Empress Josephine: An Historical Sketch of the Days of Napoleon

The book begins with Josephine's childhood in Martinique where she was born in 1763. She married Alexandre de Beauharnais in 1779 but he was executed during the Reign of Terror in 1794. Josephine was imprisoned for a time but she was eventually released.In 1795 Josephine met Napoleon Bonaparte. They were married the following year and Josephine became a valuable asset to her husband's career. She was charming and fashionable and she helped Napoleon to socialize with the wealthy and influential.When Napoleon became First Consul of France in 1799 Josephine became the First Lady. She presided over a brilliant court at the Tuileries Palace. She was also a patron of the arts and sciences.In 1804 Napoleon was crowned Emperor of France and Josephine became Empress. She played an important role in the imperial court and she accompanied Napoleon on many of his military campaigns.However Josephine was unable to give Napoleon a male heir. This was a major source of tension in their marriage. In 1809 Napoleon decided to divorce Josephine and marry Marie Louise of Austria.The divorce was a devastating blow to Josephine but she retained Napoleon's affection and respect. She lived in retirement at her Château de Malmaison until her death in 1814.