Chapter I: Foreword

In the popular estimation the Empress Joséphine is crowned with a halo of goodness which makes the task of her biographer one of peculiar difficulty. The aversion which many feel towards Napoleon is not a little due to what they conceive to be the cruelty with which he treated the woman who for fourteen years was the companion of his glory. The writer of this book holds no brief either for the prosecution or the defence. He wants to draw a portrait--not to pronounce a judgment: his object is to depict Joséphine as she was, and he leaves the reader to decide as to her goodness.

WALTER GEER

NEW YORK, October, 1924.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

1763–1779

EARLY YEARS OF JOSÉPHINE

PAGE

The Island of Martinique--The Tascher Family--François
de Beauharnais--Madame Renaudin--Birth of Alexandre de
Beauharnais--Birth of Joséphine--A Confusion of Dates--M.
Beauharnais in France--Death of His Wife--Misfortunes of
the Taschers--Childhood of Joséphine--Her Education--Her
Appearance and Character--Alexandre de Beauharnais--His
Early Years--His Education--Madame Renaudin’s Interest in
Him 3

CHAPTER TWO

1779–1790

MARRIAGE AND SEPARATION

Alexandre de Beauharnais Enters the Army--Madame
Renaudin Plans for His Marriage--The Marquis Writes
M. de la Pagerie--Joséphine Takes Her Sister’s
Place--She Arrives in France--The Contract Signed--The
Marriage--Life in Paris--Birth of Eugène--Alexandre
Sails for Martinique--Birth of Hortense--Alexandre
Repudiates Joséphine--He Returns to France--Refuses a
Reconciliation--A Separation Arranged--Joséphine’s Sojourn
at the Panthémont--Residence at Fontainebleau--Voyage to
Martinique 14

CHAPTER THREE

1789–1794

THE REVOLUTION

Beauharnais Elected to the States-General--Joséphine
Returns from Martinique--Alexandre, President of the
Assembly--Flight of the Royal Family--End of the
Constituent Assembly--Alexandre Rejoins the Army--Promoted
and Made Commander of the Army of the Rhine--His
Disgraceful Failure--His Resignation Accepted--Joséphine at
Paris and Croissy--Alexandre at Blois--Both Arrested and
Confined in the Carmes--Execution of Alexandre 27

CHAPTER FOUR

1794–1795

AFTER THE TERROR

Paris During the Terror--The Fall of Robespierre--Joy
of the Prisoners--Joséphine Set Free--Her Behavior in
Prison--She Returns to Croissy--Her Relations with
Hoche--Her Financial Difficulties--Her Banker, Emmery--Her
Love of Luxury--Her Intimacy with Madame Tallien--Their
Similar Tastes--Thérésia Abandons Tallien--Joséphine’s New
Home--She Places Her Children in School--Paul Barras--His
Political Prominence--His Liaison with Joséphine--His Court
at the Luxembourg 36

CHAPTER FIVE

1796

THE CITIZENESS BONAPARTE

The 13 Vendémiaire--The Parisians Disarmed--Eugène Reclaims
His Father’s Sword--Joséphine Meets General Bonaparte--Her
Appearance at That Time--She Writes the General--One of
His Love Letters--He Decides on Marriage--Joséphine’s
Hesitation--Her Final Consent--The Contract--The Civil
Ceremony--Bonaparte Leaves for Italy 48

CHAPTER SIX

1796

THE VICTORY FESTIVALS

Bonaparte en Route for Italy--His First Letter to
Joséphine--Her Indifference--His Second Letter--Brilliant
Opening of the Campaign--Bonaparte’s Proclamation--He
Writes Joséphine to Rejoin Him--Presentation of the Battle
Flags--Description of Joséphine’s Appearance--Victory of
Lodi--The Fête Given by the Directory 55

CHAPTER SEVEN

1796–1797

JOSÉPHINE IN ITALY

Bonaparte Enters Milan--Joséphine’s Life at Paris--She
Finally Starts for Italy--Her Regret in Leaving--Arrival
at Milan--The Palace Serbelloni--Her Ennui--Letter to
Madame Renaudin--Her Delayed Honeymoon--End of the
Campaign--Napoleon’s Letters--The Court of Montebello--The
Bonaparte Family Reunion--Joséphine’s Aid to Napoleon’s
Policy--The Peace of Campo-Formio--Bonaparte Leaves for
Rastadt--His Return to Paris 62

CHAPTER EIGHT

1798–1799

THE PURCHASE OF MALMAISON

Joséphine Returns to Paris--The Talleyrand Fête--Purchase
of the Hôtel Chantereine--Bonaparte’s Tour of
Inspection--His Sudden Return--Napoleon’s Fortune--He
Leaves for Toulon--The Fleet Sails--Joséphine at
Plombières--She Buys Malmaison--Fortunes of the
Bonapartes--Joséphine’s Indiscretions--Napoleon Hears the
Reports--His Liaison with Madame Fourès 72

CHAPTER NINE

1799

THE RETURN OF BONAPARTE

Bonaparte Leaves Egypt--He Lands in France--Joséphine Fails
to Meet Him--Their Reconciliation--His Generous Pardon--He
Pays Her Debts--Her Rôle in the Coup d’État--She Invites
Gohier to Déjeuner--The Two Days of Brumaire--Bonaparte,
First Consul--They Move to the Luxembourg 82

CHAPTER TEN

1800

THE CONSULAR COURT

The Luxembourg--Important Rôle of Joséphine--Her Devotion
to Napoleon--Secret of Her Power--Her Royalism--Assistance
to the Émigrés--Importance to Napoleon’s Policy--Marriage
of Caroline and Murat--The Tuileries--Life There--The New
Society--Visits to Malmaison--The Château--Napoleon at His
Best 88

CHAPTER ELEVEN

1800

THE QUESTION OF HEREDITY

The Season of 1800 at Paris--Problems of the First
Consul--Success of His Administration--His Reception
after Marengo--The “Conspiracy of Marengo”--Part Taken by
Lucien and Joseph--The Meeting at Auteuil--Alliance of
Fouché and Talleyrand--Joseph in Italy--Napoleon Answers
the Pretender--Decision to Amend the Constitution--Alarm
of Joséphine--The “Parallel”--Disgrace of Lucien--Louis
Chosen--Joséphine’s Plan 96

CHAPTER TWELVE

1800–1802

MARRIAGE OF HORTENSE

Louis Bonaparte--His Early Years--Change in His
Character--His Life at Paris--He Avoids Marriage--Hortense
de Beauharnais--Her Appearance and Character--Love
of Her Mother--Pride in Her Father--Early Dislike of
Bonaparte--Fancy for Duroc--The Infernal Machine--Narrow
Escape of Napoleon and Joséphine--Public Demand for an
Heir--Joséphine’s Dismay--Louis Goes to Spain--Joséphine’s
Visit to Plombières--Return of Louis--His Marriage to
Hortense 104

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

1802–1803

THE CONSULATE FOR LIFE

Bonaparte Made Consul for Life--He Takes Possession
of Saint-Cloud--His Apartment in the Château--Court
Etiquette Established--Trip to Normandie--Joséphine at
Forty--Her Life at Saint-Cloud--A Scene of Jealousy at the
Tuileries--Marriage of Pauline and Borghèse--Unfortunate
Connection of Lucien--Jérôme Marries Miss Patterson 114

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

1803–1804

THE ROYALIST PLOTS

Rupture of the Peace of Amiens--The Celebrated Scene
with the English Ambassador--The Visit to Belgium--An
Unfortunate Episode at Mortefontaine--First Suggestions
of the Empire--Magnificent Reception at Brussels--The
Royalist Conspiracies--Cadoudal and Pichegru Reach
Paris--Joséphine’s Pacific Counsels--Petty Vanity of Madame
Moreau--Her Husband’s Jealousy of Bonaparte--Arrest, Trial
and Exile of Moreau--Deaths of Pichegru and Cadoudal--The
Execution of the Duc d’Enghien 125

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

1804

EMPRESS OF THE FRENCH

The Empire Proclaimed--The Ceremony at
Saint-Cloud--Joséphine Hailed as Empress--Dissatisfaction
of the Bonapartes--Chagrin of Caroline--Napoleon
Yields--Joséphine’s Attitude--Eugène de Beauharnais--The
Fête of the 14 July--Visit to the Banks of the Rhine--A
Letter from Napoleon--The Court at Mayence--Return to
Saint-Cloud 139

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

1804–1805

THE CORONATION

Cardinal Fesch Sent to Rome--The Pope Consents to Go to
Paris--Astonishment of Madame Mère--Joséphine’s Triumph
Over the Bonapartes--Preparations for the Ceremony--The
Pope Arrives at Fontainebleau--Joséphine’s Confession--The
Excitement at Paris--Isabey’s Ingenious Idea--Religious
Marriage of Napoleon and Joséphine--The Procession to the
Cathedral--The Ceremony at Notre-Dame--Joséphine Crowned
by the Emperor--Her Joy--A Series of Fêtes--Baptism of
Napoleon-Louis 148

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

1804–1809

DAILY LIFE OF THE EMPRESS

Joséphine’s Places of Residence--Her Apartments at
the Tuileries--Her Frequent Alterations--Her Rooms
at Saint-Cloud--Her Daily Routine--Her Personal
Attendants--Her Toilette--Her Lingerie and Robes--Her
Lavish Expenditures--Her Debts Paid by the Emperor--Her
Life at the Tuileries 158

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

1805

ITALY AND STRASBOURG

The Journey to Italy--Grand Review at Marengo--Napoleon’s
Reconciliation with Jérôme--The Coronation at
Milan--The Emperor’s Satisfaction--Eugène, Viceroy
of Italy--Joséphine’s Grief--Napoleon’s Attachment
to His Wife--The Fêtes at Genoa--Hurried Return to
France--Joséphine at Plombières--The Austerlitz
Campaign--Joséphine’s Sojourn at Strasbourg--Her Life
There--Napoleon’s Letters During the Campaign 169

CHAPTER NINETEEN

1805–1806

MARRIAGE OF EUGENE

Joséphine Leaves Strasbourg for Munich--Napoleon’s
Letters from Austerlitz--Joséphine’s Selfishness--The
Emperor Arrives at Munich--He Plans Three Family
Alliances--Princesse Augusta of Bavaria--Prince Charles
of Baden--Opposition to the Emperor’s Projects--Duroc
Presents the Official Demand--The Elector Finally Obtains
His Daughter’s Consent--Napoleon Summons Eugène--The Young
Couple--The Marriage--Its Success--Napoleon’s Reception
at Paris--Marriage of Prince Charles and Stéphanie de
Beauharnais 183

CHAPTER TWENTY

1806

QUEEN HORTENSE

Louis Proclaimed King of Holland--Hortense’s Unhappy
Married Life--Birth of Napoleon-Charles--Louis Buys
Saint-Leu--Birth of Napoleon-Louis--Louis and Hortense
at The Hague--Joséphine at Mayence--The Campaign of
Jena--Napoleon’s Letters--The Emperor at Berlin--The
Hatzfeld Episode--Prussia Overwhelmed--The Emperor in
Poland--He Refuses to Allow Joséphine to Join Him--Battle
of Pultusk 198

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

1807

MADAME WALEWSKA

Napoleon’s First Meeting with Marie Walewska--Beginning of
Their Long Liaison--The Emperor Orders Joséphine to Return
to Paris--The Terrible Battle of Eylau--Napoleon Tries to
Minimize His Losses--Headquarters at Osterode--Napoleon’s
Letter to Joseph--His Brief Letters to Joséphine--The
Empress Returns to Paris--Her Cordial Welcome--Her
Loneliness--Birth of Her First Granddaughter--Napoleon
Moves to Finckenstein--He Is Joined by Madame Walewska--The
Emperor Dictates Regarding Joséphine’s Friends 213

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

1807

DEATH OF NAPOLEON-CHARLES

Birth of Napoleon’s First Child--Death of the Crown-Prince
of Holland--Grief of Hortense--Joséphine Goes to
Laeken--She is Joined There by Hortense--Napoleon’s
Letters to His Wife and Daughter--His Apparent
Indifference--Joséphine Writes to Hortense--The Emperor’s
Letters after Friedland--The Peace Conferences at
Tilsit--Napoleon Declines the Queen’s Rose--His Return to
Paris 225

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

1807

THE COURT AT FONTAINEBLEAU

Talleyrand Appointed Vice-Grand-Électeur--Fête of the
Emperor--Marriage of Jérôme and Catherine--Return
of Louis and Hortense--New Quarrels--Louis Departs
Alone for Holland--Napoleon’s Power--The Court Goes to
Fontainebleau--Napoleon at Thirty-eight--The Emperor’s
Program of Entertainment--Life of Joséphine--Ennui of
the Emperor and His Guests--The Gazzani Affair--Jérôme’s
Flirtation with Stéphanie--Illness of Hortense--She Refuses
Any Reconciliation with Louis 237

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

1807

PROJECTS OF DIVORCE

The Question of Divorce First Seriously
Considered--Napoleon Asks Joséphine to Take the
Initiative--She Refuses--Fouché’s Letter to the
Empress--Napoleon Pretends Ignorance--He Writes Fouché to
Cease Meddling--Talleyrand’s Attitude--Fouché Influences
Public Opinion--End of the Fêtes--Death of Joséphine’s
Mother--Napoleon’s Trip to Italy--His Interview with
Lucien--He Adopts Eugène--His Letters to Joséphine 249

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

1808

THE EMPRESS AT BAYONNE

Joséphine’s Fear of Divorce--Irresolution of the Emperor--A
Remarkable Episode--Marriage of Mlle, de Tascher--The
Spanish Crisis--Abdication of King Charles--Murat Enters
Madrid--The Emperor Goes to Bayonne--His Sojourn at
Marrac--Letters to the Empress at Bordeaux--Birth of
Louis-Napoleon--Joy of Napoleon and Joséphine--Charles
Cedes the Spanish Crown--Joseph Appointed King--The Baylen
Disaster--Return of the Emperor and Empress 261

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

1808–1809

A YEAR OF ANXIETY

The Erfurt Conference--Joséphine Left at Paris--Napoleon
Opens His Heart to Alexander--Talleyrand Instructed to
Begin Negotiations for an Alliance--Napoleon’s Letters
to Joséphine--He Leaves for Spain--The Peninsula
Campaign--Pursuit of the English--Bad News from Paris--The
Emperor’s Correspondence--His Return to Paris--Scene
at the Tuileries--The Succession Plot--Joséphine’s
Revelations--She Accompanies Napoleon to Strasbourg--The
Emperor Wounded at Ratisbon--His Letters During the
Campaign--End of the War--Napoleon Leaves for Fontainebleau 271

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

1809

RETURN OF THE EMPEROR

Napoleon Arrives at Fontainebleau--He Informs Cambacérès of
the Coming Divorce--His Cold Reception of Joséphine--She
Finds the Door of Communication Closed--Hesitation of the
Emperor--Joséphine at Forty-six--Napoleon Breaks the Fatal
News--The Scene of the 30 November--A Comic Episode--The
Verdict of History--Napoleon’s Sincere Regret--His
Interview with Hortense--The Final Fêtes--An Unfortunate
_Contretemps_ at Grosbois 285

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

1809

THE DIVORCE

Eugène Reaches Paris--His Difficult Position--He Arranges
a Final Conference--Refuses the Crown of Italy--The
Family Council at the Tuileries--Address of the
Emperor--Joséphine’s Touching Reply--Eugene’s Address to
the Senate--Napoleon Leaves for the Trianon--Joséphine’s
Departure from the Tuileries--Annulment of the Religious
Marriage--The Legend of Joséphine 296

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

1809–1810

JOSEPHINE AT MALMAISON

Dowry of the Empress--Napoleon’s Liberality--Her Debts
Paid--The First Days at Malmaison--Napoleon’s Visits
and Letters--Christmas Dinner at Trianon--Joséphine
Tires of the Country--Her Interest in the Austrian
Marriage--Napoleon Arranges for Her Return to Paris--Her
Arrival at the Élysée Palace 306

CHAPTER THIRTY

1810

THE CHATEAU OF NAVARRE

Napoleon’s Preference for a Russian Alliance--The Matter
Discussed in Conference--The Archduchess Marie-Louise
Favored--The Marriage Arranged--The New Empress Arrives
at Paris--Joséphine Goes to Malmaison--The Emperor Gives
Her Navarre--She Takes Possession of the Château--Its
Dilapidated Condition--Joséphine’s Letter to Hortense--The
Empress Worried Over the Paris Gossip--Her Letter to
Napoleon and His Reply--The Emperor Agrees to All Her
Plans--Joséphine Returns to Malmaison 319

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

1810

AIX-LES-BAINS AND GENEVA

Joséphine’s Court at Malmaison--Her Anxiety About
Hortense--A Call from the Emperor--Joséphine Goes to
Aix-les-Bains--Her Life There--A Visit from Eugène--The
Emperor Announces the Abdication of Louis--Joséphine’s
Narrow Escape from Death--Arrival of Hortense--Joséphine’s
Tour of Switzerland--She Is Upset by the Reports Regarding
Marie-Louise--Advice of Madame de Rémusat--Joséphine’s
Return 331

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

1811–1812

NAVARRE, MALMAISON AND MILAN

The Monotonous Life at Navarre--Joséphine’s Health
Improved--Visits from Hortense and Eugène--Joséphine’s
Fête-Day--News of the Birth of the King of Rome--Napoleon
Again Pays Her Debts--She Plans for a New Château at
Malmaison--Napoleon Exchanges Laeken for the Élysée--A
Winter at Malmaison--Visit to Milan--Sojourns at
Aix-les-Bains and Prégny 342

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

1813–1814

THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE

The Malet Conspiracy--What It Revealed--Joséphine’s
Anxiety--Return of the Emperor--Joséphine and the King
of Rome--Eugène Commands the Grand Army--Napoleon’s
Errors in 1813--Hortense at Aix--Her Sons at
Malmaison--Recollections of Napoleon the Third--A Doting
Grandmother--Death of Mme. de Broc--Louis Returns to
France--Eugène’s Fidelity--Napoleon’s Suspicions--He Asks
Joséphine to Write Her Son--Her Despair--She Leaves for
Navarre 353

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

1814

THE LAST DAYS AT MALMAISON

Joséphine at Navarre--Arrival of Hortense--The Emperor
at Fontainebleau--The Treaty of the 11 April--Provisions
for the Family--Joséphine Returns to Malmaison--Hortense
Arrives--The Czar Calls--Eugène Leaves Italy--He Is
Called to Paris--Hortense, Duchesse de Saint-Leu--Eugène
Received by the King--Joséphine’s Fears--Her Final Illness
and Death--How Napoleon Received the News--His Visit to
Malmaison 364