Napoleon's FamilyNo family in history ascended the thrones of Europe so quickly - or were deposed so fast - as the Bonapartes. Like some mafia capo, Napoleon heaped honors and riches on his siblings, giving them the crowns of Spain, Naples, Tuscany, Rome, Holland and Westphalia. In Napoleon's Family Desmond Seward recounts the saga of this extraordinary clan of social-climbing Corsican emigres. Their back-biting and bickering for honors was incessant, often vicious if deplorably entertaining, a constant embarrassment to their august brother. They had small talent for government and even less for battles, saving all their energies for dissipation. One brother was a drunken wastrel, another a venal womanizer, a third a paranoid depressive. The sisters were notorious for their innumerable lovers - among whom were Metternich and the violinist Paganini - and the emperor himself called them whores. Napoleon's Family is more than a scandalous family chronicle, however. It offers a penetrating view of the inner Napoleon - a military genius who brought France to the height of glory, a farsighted ruler who initiated social and economic reforms, yet also a man who could not escape from his Corsican background and was unable to control worthless brothers and sisters. - Author's agent. |
From inside the book
69 pages matching marriage in this book
Page 209
Page 210
Page 214
Where's the rest of this book?
Results 1-3 of 69
Contents
Genealogical Table vivii | 1 |
In the time of the King my Uncle | 5 |
The Buonaparte Revolution | 14 |
Copyright | |
13 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Napoleon's Family: The Notorious Bonapartes and Their Ascent to the Thrones ... Desmond Seward No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
Ajaccio Allies ancien régime Austrian Bacciochi Barras Bernadotte Betsy Bonaparte clan Borghese Bourbons Brienne British brother brother-in-law campaign capital Carlo Caroline Catherine cavalry command Consul Corsican court crown daughter Désirée Désirée Clary despite Duke Elba Elisa Emperor Empire Empress enemy Eugène de Beauharnais father Fesch former Fouché France French French Empire gave Grand Duchess Hortense Hortense de Beauharnais Hôtel husband imperial Italian Italy Jacobin Jérôme Joachim Murat Joseph Joséphine Joséphine's July King Jérôme King Joachim King of Rome ladies Letizia letter lived Lucien Madame Mère March Maria Marie Louise marriage married Marshal Metternich Milan military million francs Minister mistress mother Murat Naples Napoleon Napoleon III Neapolitan Neipperg never nobility officers palace Paris Parma Pauline Prince Princess Queen refused retreat royal Russians sent sister soon Spain St Helena Talleyrand throne told took troops Tuileries Viceroy Vienna wanted Westphalia wife wrote Württemberg young