Josephine Bonaparte, Empress of the French was born a Creole
aristocrat on the French ruled Island of Martinique in 1763. She is famous for
her marriage to Napoleon but she was an interesting character in her own right.
Her father Joseph Tascher de La Pagerie, owned a sugar plantation, which was
worked by salves and they were well to do, but after a hurricane destroyed part
of the estate, they had financial problems. One of her aunts, Edmee, had gone
to France and become the Mistress of a wealthy French aristocrat the marquis de
Beauharnais.
He married Edmee after his
wife’s death and this was an important connection.
Edmee arranged a marriage between her niece Catherine,
and the Marquis’ son, Alexandre.
But
Catherine died before the marriage could be fulfilled.
So it was arranged that Alexandre should settle
for Marie Josephe Rose, her younger sister.
Josephine was then usually called Yeyette by her family.
She was eager to marry and went to France to
meet her new husband. She was only 16 but such marriages were not
uncommon.
Alexandre seemed willing to like
his young bride... but soon became disappointed with her.
She was not well educated or very sophisticated,
coming from a relatively impoverished colonial background.
Alexandre was used to elegant and sophisticated
ladies…. He tried to educate his wife but she was not what he wanted in a
bride.
In France she was usually known by her last name Rose... She tried to comply with what Alexandre
wished and the marriage produced 2 children, Eugene and Hortense… But it was
increasingly unhappy. Alexandre was unfaithful
but became insanely jealous when he suspected his wife of infidelity.
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