THE BONAPARTES

by Felix Markham ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 24, 1975

Born in obscurity, Napoleon Bonaparte's large and quarrelsome family shared in his meteoric rise to power. From the time of his father's death Napoleon assumed responsibility for the education, marriages and deportment of his many siblings. As he conquered more and more territory, Joseph, Lucien, Louis, Elisa, Caroline, Pauline and Jerome were allotted estates, annuities, titles and kingdoms. Yet the family haggled incessantly like fishmongers or brigands over the division of the spoils. Angrily, Napoleon once snapped at his sister Caroline Murat ""To hear you talk, one would think I had stolen from you the inheritance of our late father."" In exile at St. Helena he reflected ""My family have not helped me."" His master plan for Europe called for the creation of a ting of federal states around France ruled by members of his family. He put the untalented Joseph in charge of Naples and later moved him to the throne of Spain; Louis, married to Hortense Beauharnais, was allotted Holland; for Jerome, Napoleon created the kingdom of Westphalia. Napoleon saw them as prefects administering on his behalf; they fancied themselves independent potentates. Markham, author of a standard biography of The Emperor, once more recites the diplomatic and military milestones of Napoleon's amazing career, this time concentrating on the chronic domestic bickering and intrigue, the Bonapartes' jealousy of Josephine and her children Eugene and Hortense. Only Letizia, Napoleon's formidable mother, remained loyal to her son. Markham writes with authority, skillfully weaving through diplomatic coups and military victories but he lacks a flair for personalizing and humanizing the large parasitic clan. The book is beautifully illustrated with many imperial portraits and family groupings by Gerard, Charlet and other artists of the period.

Pub Date: Sept. 24, 1975

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Taplinger

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1975

Categories: NONFICTION