The story of Napoleon Bonaparte's stepdaughter-and mother of Emperor Napoleon III-is as interesting as those of her more well-known family members, as revealed in this penetrating study by master storyteller John S. C. Abbott. Written while many of the personalities discussed in the book were still alive, this work tells of the life and times of Hortense Eugénie Cécile de Beauharnais, who was the daughter of Napoleon I's wife from her first marriage. Her father was executed during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, and her mother was only saved from the guillotine by Napoleon's intervention after his election as consul. As her stepfather became ever more powerful, Hortense was persuaded to marry Napoleon's brother, Louis-who in turn was appointed King of Holland. Hortense subsequently took up the position of Queen of Holland during her stepfather's four years of greatest power from 1806 to 1810. Her marriage was an unhappy affair and after she was allowed to leave Holland, she never lived with her husband again. Her family distress was multiplied by her mother's divorce from Napoleon I, and his later downfall which plunged the entire family into great danger. Hortense received the protection of Alexander I of Russia after the restoration of the Bourbon King Louis XVIII, but her open support for her former stepfather-still her brother-in-law-Napoleon, during his "Hundred Days" return to power after his exile in Elba, led to her banishment from France after his final defeat at Waterloo. Hortense traveled in Germany and Italy before purchasing the Château of Arenemberg in the Swiss canton of Thurgau in 1817, where she lived in exile until her death in 1837, aged fifty-four. Her son, Charles Louis, would later gain fame as France's Emperor Napoleon III. This work forms part of John S. C. Abbott's complete series on the Napoleonic era, and is a worthy companion to his related works on that time period.

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The story of Napoleon Bonaparte's stepdaughter-and mother of Emperor Napoleon III-is as interesting as those of her more well-known family members, as revealed in this penetrating study by master storyteller John S. C. Abbott. Written while many of the personalities discussed in the book were still alive, this work tells of the life and times of Hortense Eugénie Cécile de Beauharnais, who was the daughter of Napoleon I's wife from her first marriage. Her father was executed during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, and her mother was only saved from the guillotine by Napoleon's intervention after his election as consul. As her stepfather became ever more powerful, Hortense was persuaded to marry Napoleon's brother, Louis-who in turn was appointed King of Holland. Hortense subsequently took up the position of Queen of Holland during her stepfather's four years of greatest power from 1806 to 1810.Her marriage was an unhappy affair and after she was allowed to leave Holland, she never lived with her husband again. Her family distress was multiplied by her mother's divorce from Napoleon I, and his later downfall which plunged the entire family into great danger. Hortense received the protection of Alexander I of Russia after the restoration of the Bourbon King Louis XVIII, but her open support for her former stepfather-still her brother-in-law-Napoleon during his "Hundred Days" return to power after his exile in Elba, led to her banishment from France after his final defeat at Waterloo. Hortense traveled in Germany and Italy before purchasing the Château of Arenemberg in the Swiss canton of Thurgau in 1817, where she lived in exile until her death in 1837, aged fifty-four. Her son, Charles Louis, would later gain fame as France's Emperor Napoleon III. This work forms part of John S. C. Abbott's complete series on the Napoleonic era, and is a worthy companion to his related works on that time period. Contents Preface Chapter I: Parentage and Birth Chapter II: The Marriage of Josephine and General Bonaparte Chapter III: Hortense and Duroc Chapter IV: The Marriage of Hortense Chapter V: Birth of Louis Napoleon and the Divorce of Josephine Chapter VI: The Death of Josephine Chapter VII: The Sorrows of Exile Chapter VIII: Peaceful Days, yet Sad Chapter IX: Life at Arenemberg Chapter X: Letter from Louis Napoleon to His Mother Chapter XI: The Death of Hortense, and the Enthronement of her Son

Abraham Lincoln raved that this series of historical biographies gave him "just that knowledge of past men and events which I need. I have read them with the greatest interest. To them I am indebted for about all the historical knowledge I have." Considered what we would now call "young adult" literature, this collection, first published between 1848 and 1871, was designed to present a clear, distinct, connected narrative of the lives of the great figures of world history, those people who have been most influential, at least as American pastor and historian JOHN STEVENS CABOT ABBOTT (1805-1877) saw it from his 19th-century perspective. Wildly popular and republished many times under different collected names, this replica set mimics the 1904 reprint known as the "Makers of History" series. It will delight students of history as well as show the scholar how history telling has changed over the last few centuries. More than 30 other volumes in the series are also available from Cosimo Classics. This volume, dating from 1870, covers Hortense Eugnie Ccile Bonaparte (1783-1837), wife of Louis Bonaparte and the mother of Napoleon III, including her royal family, her marriage, the sorrows of exile, and much more.