by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Credit – Wikipedia

Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French

Empress Eugénie of the French was the wife of Emperor Napoleon III, the last French monarch. She was born Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick on May 5, 1826, in Granada, Spain. Her parents were Cipriano de Palafox y Portocarrero,8th Count of Montijo  and María Manuela Enriqueta Kirkpatrick de Closbourn y de Grevigné, and she had one older sister:

• María Francisca de Sales Portocarrero, 16th Duchess of Peñaranda (1825-1860) – married Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, Duke of Alba, had issue

At six years old, she left Spain for Paris where she attended the Convent of the Sacré Coeur and the Gymnase Normal, Civil et Orthosomatique. In 1837, she left for a boarding school in the United Kingdom, with her sister, to learn English. In addition to her formal schooling, she also received an extensive education at home, under two English governesses. When her father died in 1839, the sisters returned to their mother in Madrid. Because of her mother’s position in Spanish society, Eugenie met Queen Isabella II of Spain and took several trips to Europe to find an appropriate husband.

Eugénie first met Prince Louis Napoléon in April 1849. At the time, he was president of the Second Republic. His attempts to seduce her failed, as she insisted on marriage before any sort of physical relationship. Louis Napoleon became Emperor Napoleon III in December 1852, and the following month, on January 22, 1853, he announced his engagement to Eugénie. Following a civil ceremony at the Tuileries Palace, the couple married at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris on January 29, 1853. They had one son:

• Louis Napoléon, Prince Imperial (1856 – 1879), unmarried, died fighting in the Zulu War in South Africa in 1879

Eugénie with her husband and son, c1864. source: Wikipedia

Despite initial reservations about her less-than-royal background, Eugénie quickly became beloved by the French people. She traveled extensively, representing the Emperor – including the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 – and served as Regent during his absences from the country. She also became a close advisor to her husband, who often consulted her on important issues.

Villa Eugénie in Biarritz. source: Wikipedia

In 1854, they had a large summer villa – Villa Eugénie – built in Biarritz, where Eugénie often hosted Queen Victoria and other foreign royals. At the time, a small sleepy town, Biarritz quickly became a very popular destination for many of Europe’s royal and noble families. Today, the villa is known as the Hôtel du Palais, one of the most exclusive resorts in the area.

During the Franco-Prussian War, Eugénie served as Regent while her husband and son served at the German front. After several losses, she took it upon herself to name a new government and argued against her husband’s plan to return to Paris. A month later, the French forces were defeated at the Battle of Sedan, and the Emperor surrendered. As rioting began in Paris, the Empress quickly fled the city, making her way to England. By the time she set sail, the Second Empire had come to an end.

Eventually joined by her husband, the couple settled in settled at Chislehurst, in Kent, England. Widowed in 1873, she also lost her only son in 1879. She had developed a close friendship with Queen Victoria and spent several months at Osborne House after her son’s death. A few years later, in 1887, she was named godmother of Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (later Queen of Spain). By then, she was living at Farnborough Hill in Hampshire. A few years later, in 1892, she had a villa – Villa Cyrnos – built in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin on the French Riviera, where she often hosted visits from Queen Victoria and other European royals, including Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia in 1909.

Empress Eugénie visiting wounded soldiers at Farnborough Hall, 1914. source: Wikipedia

Very active during World War I, Eugénie supported several hospitals in France, as well as funding a military hospital at Farnborough Hill. She also donated her yacht to the British Navy. For her contributions to the war effort, she was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in 1919 by King George V.

Empress Eugénie, photographed in 1920. source: Wikipedia

The Empress Eugénie died on July 11, 1920, while visiting relatives at the Liria Palace in Madrid. She is buried in the Imperial Crypt at St. Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, along with her husband and son.

Sarcophagus of Eugénie, above the altar, at St. Michael’s Abbey; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Kingdom of France/French Empire Index
• French Burial Sites – House of Bourbon, House of Bonaparte, House of Orléans

by Scott Mehl    © Unofficial Royalty 2016

source: Wikipedia

Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, Emperor Napoleon III of the French

Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, was the last monarch of France, reigning from 1852 until 1870. He was born Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (but typically known as Louis-Napoléon) in Paris, France on April 20, 1808. His parents were Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland (younger brother of Emperor Napoleon I) and Hortense de Beauharnais, the daughter of Emperor Napoleon’s first wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais and her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais. He had two elder siblings:

• Napoléon Louis Charles Bonaparte (1802 – 1807) – died in childhood
• Napoléon Louis Bonaparte, King Louis II of Holland (1804 – 1831) – married his first cousin Charlotte Bonaparte, no issue

Louis-Napoléon’s christening took place at the Palace of Fontainebleau in France on November 4, 1810 – over two years after his birth – with Emperor Napoleon I and Empress Marie Louise serving as his godparents.

Following Emperor Napoleon’s defeat at the  Battle of Waterloo and the subsequent Bourbon Restoration, all members of the Bonaparte family were forced to leave France. Louis-Napoleon and his mother settled in Switzerland, where Hortense purchased Schloss Arenberg. Louis-Napoleon studied for some time in Augsburg, Bavaria, and developed a slight German accent that would remain for the rest of his life.

In 1823, the family moved to Rome, and Louis-Napoleon became involved with the Carbonari, fighting against Austria’s presence in northern Italy. Forced to flee in 1831, he soon made his way back to France, traveling incognito with his mother – using the name Hamilton – and arrived in Paris on April 31, 1831. In a secret meeting, the French King Louis-Philippe permitted them to remain in Paris, provided they remained incognito, and that their stay was brief. However, their identities were soon discovered, and they were forced to leave the city just a week later, making their way back to Switzerland.

Louis-Napoléon joined the Swiss Army and began writing about his political views. After an unsuccessful coup attempt in October 1836, King Louis Philippe demanded that he be turned over to France, but the Swiss government refused as he was a Swiss citizen. He later traveled to London, Brazil, and New York, and returned to Switzerland in the fall of 1837 to be at his mother’s deathbed. After the death of his mother Hortense on October 5, 1837, Louis-Napoleon spent some time at Schloss Arenberg before returning to London the following year. He soon began plans for another attempt to take the French throne. Sailing to Boulogne in 1840, he was quickly arrested. A quick trial took place and he was sentenced to life in prison in the fortress of Ham. While imprisoned, he spent much time writing – publishing essays and articles in numerous newspapers and magazines throughout France. Still hoping to fulfill his quest to claim the French throne, he managed to escape from Ham in May 1846.  While renovations were being made to his cell, he disguised himself as one of the workers and walked right out through the main gates. Following his escape, he quickly made his way back to England. The next month, his father died, leaving Louis-Napoleon as the sole heir to the Bonaparte dynasty.

The French Revolution of 1848 led to the abdication of King Louis-Philippe, and the declaration of the Second Republic. Louis-Napoleon quickly left for France, while the deposed King went into exile in England. Ignoring his advisers who urged him to seize power, Louis-Napoleon instead declared his loyalty to the Republic and returned to London where he closely watched events unfold in his homeland. In September of that year, he was elected to the French National Assembly and returned to Paris as the country prepared to elect the first President of the French Republic. He immediately threw his hat into the ring, and on December 20, 1848, was declared the winner of the election. Taking the title Prince-President, Louis-Napoleon took up residence at the Élysée Palace.

After a failed attempt to change the law which would have required him to step down at the end of his 4-year term, Louis-Napoleon soon saw a chance to take power by force. In December 1851, with the support of several military generals, Louis-Napoleon’s forces took control of the national printing office and newspaper offices. Posters were quickly put up announcing the dissolution of the National Assembly, the return of universal suffrage, and new elections. Quickly overpowering his opponents, Louis-Napoleon established himself as the sole source of rule within France – supported by a referendum held in December 1851, in which the overwhelming majority of voters agreed to his claim of power.

Not content with being simply a Prince-President, he arranged for the Senate to schedule another referendum to decide if he should be declared Emperor. On December 2, 1852, following an overwhelming vote in his favor, the Second Republic ended and the Second French Empire was declared. Louis-Napoleon took the throne as Napoleon III, Emperor of the French. He quickly made the Tuileries Palace in Paris his official residence.

Napoleon with his wife and son, c1862. source: Wikipedia

After being turned down by Princess Carola of Vasa (daughter of the deposed Swedish King Gustaf IV Adolf), and Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (a niece of Queen Victoria), Napoleon III found his future bride – Eugénie de Montijo, Countess of Teba and Marquise of Ardales. The two had first met in 1849 at a reception at the Eylsée Palace. Just weeks after becoming Emperor, Napoleon announced the couple’s engagement, and they were married a week later. A civil ceremony was held on January 29, 1853, at the Tuileries Palace, followed by a religious ceremony on January 30, 1853, at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris. They had one son:

• Napoléon, Prince Imperial (1856 – 1879), unmarried, died in 1879 while fighting in the Anglo-Zulu War

The early years of Napoleon’s reign saw a very heavily censored press, and a Legislature that was almost unanimous in their support.  By the early 1860s, censorship had been eased and a more liberal regime emerged.  The Emperor improved conditions for the poor and made sure that education was mandatory and free for all French citizens.  He promoted industry and banking, developed the rail system throughout France, and worked to build strong political and economic relationships with the United Kingdom and other allies throughout Europe.

In July 1870, France entered the Franco-Prussian War. Without significant allied support, and with unprepared and limited forces, the French army was quickly defeated. Emperor Napoleon was captured at the Battle of Sedan and quickly surrendered on September 1, 1870. As word reached Paris, the Third Republic was declared on September 4, 1870, ending – for the last time – the French monarchy. Emperor Napoleon was held by the Prussians in a castle in Wilhelmshöhe, near Kassel. It wasn’t until peace was established between France and Germany that he was released in March 1871, and quickly went into exile. Arriving in England on March 20, 1871, Napoleon and his family settled at Camden Place, a large country house in Chislehurst, England.

the last known photo of Emperor Napoleon III, 1872. source: Wikipedia

After falling ill in the summer of 1872, and undergoing two operations, Emperor Napoleon III died at his home Camden Place on January 9, 1873. He was initially buried at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Chislehurst, but in 1888, his remains were moved to the Imperial Crypt at St. Michael’s Abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, England.

Sarcophagus of Napoleon III of France at St. Michael’s Abbey; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Kingdom of France/French Empire Index
• French Burial Sites – House of Bourbon, House of Bonaparte, House of Orléans

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Source – Wikipedia

Louis Philippe I, King of the French, reigned over France from 1830 until he was forced to abdicate in 1848. He was born at the Palais Royal in Paris, France on October 6, 1773, the eldest child of Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans and Louise Marie Adélaïde of Bourbon.

He had four siblings:

• Louis Antoine Philippe d’Orléans, Duke of Montpensier (1775 – 1807) – unmarried
• Louise Marie Adélaïde Eugénie d’Orléans (1777 – 1847) – unmarried
• Françoise d’Orléans (1777 – 1781) – died in childhood, twin sister of Louise Marie Adélaïde Eugénie
• Louis Charles d’Orléans, Count of Beaujolais (1779 – 1808) – unmarried

At the onset of the French Revolution, Louis Philippe fled the country to avoid likely execution, which would be the fate of his father, and many members of the French royal family, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.  He traveled extensively around Europe and spent several years in the United States.

Maria Amalia, with her eldest son, c1818. source: Wikipedia

On November 25, 1809, in Palermo, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, now in Italy, Louis Philippe married Princess Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily. She was the daughter of King Ferdinando I of the Two Sicilies and Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria. They had ten children:

• Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans (1810 – 1842) – married Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, had issue
• Louise Marie d’Orléans (1812 – 1850) – married King Leopold I of the Belgians, had issue
• Marie d’Orléans (1813 – 1839) – married Duke Alexander of Württemberg, had issue
• Louis d’Orléans, Duke of Nemours (1814 – 1896) – married Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, had issue
• Françoise d’Orléans (1816 – 1818) – died in childhood
• Clémentine d’Orléans (1817 – 1907) – married August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, had issue
• François d’Orléans, Prince of Joinville (1818 – 1900) – married Francisca of Brazil, had issue
• Charles d’Orléans (1820 – 1828) – died in childhood
• Henri d’Orléans, Duke of Aumale (1822 – 1897) – married Caroline Auguste of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, had issue
• Antoine d’Orléans, Duke of Montpensier (1824- 1890) – married Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain, had issue

In 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French was overthrown, and the Bourbons returned to the French throne. Louis Philippe returned to France and was welcomed into the French court during the reign of his cousin, King Louis XVIII. Louis XVIII died in 1824 and was succeeded by his brother, King Charles X. Louis Philippe had a close relationship with Charles, although his liberal views were quite in contrast to the staunchly conservative Charles, and he was often viewed as a threat to the stability of the King’s reign.

King Louis Philippe, photographed c1842. source: Wikipedia

In August 1830, King Charles X abdicated, naming his grandson, Henri, Duke of Bordeaux, as his successor. The King also made Louis Philippe the Lieutenant General of the Realm and charged him with announcing the King’s successor to the Chamber of Deputies and to serve as regent for the young Henri. Louis Philippe, however, did not make any such announcement, and within days, the Chamber of Deputies instead proclaimed Louis Philippe as the new monarch of France. He took the throne on August 9, 1830, taking the title King of the French – attributing his role as King of the people instead of a territorial area. It was also an attempt to cut off any attempts of the descendants of King Charles to lay claim to the throne.

Outwardly, Louis Philippe avoided much of the pomp and ceremony – and spending – which had dominated the reigns of his predecessors. Initially much loved by the French people, he soon became unpopular when it was clear that his government became increasingly conservative and many felt that it no longer truly represented the average citizen of France. Working conditions became worse, and the divide between the rich and the poor continued to widen. This, combined with the economic crisis of 1847, led to the French Revolution of 1848 and, once again, the end of the French monarchy.

On February 24, 1848, Louis Philippe abdicated in favor of his grandson, Philippe, Count of Paris. Afraid that he may be imprisoned and executed, he quickly left Paris, and using a disguise, made his way to England. Two days later, the Second Republic was declared, once again ending the monarchy in France.

Claremont, c1860. source: Wikipedia

In England, Louis Philippe and his wife took up residence at Claremont, a country house in Surrey, England. Claremont had a significant royal history. It had originally been purchased as a home for Princess Charlotte of Wales and her husband, Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (later King Leopold I of the Belgians). After Charlotte’s death, Leopold retained ownership of the house until his death in 1865. However, after becoming King of the Belgians in 1831, he gave use of the estate to his niece, Queen Victoria. Victoria, in turn, loaned the house to Louis Philippe and Marie-Amelie, who were the parents-in-law of King Leopold I from his second marriage to their daughter, Louise Marie. It would later become the home of Queen Victoria’s son, Leopold, Duke of Albany, following his marriage in 1882.

King Louis Philippe died at Claremont on August 26, 1850. He was buried at St. Charles Borromeo Chapel in Weybridge, England. In 1876, ten years after his wife’s death, both of their remains were reinterred at the Chapelle royale de Dreux in France.

Memorial to Louis Philippe and Maria Amalia at the Royal Chapel of Dreux; Credit – By Real politik – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6656193

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Kingdom of France/French Empire Index
• French Burial Sites – House of Bourbon, House of Bonaparte, House of Orléans