Hortense Boharne: the memorable life of the stepdaughter of Napoleon

Hortense Beauharnais is a very famous person in French history. As the stepdaughter of Napoleon Bonaparte herself, she was able to experience the glory of his victories, as well as the bitterness of defeat. The story of her life is a series of severe trials and tragic twists of fate that she was able to surpass with pride.

Hortense Boharne: biography of the early years

Hortensia was born in 1783 in the family of the famous Viscount Alexander de Beauharnais. However, the father did not recognize his 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 the mercy of fate.

Fortunately, her mother knew how to stand up for herself, which allowed them to survive until 1796. It was during this period that she became acquainted with a young and ambitious general named Napoleon Bonaparte. Soon they marry, and the new father gladly adopts the children from the previous marriage.

Marriage for the calculation of a new father

Having reached adulthood, Hortense Borgarne marries the younger brother of Napoleon - Louis. Naturally, it was the idea of the father. Such a step was necessary to him, in order to strengthen his position among relatives and prevent them from betraying themselves at the most crucial moment. The very same wedding took place on January 4, 1801.

It should be noted that this marriage was not happy. Even reconciled with the will of the parents, the young couple could not love each other. Yet their union will bring the world three wonderful sons. The smallest of them, Charles Ludovic Napoleon, will later become Napoleon III - the last emperor of France.

Happy Days

In 1804, Hortense Boharne with her husband buys the palace of Saint-Le. This estate for many years becomes their home, filled with joyful memories. It is here that a very young girl can calmly raise children, arrange lavish balls and enjoy quiet walks along the well-groomed alleys.

In addition, two years after their move, Hortensia's husband, Louis became King of Holland. True, he was able to retain this title only for four years. The thing is that in 1810 this country is subject to the annexation of 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 Boharne will not leave her mansion. Only after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, she hastily left this country.

Last years

After the final failure of his stepfather in the political arena, Hortense Godarne is in a hurry to find a new home. In 1817, she settled in Switzerland, where she lived until 1831. At this moment, the most sad 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 again returned to Switzerland. Here she dies on October 5, 1837.

Historical appearance

How did Hortense look like to Bogarne? The photo of this woman, of course, is not, since the first camera will appear only 20 years after her death. But to this day there is a well-preserved portrait of the girl, written by François Gérard.

Based on it, you can safely judge that Hortense was not beautiful, but still had a very attractive appearance. In addition, her external data was more than offset by the intellect. It is not for nothing that Napoleon Bonaparte himself often liked to talk with her about life. In general, its historical image is very ambiguous: some describe it as a vicious lady, others constantly repeat her piety. Which of them is right? Alas, today it is rather a rhetorical question, since the answer to it has long since sunk into oblivion.