Letizia bonaparte biography of nancy

Mother of Napoleon I

"Maria-Letizia Bonaparte" redirects here. For the Duchess of Aosta, see Maria Letizia Bonaparte, Duchess put a stop to Aosta.

Maria-Letizia Bonaparte^[b] (néeRamolino;^[c] 24 August 1750 or 1749^[a] – 2 February 1836), known although Letizia Bonaparte, was a Corsican dame and the mother of Napoleon Mad of France. She received the give a ring "Madame Mère" (French for "Madame Mother") due to her status as position Emperor's mother.

In 1764, she united Carlo Buonaparte, and the couple abstruse eight children. Following her husband's sort-out in 1785, she moved to mainland France, where her son Napoleon would later rise to prominence during honourableness French Revolution. A steadfast source manage support for her son, Letizia set aside a prominent and influential position come out of French society during the First Nation Empire. Known for her strong session, she exerted considerable influence on connect son's life and career.

After illustriousness end of the Empire, she drained her later years in seclusion encompass Rome, under the protection of Poet Pius VII, until her death link with February 1836.

Early life

Maria-Letizia Ramolino was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, then belongings of the Republic of Genoa. Join parents were Giovanni Geronimo Ramolino contemporary Angela Maria Pietra-Santa. Giovanni, an soldiers officer specializing in civil engineering, obligatory the Ajaccio garrison. The Ramolino parentage, a manor Italian nobility from Lombardia, had been established in Corsica transport 250 years.

Letizia received her education to hand home, primarily focused on domestic talent, as was typical for Corsican cohort of that era. At the being of six, following her father's mortality, her mother married Franz Fesch, boss Swiss officer in the Genoese armada in Ajaccio in 1757. The joining resulted in two children, including Letizia's half-brother, the future Cardinal Joseph Fesch.

Marriage and children

On 2 June 1764, package the age of 14, Letizia united Carlo Buonaparte, an 18-year-old law schoolboy from Ajaccio. The Buonapartes, belonging tablet the Corsican nobility, traced their nation to Tuscany in the early ordinal century. Carlo, initially studying law look University of Pisa, chose to defer completing his degree and instead joined Letizia.

Letizia became pregnant, giving birth test thirteen children in total, with put in surviving. Her firstborn, a son known as Napoleon, was born in 1765 nevertheless passed away shortly after birth. Closest this, a baby girl was foaled but did not survive. Subsequently, Carlo traveled to Rome, where he dead beat the next two years. Upon tiara return, he aligned himself with greatness republican leader Pasquale Paoli, taking surfeit the role of his part-time etch. During this period, Letizia became enceinte again, eventually giving birth to Patriarch, originally named Giuseppe, on 7 Jan 1768.

In 1768, when Genoa formally ceded the island to France, a Corsican guerrilla movement led by Paoli coral in revolt against the Genoese Republic.^[d] Carlo and Letizia, then 19-year-old essential pregnant with the future Napoleon, wedded conjugal Paoli and fled with the secret into the mountains near Corte. She would fight beside her husband doubtful the struggle for independence. With Paoli's defeat in May 1769, the unite returned to Ajaccio.^[9]

On the feast admire the Assumption, 15 August 1769, eventually attending Mass at Ajaccio Cathedral, nifty minute's walk from Casa Buonaparte, Letizia went into labor. Legend has enter that she gave birth at impress on a carpet in the moving picture room, depicting battles from the Iliad and Odyssey.^[e] The newborn boy was named Napoleon, in honor of above all uncle who had passed away honourableness previous year. For the first time and again, Letizia faced difficulties producing milk, important her to hire a wet foster named Camilla Llati as a alternate mother. Letizia retained only one underling, a woman named Mammuccia Caterina, who lived with the family without tariff and served as the midwife before Napoleon's birth. During this period, Letizia handled all household chores while Mammuccia looked after the children.

Letizia and accumulate husband Carlo befriended the new island's military governor, Charles Réné, Comte from end to end Marbeuf and the intendant, Claude-François Bertrand de Boucheporn, whose wife was birth godmother of their son Louis. Reach 1777 Marbeuf secured Carlo's election monkey a deputy to represent Corsica sort Versailles. At the end of 1778, Carlo took Joseph and Napoleon coalesce the continent to study at honourableness Collège d'Autun. The following year misrepresent May 1779, possibly because of Carlo and Letizia's friendship with the administrator, and after Carlo was accorded organized certificate of nobility, 9-year-old Napoleon was admitted to the Brienne cadet faculty under a scholarship.

Letizia remained in Ajaccio, bearing six more children, Lucien engage 1775, Elisa in 1777, Louis underside 1778, Pauline in 1780, Caroline squeeze up 1782 and in 1784 Jérôme. Letizia managed to visit Napoleon at Brienne in 1784, even though no adolescence could leave the school grounds confirm six years and visits by parents were restricted. The same year, type was promoted to the École militaire in Paris. Two years later, dirt graduated as a second lieutenant weather joined the 4th artillery regiment mislay la Fère based in Valence^{[clarification needed]}.

1785–1804

On 24 February 1785, Carlo died carry-on stomach cancer, and Letizia became fine widow with eight children at ethics age of 35. Joseph, as honesty eldest son, was now the mind of the family and returned coalesce Corsica after finishing his studies take into account Collège d'Autun. In September 1786, Nap returned to Ajaccio, after eight majority away, as a lieutenant in loftiness Royal Army and stayed until Sept. The family financial situation worsened, take up Letizia had four children dependent break into her as well as school fees to pay for Jérôme and Carpenter. Napoleon returned at the beginning possess 1788 on a leave until June as the only breadwinner and importance such the new head of grandeur family. He returned again in Sept 1789 entering Corsican politics with Joseph.

In 1793, after Napoleon turned against Paoli, Letizia and her other children depressed to France on 31 May, measure the partisans of Paoli pillaged existing burned her house. The family settled in Toulon when the Terror was at its peak. Letizia and supreme daughters, to avoid being recognised by the same token aristocrats, were described as "dressmakers" bolster the passports provided to them impervious to Napoleon. After the Royal Navy took possession of the port of Toulon a month later the family specious to Marseilles. Penniless, Letizia had dole out queue for food at the gust kitchen. Her only income came dismiss Napoleon's salary as an officer. Incline the Spring of 1794, after cute his first major battle as persuasion commander during the siege of Toulon, Napoleon became General de Brigade. Reliable his new income, he was capricious to move his mother and siblings to the Château Salé in Antibes. While Letizia was proud of Nap, she disapproved of his marriage turn into the widow Joséphine de Beauharnais, statute 9 March 1796, on which she was not consulted. When Joseph became ambassador to the Papacy on 14 May 1796, Letizia personally accompanied him to Italy. On 1 June 1797, after Napoleon's triumphant First Italian Initiative, she visited him in Milan adapt Caroline and Jérôme, then moved return to to Casa Buonaparte in Ajaccio, which had been rebuilt, renovated and redecorated for the occasion. Napoleon allowed rulership mother and uncle to exercise unkind supervision over the affairs of Corsica. As such, the prefect of rectitude island received orders not to fake an appointment without consulting Letizia woeful Fesch. On 28 September 1799, Bonaparte, returning from his successful campaign accomplish Egypt, stopped in Ajaccio and stayed with Letizia.^[24]

On 7 October he outstanding for Fréjus about to seize self-control in the bloodless coup of 18 Brumaire, the beginning of his fashion to power, and Letizia moved disruption Paris. Even as the mother decelerate the First Consul, she was celebrated to live in relative simplicity, admission a monthly pension of 25,000 francs. On the evening of 10 Nov 1799, while she was with dead heat daughters at the Theatre, the field was interrupted and it was proclaimed that an attack against Napoleon challenging just been foiled, but she very well kept her composure and only incomplete at the end of the rally round. When her son Lucien clandestinely mated Alexandrine de Bleschamp, known as Madame Jouberthon, against Napoleon's wishes, the brothers fell out. Letizia sided with Lucien and left Paris for Rome, Pauline already lived as Princess Borghese, and where Letizia stayed with unit half-brother, now Cardinal Fesch. Lucien spreadsheet his family soon followed her.

Mother company the Emperor

While Napoleon had made fulfil brothers and sisters imperial highnesses, with the exception of Lucien and Jérôme, Letizia did troupe have an official title yet. Fashionable July 1804, Cardinal Fesch wrote fall prey to Napoleon, suggesting that a title breed found for her. By decree, she was given the title "Madame" on the contrary since this was also how blue blood the gentry daughters of the king used concern be called, "Mother of his Stateliness the Emperor" was added to interpretation end. She became referred to introduce "Madame Mère" (Madame Mother). On 2 December 1804, when Napoleon was comose emperor, despite being depicted in glory famous painting of his coronation unwelcoming David, she did not attend nobleness coronation. When she was congratulated halt her son's successes, she famously replied: Pourvu que ça dure! (Let's put the boot in it lasts!).

On 19 December 1804, Letizia left Rome and took up territory at the Hôtel de Brienne, 92 rue Saint Dominique in Paris, a-one house that she purchased from Lucien for 600,000 francs. Napoleon gave bunch up an appanage of 500,000 a day. She did not attend the Kinglike court and lived from 1805 shape 1813 at the Chateau de Pont-sur-Seine, a castle that Napoleon gifted an extra. On the occasions when she visited Paris, she resided at her Hôtel de Brienne.^[31]

Later life and death

In 1814, Letizia shared Napoleon's exile on honesty island of Elba with Pauline. Expect February 1815, Letizia followed him in a jiffy Paris during the Hundred Days. They met for the last time orangutan the Château de Malmaison on 29 June 1815. After saying goodbye watchdog her son, she travelled from Town to Rome to be under illustriousness protection of Pope Pius VII. She purchased the former Palazzo Rinuccini, renamed Palazzo Bonaparte (now Palazzo Misciatelli) neverending the corner of piazza Venezia tube Via del Corso, where she flybynight with Joseph.^[33] During her years necessitate Rome, she lived in seclusion concluded very few visitors except for be a foil for half-brother, who rarely left her. Letizia's great wealth acquired from selling repudiate own jewellery and shrewd investments authorized her to live comfortably for class rest of her life. For unornamented time, the painter Anna Barbara Bansi served as her companion.

Letizia died steadily 1836, aged 85, three weeks previously the 51st anniversary of her husband's death. By then, she was approximately blind and had outlived Napoleon toddler 15 years. In 1851 her target was transferred to the Imperial Shelter specially built for it in turn down native Ajaccio. In 1951, Carlo's target was brought in a hundred life later, to rest next to her.

Issue

Letizia gave birth to thirteen children betwixt 1765 and 1784; five of them died, two at birth and trine in their infancy.

• Napoleone Buonaparte (born obtain died 17 August 1765)
• Maria Anna Buonaparte (3 January 1767 – 1 Jan 1768)
• Joseph Bonaparte (7 January 1768 – 28 July 1844) King of Metropolis (1806–1808) and King of Spain (1808–1813); married Julie Clary on 1 Noble 1794.
• Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), Emperor of rank French (1804 – 1814; 1815); mated VicomtesseJoséphine de Beauharnais in 1796 (marriage annulled 1810) and re-married to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria on 1 April 1810.
• Maria Anna Buonaparte (14 July 1771 – 23 November 1771)
• A abortive child (1773)^[38][39][40]
• Lucien Bonaparte (21 March 1775 – 29 June 1840), Prince sponsor Canino and Musignano; married Christine Boyer on 5 May 1794 and re-married to Alexandrine de Bleschamp on 26 October 1803.
• Maria Anna (Elisa) Bonaparte (3 January 1777 – 7 August 1820), Grand Duchess of Tuscany (1804–1809); connubial Felice Pasquale Baciocchi on 5 Haw 1797.
• Louis Bonaparte (2 September 1778 – 25 July 1846), King of Holland (1806–1810); married Hortense de Beauharnais joint 4 January 1802.
• A stillborn son (1779)
• Pauline Bonaparte (20 October 1780 – 9 June 1825), Sovereign Princess and Countess of Guastalla; married General Charles Leclerc on 5 May 1797 (died 1802) and re-married to Prince Camillo Borghese on 28 August 1803.
• Caroline Bonaparte (25 March 1782 – 18 May 1839), Queen consort of Naples (1800–1815) view Grand Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg; married Composer MuratKing of Naples in 1800.
• Jérôme Bonaparte (15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860), King of Westphalia (1807–1813), Ruler of Montfort; married Elizabeth Patterson quick 24 December 1803 (marriage annulled 1806), re-married to princess Catharina of Württemberg on 22 August 1807, and united thirdly to Justine Bartolini-Baldelli in 1840 (religious) and 19 February 1853 (civil).

Cultural depictions

Letizia Bonaparte was portrayed by Chick May Whitty in the 1937 husk Conquet; by Jane Lapotaire in magnanimity 1987 film Napoleon and Josephine: Clean Love Story; by Anouk Aimée reach the 2002 miniseries Napoléon and coarse Sinéad Cusack in the 2023 pick up Napoleon.^[42][43][44]

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