The Famous Napoleon and His 10 Seductive Mistresses
The great conqueror didn’t conquer only nations
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), one of the most famous military commanders in history, claimed he had only 7 mistresses, yet historians counted at least 21.
“Love is an entertainment for a warrior and a pitfall for an emperor.”
— Napoleon
Let’s have a look at the 10 of the most seductive and playful mistresses who kept the general’s bed warm.
1. Lively Pauline Foures — Napoleon’s Cleopatra
During the Egyptian Campaign (1798-1801), Napoleon finally realized his wife Josephine was unfaithful to him.
To have revenge on his wife, he decided to try out the local women. His officers brought to him six Egyptian beauties.
Yet, Napoleon wasn’t attracted to exotic Oriental women.
Instead, he found an attractive French girl, Pauline Fourès (1778-1869). However, she had been married a few months earlier to one of Napoleon’s soldiers and accompanied him disguised as a man to Egypt.
Napoleon began courting Pauline, giving her expensive gifts. Yet, Pauline resisted.
Using his power, Napoleon sent her husband on an urgent mission back to France and invited Pauline and other French ladies for a lunch the very next day after Pauline's husband’s departure.
During lunch, Napoleon “accidentally” spilled a jug of water on Pauline’s dress and then took her into his private room to “resolve the problem”.
Needless to say, the prolonged absence of Napoleon and Pauline didn’t go unnoticed by other guests.
However, Pauline’s husband returned earlier than expected since his ship had been intercepted by the British navy. Upon learning of Pauline’s infidelity, he became violent with her, and they divorced.
Pauline, being Napoleon’s mistress, lived in great luxury in Cairo. But Napoleon had to return to France in 1799 and couldn’t take her with him. He became the mistress of Napoleon’s deputy in Egypt, Jean Kleber.
Napoleon didn't forget about her Cleopatra as he used to call her. He arranged for a good husband to provide her with a comfortable life.
2. & 3. Opera singers Caroline Branchu and Giuseppina Grassini — Napoleon socializing with music stars
Giuseppina Grassini (1773–1850) was an Italian contralto singer. In 1800, Napoleon met Giuseppina in Milano, Italy, and took her as a lover. She accompanied him to Paris, where she also performed on stage.
While in Paris, lively Giuseppina took another lover, violinist Pierre Rode, and left for London.
After Napoleon’s exile to Saint Helena in 1815, she became a mistress of Duke Wellington, who was also the British ambassador in Paris after Napoleon’s demise.
Caroline Branchu (1778–1850) was a French soprano at the Paris Opera. In 1802, she became Napoleon’s mistress. In turn, Napoleon accelerated her career and also arranged a salary of 3,000 francs ($14,000 in today’s value) for her.
4. & 5. Naughty actresses Marguerite Georges and Josephine Duchesnois — Napoleon mingling with theater stars
Between 1802 and 1804, Napoleon had affairs with two French actresses: Marguerite Georges (1787–1867) and Josephine Duchesnois (1777–1835). They were two of the finest stage actresses of the era.
Marguerite was first the mistress of Napoleon’s brother Lucien before she started an affair with Napoleon.
“She is the most beautiful woman in Europe.”
— Napoleon about Marguerite
After Napoleon’s defeat in 1814, the playful actress had an affair with Napoleon’s arch-rival on the European battlefields, Duke Wellington.
Besides Italian opera singer Giuseppina Grassi, Marguerite was the only woman who had sex with both Napoleon and Duke Wellington.
If Giuseppina never publicly revealed who was better in bed, this was not the case with Marguerita.
“Monsieur le Duc était de beaucoup le plus fort.” (“The Duke was by far the stronger.”)
— Marguerite Georges comparing Napoleon and Duke Wellington in bed
Napoleon supported the career of Marguerite Georges, while Napoleon’s wife Josephine supported the career of her rival, Josephine Duchesnois. To make things even more complicated, Napoleon had sex also with Josephine Duchesnois.
The rivalry between Marguerite Georges and Josephine Duchesnois was such that it divided theatre lovers into two rival sections. Whenever they performed together, the police had to attend the show for peacekeeping.
6. Enchanting Elisabeth de Vaudey — The mistress who got caught by Napoleon’s wife
Elisabeth de Vaudey (1773-1833) was a lady-in-waiting for Napoleon’s wife, Josephine. When Napoleon went to the baths of Aix-la-Chapelle to improve his fertility, she came along and became his mistress.
However, jealous Josephine suspected the affair.
On October 25, 1804, Josephine caught Napoleon with Elisabeth in a secret apartment. She lashed at them and Napoleon furiously threatened to divorce her, since he was sick of her spying on him and her infertility.
Eventually, Napoleon and Josephine made up, but Elisabeth was forced to resign her post four days later and leave.
She died in poverty in Paris.
7. Gorgeous Emilie Kraus — Napoleon’s secret mistress
When Napoleon came to Austria in 1805, he met a beautiful 20-year-old Emilie Kraus, an adopted daughter of an Austrian officer. He immediately took her as his mistress.
Dressed as a boy, she accompanied him on many military expeditions under the pseudonym Felix. Her existence was a heavily guarded secret.
She also accompanied Napoleon in Paris, but she was not allowed to live in court.
She gave birth to Napoleon’s son Eugen on May 3, 1810. The next day, Napoleon’s second son, Alexandre, with his Polish mistress Marie Walewska, was born.
Just one month before, on April 1810, Napoleon had married his second wife, Austrian princess Marie Louise, and ended the five-year-long affair with Emilie.
Although Napoleon provided Emilie with the title of baroness and deposited a substantial amount of money (480,000 guilders) in the Bank of London, she died in poverty.
Her foster father lost her wealth and the rest she spent on animals. She had a small zoo of over 160 animals and their maintenance was very costly. The citizens of Salzburg, Austria, nicknamed her the Dog Countess.
8. Seductive Eleonore de La Plaigne — Mother of Napoleon’s first child
Napoleon met a beautiful eighteen-year-old Eleonore Denuelle de La Plaigne (1787-1968) in 1805 in the service of his sister Caroline Bonaparte Murat.
Unbeknownst to Caroline, Eleonore, although married, was the mistress of Caroline’s husband Joachim Murat, who recommended Eleonore to Napoleon.
In 1806, Eleonore began an affair with Napoleon and divorced her husband.
On December 13, 1806, she gave birth to Napoleon’s son, Charles Leon.
She wanted to name their son Napoleon, but the latter agreed only on half of the name, therefore the boy was named Leon.
The birth of Napoleon’s first son was important since it proved Napoleon wasn’t sterile and could have an heir. This proved it was Josephine who couldn’t have children anymore, which caused their divorce.
In 1808, Napoleon married Eleonore to a young lieutenant, Pierre-Philippe Augier of Sauzay. She also received a large annual pension as a dowry.
9. Alluring countess Marie Walewska — Napoleon’s true passion
In 1807, Napoleon met countess Marie Walewska (1786-1817) near Warsaw, Poland.
Marie was standing in the crowd, which waited to see Napoleon passing by in his carriage. She screamed to the French officer to help her at least glimpse at Napoleon. The officer not only did that, he actually took Marie to Napoleon’s carriage to talk with him.
Napoleon was immediately attracted to her since she was extraordinarily beautiful. He gave her a bouquet of flowers and drove away.
“I have only seen you, I have only admired you, I desire only you.”
— Napoleon to Marie Walewska
Initially, Marie refused Napoleon’s advances, since she was very pious and married.
However, Napoleon’s persistence and pressure from the Polish nobility, who saw a potential affair as a way to influence Napoleon to give independence to Poland, convinced Marie to accept Napoleon’s advances.
Interestingly, Marie asked her elderly husband for permission to start an affair with Napoleon. He agreed.
Napoleon fell head over heels in love.
Although Marie claimed in her biography that the affair with Napoleon was purely on behalf of saving Poland, she, too, fell in love with Napoleon.
Napoleon’s friends recalled Napoleon displaying miraculous energy during that time.
On May 4, 1810, Marie gave birth to Alexandre. Although Alexandre was undoubtedly Napoleon’s son, Marie's husband acknowledged him as his own.
The same year, Marie followed Napoleon to Paris, but he ended the affair since he planned to marry Marie Louise, the daughter of the Austrian emperor, and an affair with Marie could harm the marriage.
As always, Napoleon didn’t forget about Marie. He gave her a large pension of 120,000 francs. To his young son Alexandre, he gave a large estate, comprising 60 farms, near Naples, Italy.
Marie stayed faithful to Napoleon until his exile to Saint Helena in 1815. She remarried in 1816.
10. Promiscuous Albine de Montholon — Napoleon’s last mistress
In 1815, Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena. In Napoleon’s retinue was also young Albine de Montholon (1779-1848), a girl known for having lots of lovers.
Although she was accompanied by her third husband, Charles de Montholon, she embarked on numerous affairs, including the one with Napoleon.
Albine gave birth to two of Napoleon’s daughters: Helene (1816-1907) and Josephine (1818-1819).
When Napoleon learned Albine was having an affair also with another man, he sent her away from the island.
Conclusion
Napoleon was one of history's most interesting characters. Same as his mistresses, he was charismatic, emotional, and open to raunchy affairs.
Napoleon’s affairs generated rumors and kept high social circles entertained.
Most of his mistresses greatly benefited from the relationship with Napoleon. After their relationship ended, he made sure they were generously rewarded.
No matter how seductive his mistresses were, they were always second to the greatest of Napoleon’s mistresses — power.
“Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest to allow anyone to take her away from me.”
— Napoleon
