Napoleon's Marriage to Josephine

Napoleon's marriage to Josephine was based on love and passion and although it did not produce any political gains, it was ended for political reasons when it became clear that Josephine was not able to bear an heir.

Learning Objective

Explain the reasons behind Napoleon's marriage to Josephine.

Key Points

Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie was born in 1763 in Martinique to a wealthy white Creole family that owned a sugarcane plantation. In 1779, she married Alexandre de Beauharnais, with whom she had two children. The marriage was not a happy one, leading to a court-ordered separation. In 1794, during the Reign of Terror, Alexandre was executed but Josephine was freed thanks to the fall and execution of Robespierre.
Josephine met Napoleon, six years her junior, in 1795. Napoleon was enamored with Josephine, with whom he had a passionate affair. In January 1796, Bonaparte proposed to Josephine and they married in March. Until meeting Bonaparte, Josephine was known as Rose, but Bonaparte preferred to call her Josephine, the name she adopted from then on.
The marriage was not well received by Napoleon's family, who were shocked that he had married an older widow with two children. Two days after the wedding, Bonaparte left to lead the French army in Italy. During their separation, he sent her many love letters but both spouses also had lovers. Despite his own affairs, their relationship was never the same after he learnt about hers.
The coronation ceremony, officiated by Pope Pius VII, took place at Notre Dame de Paris, in December 1804. Following a pre-arranged protocol, Napoleon first crowned himself, then put the crown on Josephine's head, proclaiming her empress.
When after a few years it became clear Josephine could not have a child, Napoleon, while still loving his wife, began to think seriously about the possibility of divorce and began to create lists of eligible princesses. In November 1809, he let Josephine know that—in the interest of France—he must find a wife who could produce an heir. Despite her anger, Josephine agreed to the divorce so the Emperor could remarry in the hope of having an heir.
Despite his divorce from Josephine, he showed his dedication to her for the rest of his life. When he heard the news of her death while on exile in Elba, he locked himself in his room and would not come out for two days. Her name would also be his final word on his deathbed in 1821.

Term

Reign of Terror
A period of violence during the French Revolution incited by conflict between two rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "the enemies of the revolution." The death toll ranged in the tens of thousands, with 16,594 executed by guillotine and another 25,000 in summary executions across France.

Full Text

Josephine de Beauharnais

Marie Josephe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie was born in 1763 in Martinique to a wealthy white Creole family that owned a sugarcane plantation. The family struggled financially after hurricanes destroyed their estate in 1766. Josephine's aunt arranged the advantageous marriage of Josephine's younger sister, Catherine-Désirée, to Alexandre de Beauharnais, a member of an influential and wealthy family. However, when Catherine died in 1777, she was replaced by her older sister, Josephine, who married Alexandre in 1779 in France. The two had two children. The marriage was not a happy one, leading to a court-ordered separation. In 1794, during the Reign of Terror, Alexandre was arrested and jailed and Josephine, considered to be too close to the counter-revolutionary financial circles, was also imprisoned. She was freed five days after Alexandre's execution thanks to the fall and execution of Robespierre, which ended the Reign of Terror.

Marriage of Napoleon and Josephine

Josephine met Napoleon, six years her junior, in 1795. Prior to that, she had had affairs with several leading political figures, including Paul François Jean Nicolas Barras. Napoleon was enamored with Josephine, with whom he had a passionate affair. In a letter to her from December 1795, 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." In January 1796, Bonaparte proposed to Josephine and they married in March. Until meeting Bonaparte, Josephine was known as Rose, but Bonaparte preferred to call her Josephine, the name she adopted from then on.

The marriage was not well received by Napoleon's family, who were shocked that he had married an older widow with two children. His mother and sisters were especially resentful of Josephine as they felt clumsy and unsophisticated in her presence. Two days after the wedding, Bonaparte left to lead the French army in Italy. During their separation, he sent her many love letters. In February 1797, he wrote: “You to whom nature has given spirit, sweetness, and beauty, you who alone can move and rule my heart, you who know all too well the absolute empire you exercise over it!”

During Napoleon's absence, Josephine had lovers, including lieutenant Hippolyte Charles, about whom Napoleon learnt. A letter he wrote about it was intercepted by the British and published widely in order to embarrass Napoleon. The relationship between Josephine and Napoleon was never the same after this. His letters became less loving. No subsequent lovers of Josephine are recorded, but Napoleon had sexual affairs with several other women.

Miniature portrait of the Empress by Jean Baptiste Isabey on a gold snuff box crafted by the Imperial goldsmith Adrien-Jean-Maximilien Vachette, circa 1810.

Josephine was a renowned spendthrift and Barras may have encouraged the relationship with Napoleon in order to get her off his hands. At some point, Napoleon reportedly said that the only thing to come between them was her debts. Despite the affairs of both spouses and the eventual divorce, evidence suggests that Napoleon and Josephine loved each other deeply throughout their lives.

Emperor and Empress of the French

The coronation ceremony, officiated by Pope Pius VII, took place at Notre Dame de Paris, in December 1804. Following a pre-arranged protocol, Napoleon first crowned himself, then put the crown on Josephine's head, proclaiming her empress. Shortly before their coronation, there was an incident that nearly sundered the marriage between the two. Josephine caught Napoleon in the bedroom of her lady-in-waiting, Elisabeth de Vaudey, and Napoleon threatened to divorce her as she had not produced an heir. Eventually, however, through the efforts of Josephine's daughter Hortense, the two were reconciled.

Divorce

When after a few years it became clear Josephine could not have a child, Napoleon, while still loving his wife, began to think seriously about the possibility of divorce. The final die was cast when Josephine's grandson Napoleon Charles Bonaparte, who had been declared Napoleon's heir, died of croup in 1807. Napoleon began to create lists of eligible princesses. In November 1809, he let Josephine know that—in the interest of France—he must find a wife who could produce an heir. Despite her anger, Josephine agreed to the divorce so the Emperor could remarry in the hope of having an heir. The divorce ceremony took place in January 1810 and was a grand but solemn social occasion. Both Josephine and Napoleon read a statement of devotion to the other.

In March 1810, Napoleon married Marie-Louise of Austria by proxy and the formal ceremony took place at the Louvre in April. Napoleon once remarked after marrying Marie-Louise that despite her quick infatuation with him "he had married a womb." Even after their separation, Napoleon insisted Josephine retain the title of empress. Despite his divorce from Josephine, he showed his dedication to her for the rest of his life. When he heard the news of her death while on exile in Elba, he locked himself in his room and would not come out for two days. Her name would also be his final word on his deathbed in 1821.

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