Apple TV+ is set to release Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated film, “Napoleon,” in November. The historical drama features Joaquin Phoenix in the role of the iconic French leader, with Vanessa Kirby from “The Crown” portraying his first wife, Empress Joséphine. The recently released trailer for “Napoleon” gives audiences a glimpse of Kirby’s mesmerizing portrayal as Joséphine, displaying her charm, allure, and cunning as she seduces her future husband into a tumultuous marriage. As we await the film’s release this fall, let’s delve into the captivating life and legend of Empress Joséphine Bonaparte.
Joséphine Bonaparte, originally named Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie, was born and raised in Martinique, a French colony off the coast of South America. Hailing from a prosperous family, her parents owned a sugar cane plantation on the island. At the tender age of 16, Joséphine married French general Alexandre François Marie, the Viscount of Beauharnais. The couple had two children, a son named Eugène born in 1781, and two years later, a daughter named Hortense, who would later marry Napoleon’s brother. Tragically, Alexandre was executed during the Reign of Terror in 1794 due to his involvement with the French forces. Joséphine was briefly imprisoned alongside Alexandre but was released after the execution of Maximilien Robespierre.
The fateful meeting between Joséphine and Napoleon took place in 1795 at a society ball hosted by her lover at the time, politician Paul Barras. Their romance blossomed, leading to their marriage in 1796. Napoleon was six years younger than Joséphine. It was Napoleon who affectionately called her Joséphine, a name she adopted from then on. During the early years of their relationship, Napoleon penned a series of renowned love letters to Joséphine, although she rarely reciprocated. In 1796, while Napoleon was away on a military campaign, Joséphine engaged in an affair with a French lieutenant named Hippolyte Charles. Upon discovering this, Napoleon himself pursued an affair with Pauline Fourès, the wife of cavalryman Jean-Noel Fourès. These affairs not only caused strain between Napoleon and Joséphine but were compounded by their difficulties in conceiving an heir.
Joséphine had a notorious penchant for spending, much to the dissatisfaction of her husband. Her extravagant shopping sprees consisted mainly of clothing, shoes, and jewelry. She also dipped into Napoleon’s finances to renovate their residence, Château de Malmaison, along with its extravagant gardens that featured greenhouses and exotic animals such as kangaroos, monkeys, and zebras.
In 1804, Napoleon assumed the title of Emperor of France, elevating Joséphine to the position of empress. Despite their deteriorating marriage, Joséphine managed to postpone her husband’s desire for a divorce, even convincing him to remarry her in a second ceremony at Notre Dame shortly after his coronation. However, as it became evident that Joséphine would not bear him an heir, Napoleon sought a new bride. This, along with Joséphine’s extravagant spending, ultimately led to the dissolution of their relationship. The emperor annulled their marriage in January 1810 and married Marie Louise of Austria four months later. Despite their separation, Napoleon allowed Joséphine to retain her empress title. Tragically, Joséphine passed away from pneumonia at the age of 51 in 1814.
Empress Joséphine’s captivating story has been depicted in numerous films and television shows throughout the years. In the 1927 film “Napoleon,” Gina Manès portrayed the empress. Ruth Chatterton took on the role in the 1938 film “A Royal Divorce.” Additionally, Joséphine has appeared as a supporting character in other films about Napoleon’s life, such as “Désirée” (1954) and “Austerlitz” (1960). Jacqueline Bisset and Isabella Rossellini also portrayed the empress in separate miniseries titled “Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story” (1987) and “Napoleon” (2002), respectively.
