Joséphine

Joséphine (1763-1814) was French empress, wife of Napoleon I. She was born in Martinique in 1763, came to France at the age of 15, was in 1779 married to Viscount Beauharnais, who was one of the victims of the Revolution, and to whom she bore a daughter, Hortense, the mother of Napoleon III. She was married in 1796 to Napoleon Bonaparte, to whom she proved a devoted wife as well as a wise counsellor. She was with Napoleon during his Italian campaign but returned soon and became a social leader.

She became empress of France in 1804, but failing to bear him any children, was divorced in 1809, though she still corresponded with Napoleon and retained the title of Empress to the last, living at Malmaison, where she died in 1814.

Wisdom & Quotes

• Trust to me, ladies, and do not envy a splendour which does not constitute happiness.

Li Ju-chen