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Napoleon and Women


Napoleon was pretty conventional about women. He was madly in love with Josephine when they married. He wrote her passionate letters when he was off on the Italian campaign.

As they got older, he realized that she could have no more children (she had had two by a previous marriage). He had a child by Mme. Walewska, thus he knew he was not sterile. He felt it was important to have a legitimate child in order to secure his dynasty. So, he divorced Josephine and married the young Marie Louis, who was the daughter of the Austrian Emperor (and ironically a near relation of Marie Antoinette). He had a son by her.

He is rumored to have had many amours.

His views on the female of the species were quite typical for his age. He idolized his mother; he was chivalrous and rather patriarchal in looking out for his sisters.

Legends regarding Napoleon's relationships with women abound. There is a story that Desire', one of his early loves - (She actually later married Bernadotte - one of his generals) convinced him to surrender after the disastrous 1813 campaign.

It is also thought by some historians that Napoleon's demise was brought about by the jelous husband of a woman he was dallying with on the Isle of St. Helena.

There is a delightful diary by a young girl called, "My Napoleon" that depicts Napoleon in his final days at St. Helena. This was by the daughter of the Englishman in whose house Napoleon lived out his exile.

Don't forget to visit my Napoleonic Bookstore.


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