Hortense Beauharnais is a very famous person in French history. Being the stepdaughter of Napoleon Bonaparte himself, she managed to experience both the glory of his victories and the bitterness of defeats. The story of her life is a series of difficult trials and tragic twists of fate, which she proudly managed to overcome.
Hortensia de Beauharnais: a biography of early years
Hortensia was born in 1783 to the then-famous Viscount Alexandre de Beauharnais. However, the father did not recognize the daughter. He was sure that his wife Josephine was constantly cheating on him and this child could not be the fruit of their love. Therefore, he soon abandoned the family vow, leaving them to fend for themselves.
Fortunately, her mother knew how to stand up for herself, which allowed them to hold out until 1796. It was during this period that she met a young and ambitious general named Napoleon Bonaparte. They soon marry, and the new father happily adopts the children from his previous marriage.
Marriage of the new father's convenience
Coming of age, HortenseBeauharnais marries Napoleon's younger brother, Louis. Naturally, it was the father's idea. He needed such a step in order to strengthen his position among his relatives and prevent them from betraying themselves at the most crucial moment. The wedding itself took place on January 4, 1801.
It should be noted that this marriage was not a happy one. Even resigned to the will of their parents, the young couple could not love each other. Nevertheless, their union will bring three wonderful sons to the world. The smallest of them, Charles Louis Napoleon, would later become Napoleon III, the last emperor of France.
Happy days
In 1804, Hortense Beauharnais and her husband bought the Saint-Leu Palace. This estate for many years becomes their home, filled with joyful memories. It is here that a very young girl can safely raise children, arrange magnificent balls and enjoy quiet walks along well-groomed alleys.
Besides, two years after their move, Hortense's husband Louis becomes King of Holland. True, he was able to hold this title only for four years. The thing is that in 1810 this country was annexed by France. Naturally, after that, power in the country passes into the hands of those who were closer in spirit to the invaders. But even after that, Hortense Beauharnais will not leave her mansion. Only after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, she hastily leaves this country.
Recent years
After the final failure of his stepfather in the political arena, Hortense Beauharnais in a hurrylooking for a new home. In 1817 she settled in Switzerland, where she lived until 1831. At this moment, the saddest period of her life begins, as her son Napoleon Louis is killed during the Italian rebellion. After these tragic events, she briefly moved to England, but soon returned to Switzerland. Here she dies on October 5, 1837.
Historical appearance
What did Hortense Beauharnais look like? Naturally, there is no photo of this woman, since the first camera will appear only 20 years after her death. But to this day, the portrait of the girl, written by Francois Gerard, has been well preserved.
Based on it, we can safely judge that Hortense was not a beauty, but still had a very attractive appearance. In addition, her external data was more than offset by intelligence. After all, it was not in vain that Napoleon Bonaparte himself often liked to talk with her about life. In general, her historical image is very ambiguous: some describe her as a vicious lady, others constantly talk about her piety. Which of them is right? Alas, today this is more of a rhetorical question, since the answer to it has long since sunk into oblivion.
