Chapter I: Front Matter

Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
file which includes the original illustrations.
See 59322-h.htm or 59322-h.zip:
(https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/59322/pg59322-images.html)
or
(https://www.gutenberg.org/files/59322/59322-h.zip)

Images of the original pages are available through
Internet Archive. See
https://archive.org/details/alifeofnapoleon00tarbmiss

Transcriber’s note:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

A caret character is used to denote superscription.
Multiple superscripted characters are enclosed by curly
brackets (example: 1^{ER}).

LIFE OF NAPOLEON

BONAPARTE AT TWENTY-TWO YEARS OF AGE

After a portrait by Greuze.]

A LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

With a Sketch of JOSEPHINE, Empress of the French. Illustrated from the collection of NAPOLEON Engravings made by the late Hon. G. G. Hubbard, and now owned by the Congressional Library, Washington, D. C., supplemented by Pictures from the best French Collections....

by

IDA M. TARBELL

New York McClure, Phillips & Co. M. CM. V.

Copyright, 1894, by S. S. McClure, Limited

Copyright, 1895, by S. S. McClure, Limited

Copyright, 1896, by The S. S. McClure Co.

Copyright, 1901, by McClure, Phillips & Co.

First Impression February, 1901 Second Impression April, 1901 Third Impression May, 1903 Fourth Impression Sept., 1905.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTENTS

THE LIFE OF NAPOLEON:

CHAPTER PAGE

I. YOUTH AND EARLY SURROUNDINGS.—SCHOOL DAYS AT BRIENNE 17

II. IN PARIS.—LIEUTENANT OF ARTILLERY.—LITERARY WORK.—THE
REVOLUTION 27

III. ROBESPIERRE.—OUT OF WORK.—FIRST SUCCESS 43

IV. COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.—DEVOTION TO JOSEPHINE 53

V. ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.—RULES OF WAR 61

VI. RETURN TO PARIS.—EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN.—THE 18TH BRUMAIRE 89

VII. STATESMAN AND LAWGIVER.—THE FINANCES.—THE INDUSTRIES.—THE
PUBLIC WORKS 105

VIII. RETURN OF THE ÉMIGRÉS.—THE CONCORDAT.—LEGION OF
HONOR.—CODE NAPOLEON 119

IX. OPPOSITION TO THE CENTRALIZATION OF THE
GOVERNMENT.—PROSPERITY OF FRANCE 133

X. PREPARATIONS FOR WAR WITH ENGLAND.—FLOTILLA AT
BOULOGNE.—SALE OF LOUISIANA 143

XI. EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH PEOPLE.—KING OF ITALY 151

XII. CAMPAIGNS OF 1805, 1806, 1807.—PEACE OF TILSIT 163

XIII. EXTENSION OF NAPOLEON’S EMPIRE.—FAMILY AFFAIRS 179

XIV. BERLIN DECREE.—PENINSULAR WAR.—THE BONAPARTES ON THE
SPANISH THRONE 191

XV. DISASTERS IN SPAIN.—ERFURT MEETING.—NAPOLEON AT MADRID 199

XVI. TALLEYRAND’S TREACHERY.—CAMPAIGN OF 1809 211

XVII. DIVORCE OF JOSEPHINE.—MARRIAGE WITH MARIE LOUISE.—BIRTH OF
THE KING OF ROME. 221

XVIII. TROUBLE WITH THE POPE.—THE CONSCRIPTION.—THE TILSIT
AGREEMENT BROKEN 229

XIX. RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN.—BURNING OF MOSCOW.—A NEW ARMY 241

XX. CAMPAIGN OF 1813.—CAMPAIGN OF 1814.—ABDICATION 253

XXI. ELBA.—THE HUNDRED DAYS.—THE SECOND ABDICATION 265

XXII. SURRENDER TO ENGLISH.—ST. HELENA.—DEATH 279

XXIII. THE SECOND FUNERAL 295

SKETCH OF JOSEPHINE—EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH:

I. FAMILY.—EARLY SURROUNDINGS.—ALEXANDER DE
BEAUHARNAIS.—MARRIAGE.—SEPARATION FROM HUSBAND 325

II. JOSEPHINE IN THE REVOLUTION.—IMPRISONED AT LES
CARMES.—STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE.—MARRIAGE WITH BONAPARTE 334

III. BONAPARTE GOES TO ITALY.—JOSEPHINE AT MILAN
1796–1797.—TRIUMPHAL TOUR IN ITALY.—BONAPARTE LEAVES FOR
EGYPT 346

IV. BONAPARTE IS MADE FIRST CONSUL.—JOSEPHINE’S TACT IN PUBLIC
LIFE.—HER PERSONAL CHARM.—MALMAISON 360

V. THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION.—MARRIAGE OF
HORTENSE.—JOSEPHINE EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH PEOPLE.—THE
CORONATION 371

VI. ETIQUETTE REGULATING JOSEPHINE’S LIFE.—ROYAL
JOURNEYS.—EXTRAVAGANCE IN DRESS 386

VII. JOSEPHINE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO POLAND.—FEAR OF
DIVORCE.—THE RECONCILIATION OF 1807–1808.—THE CAMPAIGN
OF 1809 AND ITS EFFECT ON NAPOLEON 399

VIII. NAPOLEON RETURNS TO FRANCE.—JOSEPHINE’S
UNHAPPINESS.—NAPOLEON’S VIEW OF A DIVORCE.—THE WAY IN
WHICH THE DIVORCE WAS EFFECTED 413

IX. AFTER THE DIVORCE.—NAVARRE.—JOSEPHINE’S SUSPICIONS OF THE
EMPEROR.—HER GRADUAL RETURN TO HAPPINESS 423

X. EFFECT ON JOSEPHINE OF DISASTERS IN RUSSIA.—ANXIETY DURING
CAMPAIGN OF 1813.—FLIGHT FROM PARIS.—DEATH IN 1814 440

HANDWRITING OF NAPOLEON AT DIFFERENT PERIODS 453

TABLE OF THE BONAPARTE FAMILY 464

CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE 469

INDEX 477