Letizia Bonaparte Part II

Letizia spent time in Italy, and was never much involved in Napoleon’s court. In 1814, when his empire fell, most of the younger Bonapartes were more interested in saving their own skin than in being loyal to the man who had brought them fame and power and wealth.  Pauline was loyal to him and chose to go with him to Elba.  So did Letizia.  She liked the island; it was not so far from Corsica where she had grown up.  She was happy enough with the limited and retired life there, and she had saved her money for bad times.   His mother and sister tried to console him for his fall and make his life there happier… but Napoleon was determined to make one last throw.  He returned to France and his venture ended in defeat. 
After Waterloo he was exiled to St Helena, from which escape would be impossible.  The Bonapartes were exiled from France.   Letizia and Pauline both went to live in Italy.   They settled in Rome; Pauline was desperately grieved over her brother now being sent to an island thousands of miles from Europe. 
 She did maintain a social life hoping to persuade influential English visitors to ameliorate his conditions in St Helena.  Letizia spent most of her time with her brother Cardinal Fesch.. and was almost a recluse.    Pauline fell out with her mother over Napoleon.  Letizia and Fesch fell under the influence of a mystic who claimed that the ex-Emperor had managed to escape and was no longer at St Helena.  Pauline did not believe this and she was angry when her mother took little care about finding a good cook and doctor to attend  Napoleon. 
Letizia lived a reclusive life for many years, outliving most of her adult children.   She died in 1835, of old age. 
Napoleon inherited something of her strong character, but he  had less common sense… He admired his mother, but overall did not have a high opinion of women.  His mother had been a good housekeeper, and a mother and he felt that that was all that women were really good for.   He loved Josephine, but  did not respect her.. being ambivalent about “decorative and flighty” women, just as his mother was.