CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Ubrary come.. Un.vers..y 1912 DC 216.1.M54 The empra,ffii^'""-™ Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924024330023 THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE rHF. EitlPliESS JOSEPH I XE. THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE BY THE BARON DE MENEVAL MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY translated from the french By D. D. FRASER PHILADELPHIA J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY London : Sampson Low, Marston <S« Co., Ltd. — CONTENTS PAGE Introduction . i CHAPTER I Josephine's birth at Martinique.—Her destiny is predicted. —Mme. de Renaudin suggests her coming to France. —Her arrival in France and marriage with Viscount de Beauharnais.—Disagreements in early married life.—Birth of Eugene de Beauharnais.—Viscount de Beauharnais separates from his wife.—First symptoms of revolution.—Birth of Hortense de Beauharnais. Josephine visits Martinique, and is reconciled to her husband ...... CHAPTER II Alexander de Beauharnais' political activities.—Louis XVI's flight to Varennes.—Beauharnais becomes President of the National Assembly.—Appointed Commander-in- chief of the Army of the Rhine. —Resigns his post, and is imprisoned.—Josephine endeavours to save him. Arrest and imprisonment.— 1794.—Beauharnais exe- cuted on the 6 Thermidor.—Fall of Robespierre and Josephine's release . .19 vii —— CONTENTS CHAPTER III [796-1797.—Calumnies of which Josephine was the victim. —Her poverty owing to the confiscation of General de Beauharnais' property.—Her journey to Hamburg with her children.—M. Mathiessen.—Josephine's return to Paris.—Hortense de Beauharnais confided to the care of Mme. Campan.—Eugene visits General Bonaparte. Josephine makes Bonaparte's acquaintance. — Her marriage with General Bonaparte.—His departure twelve days later for the Army of Italy.—Josephine's influence over her second husband . .29 CHAPTER IV Josephine becomes the object of general regard.—Her husband's exploits shed a reflected lustre on her. Bonaparte's letters to Josephine.—Josephine sets out for Italy at her husband's request.—Her flattering reception at Milan.—She takes up her residence at the Serbelloni palace.—More letters from Bonaparte to his wife. Josephine's return to France, after having visited Rome, Venice and . Genoa . .39 CHAPTER V Return of General and Mme. Bonaparte to Paris.—Honours paid to the conqueror of Austria.—Fdte given by Talleyrand.—Josephine's taste for luxury and dress. Her extravagance.—Her house in the Rue de la Victoire and her receptions.—Projected expedition to Egypt.—Napoleon leaves for Toulon on 3rd May 1798. —^Josephine disappointed at not accompanying her husband.—She goes to Plombi^res.—Meets with a serious accident.—Slanderous reports sent to Bonaparte with regard to his wife.—Painful scene between them on his return. Complete — reconciliation follows . 51 viii — CONTENTS CHAPTER VI 800. Josephine's Profound 1 799-1 — happy disposition. — devotion to Napoleon.—Bonaparte appointed First Consul after the coup d'etat of 1 8th Brumaire.—Residence first at the Luxemburg and then at the Tuileries. Details with regard to the Consular palace.—Mme. de Montesson.—Tact with which Josephine played the part of Consort to the Chief of the State.—Estab- lishment of a court on a modest scale.—Josephine's want of economy the subject of Bonaparte's remonstrances . 64 CHAPTER VII 1801-1802.—Peace of Lundville signed after the battles of ' Marengo and Hohenlinden.—Unsuccessful mission of Madame de Guiche to Josephine and the First Consul on behalf of Bourbon princes.—Attempted assassination of the Emperor.—An era of general peace seems to open after the treaty of Lun6ville.—Happy days at La Malmaison.—Josephine's partiality for Fouch^.—An accusation brought against Josephine in the Memorial is confuted by evidence drawn from Thibaudeau's Memoires. —Louis Bonaparte ; his marriage to Hortense de Beauharnais.—Peace of Amiens in May, i8oz.—Birth of Louis Bonaparte's eldest son.—Signing of the Concordat . -75 CHAPTER VIII Rupture of the peace of Amiens in 1803.—^Josephine's fears on account of her husband's and her own increasing greatness.—Journey of the First Consul and his wife into the Belgian provinces.—^Josephine's letter to Hortense.—Conspiracy of Georges C^doudal.—Camp at Boulogne ; preparations for the invasion of England. —Two letters from Josephine's private correspondence. —Conviction of the Cadoudal conspirators.—Arrest and execution of the Duke of Enghien.—Josephine's grief at the event ...... 87 ix —— CONTENTS PAOft CHAPTER IX 1 804.—Proclamation of the Empire.—The Senate proceeds to St. Cloud to greet the new Emperor and Empress. Speech of Cambacer^s.—Organisation of the Court and officers of State.—Dissensions in the imperial family previous to the coronation.—Arrival of Pope Pius VII in Paris.—Secret religious marriage of Josephine and Napoleon.—Imposing consecration and coronation ceremonies ...... 98 CHAPTER X Josephine receives congratulations and homage.—Honours conferred on her son Eugene.—New coalition against Napoleon.— 1805.—Napoleon takes the field.—His letters to Josephine.—Capitulation of Ulm.—Letter of Josephine to her daughter, and further letters to Napoleon.—^Josephine wishes to accompany her husband. Arrival of Napoleon at Vienna.—^Josephine's journey to Munich.—Victory of Austerlitz . 1 09 CHAPTER XI Residence of the Empress at Munich.—Napoleon's letters to her.—Peace of Pressburg.—Napoleon at Munich. Prince Eugene's marriage to the daughter of the King of Bavaria.—^Josephine's satisfaction, and her letter to Hortense.—Stephanie de Beauharnais marries the Prince of Baden.—Napoleon's brothers made kings.— 1806. Prussian Campaign.—Sundry correspondence.—^Jose- phine wishes to go to Berlin . .121 CHAPTER XII Josephine vexed at her long separation from Napoleon.—His letters reasoning with her.—First fears as to the possibility of a divorce.—Part played by Fouch6.—Death of Queen Hortense's eldest son.—Grief of Josephine.— 1807. Victories of Eylau and Friedland.—Peace of Tilsit. Napoleon's return.—The Empress' household.—Fouche's insolent behaviour and insinuations towards Josephine. —Napoleon at Milan.—He appoints Prince Eugene viceroy of Italy and nominates him successor to the throne of that country . .134 —— CONTENTS CHAPTER XIII 1808.—Napoleon's attention attracted by events in Spain. —Interview at Bayonne and stay at Marrac.—Empress Josephine accompanies Napoleon.—Queen Marie Louise of. Spain.—Return to St. Cloud to celebrate the 15 th August.—Interview with Russian Emperor at Erfurt. Napoleon's campaign in Spain.—Austria adopts a hostile attitude.—Preparations for war.—Josephine at Strasburg. —Napoleon wounded at Ratisbon.—Victory of Wagram. —Armistice, followed by conclusion of peace. Attempted assassination of Napoleon.—Renewed ideas of divorce ........ 149 CHAPTER XIV 1809.—Napoleon goes to Fontainebleau.—Preliminaries of divorce.—Prince Cambaceres opposes the scheme. Josephine's distress and perplexity.—Napoleon's inter- view with Lavalette.—On 30th November Napoleon announces his intentions to Josephine.—Details as described Bausset's memoirs . .162 CHAPTER XV Letter from Prince Eugene to Napoleon.—Arrival of several sovereigns in Paris.—-Banquet at the Tuileries.—Last appearance of Josephine in public.—Arrival of Prince Eugtee in Paris.—Napoleon's conversation with him. Letter of Josephine to Napoleon.—The Emperor's reply.—M. de Narbonne.—Annulment of the religious bond between Josephine and Napoleon.—The question of a Russian or Austrian alliance.—Josephine favours the latter 174 CHAPTER XVI Ceremony ofdivorce.—Speeches of Napoleon and Josephine at the moment of their separation.—Napoleon's dejection. —Distressing scene between him and Josephine during the evening.—The Emperor takes up his residence at Trianon.—Josephine leaves the Tuileries.—Last public tribute of the Senate to Josephine.—Napoleon visits her at Malmaison.—His frequent letters to Josephine. Her fears lest she may have to leave France.—Napoleon reassures her . .186 xi — CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER XVII 1 8 1 o.—-Josephine leaves for the chSteau ofNavarre.—Rumours spread in her neighbourhood about Napoleon and his new consort Marie Louise —Josephine's letters to the Emperor and his replies. —Napoleon's wish that she should be treated with the same ceremony as heretofore. —Josephine's letters to Queen Hortense.—She proceeds to Geneva.—Goes to Aix in Savoy, to take the waters. —Particulars of her residence there.—Her continual fear of being ordered to leave France and of being forgotten by the Emperor . .199 CHAPTER XVIII * 1 8 1 1 . —Works carried out by Josephine at Navarre.—Life led by her there.—The abbe of Saint-Albin. Monseigneur Bourlier, Bishop of Evreux.—Royal luxury.—Amusements and occupations of Josephine and her household.—Conversations at Navarre reported to the Emperor.—Composition of Josephine's court. New Year's Day at Navarre.—Queen Hortense with her mother.—Birth of the King of Rome announced to Josephine.—The Emperor's letter to her.—The Empress' liberality to the bearer of the message . 212 CHAPTER XIX 1 8 1 2.—Josephine's return to Malmaison.—The relic room. Cambacerds and MassJna.—Account of one of Napoleon's visits to Josephine.—M. de Bausset.—Madame de Montesquiou brings the King of Rome to Josephine at Bagatelle.—The Russian campaign.—Stay of Napoleon and Marie Louise at Dresden.—^Josephine stays with her daughter-in-law at Milan.—Her anxiety during the retreat from Russia.—Eugene charged with bringing back the army.—Two letters from Napoleon to Josephine during the summer of 1 8 3 1 ..... 225 xii — CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER XX 1 813-18 14.—French Campaign.—Prince Eugene defends Italy against the Austrians.—Napoleon's letter to Joseph Bonaparte.—^Josephine's letter to her son. The Allies approach Paris and Josephine takes refuge at Navarre.—Details of the flight.—Josephine's depression. —Occurrences at Fontainbleau and the Emperor's abdication.—The Allied Sovereigns desirous that Josephine should return to Malmaison.—A message from the Duke of Bassano informs Josephine of Napoleon's abdication.—^Josephine's despair.—She re- turns to Malmaison.—Eugene arrives there at the end of April.