Napoleon I of France

Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution, and the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from 11 November 1799 to 18 May 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français) and King of Italy under the name Napoleon I from 18 May 1804 to 6 April 1814, and again briefly from 20 March to 22 June 1815.

Marriages and children

Napoleon was twice married:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Firstly, on 9 March 1796 to Joséphine de Beauharnais. He later crowned her as Empress Joséphine. She produced no heirs for him, leading to a divorce.
• Secondly, on 11 March 1810 (by proxy) to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria, who became his second empress. They had one child.
• Napoléon Francis Joseph Charles Bonaparte (March 20, 1811- July 22, 1832), King of Rome. He is known as Napoléon II of France although he never ruled. In his later life he was known as the Duke of Reichstadt.

He acknowledged at least two illegitimate children, both of whom had descendants:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Charles, Count Léon, (1806 - 1881), son by Louise Catherine Eléonore Denuelle de la Plaigne (1787 - 1868).
• Alexandre Joseph Colonna, Count Walewski, (May 4, 1810 - October 27, 1868), son of Marie, Countess Walewski (1789 - 1817).

Other information points to his having had further illegitimate children:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Émilie Louise Marie Françoise Joséphine Pellapra, daughter by Françoise-Marie LeRoy.
• Karl Eugin von Mühlfeld, son by Victoria Kraus.
• Hélène Napoleone Bonaparte, daughter by Countess Montholon.
• Barthélemy St Hilaire (August 19, 1805 - November 24, 1895) whose mother remains unknown.

Napoleon also formally adopted his stepson Eugène de Beauharnais and Joséphine's cousin, Stéphanie de Beauharnais, after assuming the Imperial throne, in order to arrange "dynastic" marriages for them.

Related Topics:
Eugène de Beauharnais - Stéphanie de Beauharnais

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~