29, 1814

Epitaph

For the beauty that is buried here
Timeless, there is only one consolation:
Life brought her mortal oblivion,
And by death now life has been returned.

Biography

All her life Josephine dreamed of luxury. This passionate desire of hers gave Josephine a meeting with the future Emperor of France. Josephine's biography is the story of a girl from an impoverished family who became the most powerful woman in France. She was smart, beautiful, graceful, sensual, loved, but, alas, even the title of empress did not bring Josephine happiness.

Josephine was born on the small island of Martinique, into an impoverished aristocratic family, and at the age of sixteen she was married to Viscount Alexandre de Beauharnais. It was a beneficial marriage for her family, giving Josephine access to the royal court and two children. But Josephine's husband did not share his young wife's love for social life. When Beauharnais refused to introduce his wife to Queen Marie Antoinette, the vain young Creole was greatly offended. The couple soon divorced, but the position of her ex-husband provided Josephine with access to noble houses and salons in Paris, and the young woman was able to fully enjoy freedom and all the delights of metropolitan life. When Alexandre Beauharnais was executed due to a false denunciation, danger loomed over Josephine. Fortunately, another coup freed the woman from prison, and soon a significant event took place in Josephine’s life - her acquaintance with Napoleon Bonaparte.

For Josephine, the relationship with Napoleon was not love at first sight - but Bonaparte served good hopes, and a widow with two children needed financial support. Family life It wasn’t easy - there were often disagreements between Napoleon, who was passionately in love with Josephine, and his unfaithful wife. In the absence of her husband, Josephine led a frivolous lifestyle, which was immediately reported to Napoleon, but he continued to pay his wife’s debts and did not dare to divorce. Over time, Josephine nevertheless became attached to Bonaparte and realized that she felt very much for him. strong feelings and is afraid of losing him. Alas, the love of Napoleon and Josephine could not save their marriage: Josephine could not give birth to an heir, and this destroyed Bonaparte’s plans for the foundation ruling dynasty. He was forced to leave his wife, whom, according to contemporaries, he continued to love until his death. Josephine tried to act nobly - she blessed Napoleon for new marriage, gave him a divorce and retired to the Malmaison palace, kindly left to her by her husband.

Even after the divorce, Napoleon and Josephine maintained a warm correspondence, and when Bonaparte abdicated the throne and was exiled to Elba, his ex-wife volunteered to accompany Bonaparte, but she was not allowed. Two months after Bonaparte's abdication, Josephine died. Josephine's cause of death was colds, but perhaps nervous exhaustion due to worries about Napoleon also played a role. More than twenty thousand people came to Josephine's funeral. Josephine's grave is located in the Church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul in Malmaison.

Life line

June 23, 1763 Date of birth of Josephine Beauharnais (birth name - Marie Rose Josepha Taché de la Pagerie).
December 13, 1779 Marriage to Viscount Alexandre de Beauharnais.
September 3, 1781 Birth of son Eugene.
April 10, 1783 Birth of daughter Hortense.
March 1785 Divorce from Alexandre Beauharnais.
March 9, 1796 Marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte.
December 2, 1804 Coronation of Napoleon and Josephine.
December 16, 1809 Divorce from Napoleon Bonaparte.
May 29, 1814 Date of Josephine's death.
June 2, 1814 Josephine's funeral.

Memorable places

1. The city of Les Trois-Ilets on the island of Martinique, where Josephine was born.
2. The commune of Noisy-le-Grand, where Josephine’s marriage to Alexandre de Beauharnais took place.
3. Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, where the coronation of Napoleon and Josephine took place.
4. Josephine's house in Paris, where she lived with Napoleon.
5. Malmaison, Josephine's palace, which she acquired in 1799.
6. Church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul, where Josephine is buried.

Episodes of life

IN last years During their marriage, the lovers quarreled a lot, mainly because of Josephine’s inability to give Napoleon an heir. One day he said to his wife in anger: “Everyone around you gets pregnant, even animals, but not you, madam!” Josephine was very offended, she often cried and even fainted. But later she personally helped Napoleon write passionate letters to his future bride, deciding that the main manifestation of her love for her husband would be to retreat and give him the opportunity to have an heir from another woman.

When Napoleon's son was born, Josephine persuaded him to show her the boy. Secretly from Bonaparte's second wife, Josephine came to the forest, where she and her child were walking at that time. She hugged the boy to her chest and said, “Someday you will know the sacrifice I made for your future.”

When Napoleon returned to France, he visited Josephine's palace, Malmaison, to pay tribute to Josephine. The former emperor turned to the doctor who treated her, asking what caused Josephine’s death, to which he replied: “Grief, melancholy, fear for you.”

Covenant

"I brought great sacrifice, Sir, and every day I feel more and more its magnitude; however, this sacrifice that I have made will be carried through to the end.”

Documentary story about the biography of Josephine

Condolences

“Josephine was a wonderful woman and very smart. I deeply mourn her loss."
Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of France, Josephine's ex-husband

Josephine and Napoleon are a couple who have become a historical example of an all-consuming passion that is not subject to time, separation, or social upheaval. IN high society, at court or among representatives of the aristocracy, examples of selfless love are not so often found. People's feelings are tested public opinion, which is never objective and in most cases condemns lovers. Emperor Napoleon and Empress Josephine were at the very top of the social hierarchy, and yet their love was pure and unconditional. Neither the hatred of relatives, nor wars, nor death could destroy it.

Josephine

On June 23, 1763, Marie Josepha Rose was born on the island of Martinique into the family of a French landowner. At the age of sixteen, Josephine married Viscount Alex de Beauharnais and lived with him for about five years, after which her husband left her, leaving her with two children. At first, the young woman lived comfortably, but soon, because of her love for expensive jewelry, she incurred debts; financial situation staggered.

Bonaparte

On August 15, 1769, in the city of Ajaccio (Corsica island), Napoleon was born - the future emperor of France, commander and statesman. And even then fate prepared for him a meeting with a woman who became the main and only love all his life.

Meeting

Josephine and Napoleon met each other at a social event in 1796. A spark of mutual interest immediately ran between the young people, and a few months later Bonaparte proposed to his chosen one. However, members of his family spoke out against the marriage, who considered Josephine a frivolous and extravagant adventurer. But the lovers continued to meet, and on March 9, 1796, they were married. Wedding ring Napoleon, presented to Josephine, contained a symbolic inscription on the inside - “This is fate.” Large sapphires adorned the delicate piece of jewelry, a sign of fidelity and enduring love.

The trials that befell the young people were in the nature of a brutal confrontation between the family of the future emperor and his chosen one. When Josephine and Napoleon met, she was already 32 years old. The woman had two children, who became a stumbling block for the relatives of young Bonaparte.

Parting

Josephine and Napoleon eventually stopped paying attention to the machinations of their relatives and completely surrendered to their feelings. However, their honeymoon lasted only two days: Bonaparte, who by that time was already at the pinnacle of power, was forced to go on a campaign. The relationship between the spouses took on an epistolary character. Napoleon's letters to Josephine arrived every day, no matter where Bonaparte was.

But endless military campaigns soon became harbingers of separation. Napoleon was generous with gifts; from Egypt he brought his wife oriental shawls woven from the most delicate cashmere. Josephine, who by that time had become a trendsetter in Parisian fashion, introduced Egyptian shawls into the wardrobe of every French woman. Her active character did not allow her to stop there. Fashionable scarves were followed by high-heeled shoes, then sandals, such as the native women of the islands wear. And so on endlessly.

Trendsetter

Napoleon and Josephine, whose love story continued despite constant separation, needed each other more than ever, and both he and she were looking forward to meeting. While Bonaparte conquered one country after another, his wife devoted herself entirely to fashionable “conquests.” With her light hand appeared wrist watch. Previously, women's watches were inserted into fans, rings, all kinds of pendants and powder boxes. One day Josephine ordered a bracelet with a watch from Nito’s jewelry workshop. And this idea was appreciated. Since then, there has been a fashion for watches in bracelets - on straps or gold chains on the wrist.

Josephine, Napoleon's wife, was considered a fashion trendsetter not only in women's clothing and paraphernalia. She, among other things, was a passionate lover of expensive jewelry. All the money that the woman received for maintenance was spent on buying jewelry. Josephine's collection of rings, necklaces, tiaras and brooches was valued at two million francs at the time of her death in 1814.

She was very fond of Napoleon's wife and expensive perfumes. There was still a hundred years left before the legendary Coco Chanel was born, but there have always been perfumers in Paris. Josephine's favorite flowers were violets with their subtle, subtle aroma. Court chemists and perfumers tried to create a range of perfumes with the scent of violets. When they succeeded, Napoleon's wife was happy.

Josephine asked her husband to bring her aromatic oils from every country where he visited on duty government activities. She has accumulated an extensive collection of fragrant bottles. She asked perfumers to include the smells that Josephine especially liked in the new perfume.

Treason

Meanwhile, Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine saw each other less and less, and the temperament of the thirty-five-year-old Creole still made itself felt. During one of her husband's long absences, she cheated on him. Rumors about this reached Napoleon, and after returning to Paris he decided to file for divorce.

But his wife begged for mercy, and Bonaparte could not cope with his love - he forgave his unfaithful wife. Napoleon and Josephine, for whom the power of desires turned out to be stronger than common sense, continued to remain husband and wife.

Coronation

In 1804, France became an empire and Napoleon was to become emperor. Before the coronation, Bonaparte declared that his state would have an empress and named Josephine. A real riot followed on the part of Napoleon's relatives. They tried to disrupt the celebration. It was necessary to assign a chamberlain to each cousin to avoid unwanted surprises.

On December 2, 1804, the coronation of Napoleon and his wife took place at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The Emperor himself placed the crown on the head of his beloved woman. However, soon the relationship between them began to cool. More and more often Napoleon asked the question “who is the heir?” Josephine, despite her youth, was never able to conceive a child. All means were tried, but in vain.

In August 1807, the Empress went to the waters in the hope of being cured of infertility, and the disappointed Napoleon secretly ordered that a bride of royal blood be found for him. Two years later, Bonaparte informed his wife of his intention to marry the Austrian princess Marie Louise. Thus, Napoleon and Josephine, whose story had come to an end, considered it best to part for the sake of France.

Divorce

Soon a court court took place, which was supposed to create a legal basis for the divorce process. Josephine was so worried that she could not speak. Trustees did this for her.

“For the sake of the well-being of a great country, I am releasing my Napoleon,” the empress said at the court hearing. Bonaparte left for ex-wife title of the crowned person, the Elysee Palace, the Malmaison estate and the Navarre castle. All these gifts did not please Josephine: she had lost the most precious thing, and irrevocably. Napoleon no longer belonged to her. But no one saw her tears; the empress retired to her bedroom on the Malmaison estate, where she could sob alone for hours.

Bonaparte's new wife

In March 1810, the emperor married an Austrian princess. And a year later, Maria Louise gave birth to her husband’s heir, Napoleon II.

Now Napoleon devoted all his free time from government affairs to his new wife. He gave his wife a truly royal wedding gift. It was a luxurious jewelry set consisting of a tiara, comb and necklace. Everything was decorated with 874 diamonds, a 13-carat emerald and the same smaller stones. Pink diamonds (264 pieces) were placed on the tiara.

These pieces, once owned by Marie Louise, are currently in the Louvre Museum in Paris and are valued at $3.7 million.

One of Marie Louise's most beloved jewelry donated by Bonaparte was an original bracelet with a set of stones, the names of which, according to the first letter, correspond to the name Maria. These are malachite, amethyst, then ruby, after which Iris (quartz) and emerald (Emerald).

Josephine begged the emperor to show her the baby. The meeting took place in the Bois de Boulogne, where the child was taken for a walk. The former empress hugged the boy and said, “Someday you will know the sacrifice I made for your and your father’s future.”

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But this sacrifice, alas, was in vain. Just four years later, during the Russian Campaign, Napoleon was deposed and exiled. Legal spouse, Marie Louise, refused to accompany her husband, and Josephine turned to the Russian Tsar Alexander the First with a request to allow her to be near the love of her life, Napoleon Bonaparte. However, the former empress was refused.

Napoleon and Josephine, whose love story ended so tragically, were separated forever.

Napoleon's last letter

Bonaparte wrote his farewell address to Josephine on April 16, 1814. “Humble yourselves, dear Josephine, as I did. Don't forget about me. I will always remember you." A month after receiving the letter, Josephine died.

Attempt to regain power

Death of Napoleon Bonaparte

Saint Helena became the last refuge of the French emperor. On May 5, 1821 he died. The last word, which Napoleon said while dying, was the name of his beloved woman - Josephine.