About
Empress of the French and first wife of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte from 1804-1810. She is commonly referred to as Joséphine de Beauharnais. Napoleon annulled their marriage when she failed to deliver him any children. She was a patron of art, working with sculptors, painters and interior decorators and becoming one of the leading collectors in her time. From 1805 to 1810 she also served as Queen of Italy.
Before Fame
Her older sister was originally set to marry Alexandre but upon her death at age 12, she replaced her. The marriage was unhappy and after a year of abandoning his family for a tryst, a court-ordered separation was issued. After the execution of her husband, she met Napoleon in 1795.
Trivia
Napoleon was the first to call her Joséphine, before which she went by Rose, or Marie-Rose. Napoleon wrote love letters to her, many of which still exist. She was six years older than Napoleon. When her inability to conceive became clear, Napoleon pursued an annulment. During their divorce ceremony, each read a statement of devotion to the other. Upon remarrying, he remarked that it was "a womb I am marrying," and insisted Josephine retain the title of Empress. She died of pneumonia in 1814 after allegedly begging Alexander I of Russia to join Napoleon in his exile.
Family Life
She was born to a wealthy French family who struggled financially after hurricanes destroyed their estate in 1766. Her first husband, Alexandre de Beauharnais, was guillotined during the Reign of Terror. They had two children. Their daughter, Hortense de Beauharnais, ended up marrying Napoleon's brother Louis Bonaparte in 1802. Her eldest granddaughter was Joséphine of Leuchtenberg, Queen Consort of Sweden and Norway.
Associated With
Her grandson, Napoleon III, became Emperor of the French.
