In May 1810, Marie Walewska gave birth to Napoleon's first child.
But no question for the emperor to marry the Polish countess already married.
In this new episode of the Europe 1 Studio podcast "At the heart of History", Jean des Cars tells you about Marie Walewska's disappointments.
After mad love comes the time for disillusionment. In this new episode of the Europe 1 Studio podcast "At the heart of history", Jean des Cars looks back on the romance between Napoleon and Marie Walewska, who loved the emperor to the end, despite disappointments and trials.
In ten days, Napoleon had a new wife and finally a son!
After Joséphine's repudiation in December 1809, he considered marrying Anne, the young sister of Alexander I, aged 15.
He instructs his ambassador in Saint Petersburg, Caulaincourt, to ask the Tsar for the hand of the Grand Duchess.
In exchange, he renounces Poland.
Alexander I categorically refuses: "I want Napoleon as an adversary but not as a brother-in-law!"
A new opportunity will present itself thanks to the new Chancellor of Austria, Metternich.
The latter, who previously was Austrian Ambassador to Paris, believes that to complete the Treaty of Vienna, a marriage with Archduchess Marie-Louise, daughter of the Emperor and grand-niece of Marie-Antoinette, would be very helpful. made timely.
No sooner said than done !
On April 23, 1810, during a sumptuous ceremony, Napoleon I married the young Marie-Louise.
And Marie Walewska during this time?
We remember that she left Paris very disappointed by Napoleon's marriage plans.
She first goes to Warsaw.
She received a letter from the Emperor who made her despair, not by its content, rather affectionate, but above all because it began with: "Madame" ... Napoleon had not called her Madame for a long time. .
She understands he is moving away from her.
Yet he cares about her and the child she is carrying.
It seems preferable to her that she return to her husband who should consider the unborn baby as her legitimate child.
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It is a certain Mr. Serra who, since the beginning of their relationship, has served as an intermediary for the couriers, and will be responsible for convincing the husband.
He does it pretty well because he ensures that it is a personal request from the Emperor of the French.
To do him a favor flatters Count Walewski's vanity.
He accepts and immediately sends a letter to Marie, asking her to return to Wadowice where the child is to be born.
Very depressed, the young woman had moved into the family mansion of Kernozia.
The request of her old husband falls well.
She also received a letter from Napoleon to this effect: "Madam, I am very happy to hear from you, but the dark thoughts that I see that you are harboring do not suit you. I do not want you to have it. Tell me soon that you have a handsome boy, that your health is good and that you are cheerful. Never doubt the pleasure I will have in seeing you or the tender interest I take in what concerns you. , Marie, I look forward to hearing from you. "
Marie therefore returns to Wadowice at the beginning of March.
She learned through the newspapers of Bonaparte's marriage to Archduchess Marie-Louise on April 23, 1810. Ten days later, on May 4, she gave birth to a boy, Alexandre Walewski, "legitimate son" of her husband, aged 72 years ... In ten days, the emperor has a new wife and an illegitimate son.
It only remains for him to conceive a child, legitimate this time, with Marie-Louise, which he will quickly do!
Marie Walewska is no longer hiding
Napoleon is, of course, informed of the birth of Alexander by the devoted Serra.
In September 1810, Marie received a new letter: "Madame… If your health is well restored, I want you to come to Paris at the end of autumn, where I really want to see you. Never doubt my interest. carries you and feelings you know me. "
In the last week of November 1810, Marie therefore returned to Paris, but she was not alone.
Not only is she accompanied by her two sons, two lovely Walewska nieces, but also two nannies, three chambermaids, two cooks and other servants.
All these small people moved into the house in the rue de La Houssaie but Napoleon made sure that it was sumptuously furnished, totally in Empire style.
Furthermore, Duroc was tasked with finding a country house.
It is located 7 rue de Montmorency in Boulogne, not far from Saint-Cloud, where the emperor often resides.
Marie also receives a very important pension which allows her a great way of life.
It is very difficult to know if Napoleon often sees her and her son.
It is certain that Constant took them several times to a study in the Tuileries.
It is also likely that the emperor stopped in the villa of Boulogne on the way to Saint-Cloud.
It is assumed that the lovers did not renew their relationship since until the spring of 1812, they would only meet at official receptions.
But this stay of Marie Walewska in Paris is very different from the previous ones because this time, she is no longer hiding.
She even becomes one of the most prominent and admired women in Paris.
She is invited to the balls of Queen Hortense and Pauline Borghese.
She is painted by Gérard in a high-waisted dark blue velvet dress with a flower tiara in her hair.
She also receives a lot at home, in Paris and Boulogne.
We meet many Poles there, who treat her with respect and admiration, almost "like a queen".
Here come ministers and painters like Gérard and Isabey but also the sisters of Napoleon, Caroline, Queen of Naples and the beautiful and gracious Pauline Borghese.
There is also Queen Hortense, who shows great affection to Marie.
She is the one who will introduce her to her mother, the ex-Empress Joséphine.
From now on, Countess Walewski will often visit him at Malmaison.
These are the last years of the empire when Paris is an almost permanent party.
Things changed in the last months of 1811 and at the beginning of 1812. The winter was trying, the harvests were bad, the conscription was very unpopular.
More serious still, the emperor plans to go to war against Russia.
And, this winter, a comet made its appearance in the skies of Europe.
We see it from the north of Scotland to Moscow.
It's Brooke's comet.
It fascinates astronomers but fills people with terror.
The appearance of a comet has always been regarded as a harbinger of disasters.
Tension is mounting between the French and Russian empires.
Napoleon is preparing to leave at the head of the Grande Armée to invade Russia.
But first, he wants to protect the future of the son he had with Mary.
On May 5, 1812, in Saint-Cloud, in the presence of his mistress, Napoleon signed a long legal document largely endowing his illegitimate son Alexander.
The amount is significant: it consists of 69 farms around Naples with solid income.
A little later, he signed letters patent creating Alexander Count of the Empire, with a coat of arms mixing the coats of arms of the Walewski and the Leczinski.
Marie can be reassured for her future and that of her son.
After the departure of Napoleon, she returned to Poland.
The Russian campaign had raised immense hopes in Poland.
We know what disaster it will end in.
Marie Walewska returns to Paris
In 1813, Marie returned to Paris and moved back to rue de la Houssaie with her two sons.
Thanks to the emperor, she is now a rich woman.
No door is closed to her, she meets Queen Hortense again and very often the former Empress Joséphine at Malmaison.
It was at this time that she found an acquaintance, Philippe Antoine d'Ornano, recently promoted to general, cousin of Napoleon by his mother's family.
He's handsome, shiny, he's two years older than her.
They got to know each other in Poland when he was Napoleon's orderly officer in Warsaw.
He returned from Russia and recovered after being left for dead on the battlefield.
They see each other often, Bonaparte is aware of this friendship which he approves.
Prussia declares war on France again.
Napoleon's two victories at Lutzen and Bautzen in the spring of 1813 are deceptive.
French domination in Spain collapsed and successively Napoleon's German allies Bavaria, Württemberg and Saxony joined the coalition of Prussia and Russia.
The emperor was defeated during the disastrous battle of Leipzig, called "the Battle of the Nations", in October 1813. The Allies then crossed the Rhine.
In January 1814, Napoleon began the most extraordinary of his campaigns, the campaign in France: with 60,000 men, he stood up for three months against the allied armies of the Prussians, Russians and Austrians.
But his victories cannot turn the situation around.
On March 31, the Allies entered Paris.
Marshal of the Empire Marmont gave the marshals the signal for defection and the Senate declared Napoleon's forfeiture on April 3, 1814. He signed his abdication three days later in Fontainebleau.
On the night of April 10, he tried to poison himself with a mixture of opium and belladonna that he had carried with him since his retreat from Russia.
But the poison must have lost its effectiveness because after a night of pain and vomiting, it survives.
He ignores that Marie Walewska is very close to him, arrived in the night and led by Constant in a small library near his room.
The valet repeatedly announces to Napoleon that he has a visitor but he does not hear her.
Marie decides to go away.
The emperor regains his senses an hour after his departure.
Too late !
Bonaparte is deeply affected by it.
Constant remembers his master's words: "The poor woman, she thinks she is humiliated! Constant, I am very sorry. If you see her, tell him well. But I have so many things there!"
he added very forcefully, slapping his forehead with his hand. "
Marie wrote to him two days later.
He replied that when she had the opportunity to go to Italy to take the waters in Lucca or Pisa, he would be happy if she came to see him on the Island of Elba with her son, for whom her feelings are always invariable.
Marie was then 28 years old, she had the courage to ask the Allies for permission to go there.
No one has any objection.
She ensures that she will only make a brief stopover on the road to Naples where she has to take care of her son's properties.
She informs Napoleon of her visit.
He replies that he will see her with the interest she has always inspired in him and that it will be a real joy for him to kiss his son.
On the Island of Elba, Napoleon receives a visit from Marie and their son Alexander
On September 1, 1814, in the middle of the night, Marie, accompanied by the young Alexandre, 4, disembarked at the small port Marciana Marina, 20 km west of Portoferraio, the capital.
At dusk, Napoleon had followed the approach of the ship with his telescope.
Marshal Bertrand welcomes the two passengers to lead them to Marciana Alta, near the hermitage where the fallen emperor has been staying since August 23.
He welcomes them: he is joyful, amiable.
The child calls him "Papa Emperor"!
Her father had a tent erected outside because he gave up his room to Marie.
But Ali, the faithful Mamluk, sees him leave the tent and quickly join his mistress.
Love has taken back its rights.
The next day is idyllic.
Lovers stroll and walk to the highest point on the island, Monte Giove, from where, in good weather, you can see Corsica.
But Napoleon has already decided that Marie and her son had to leave as soon as possible because this pretty woman and her little boy were taken by the islanders for the Empress Marie-Louise and the little king of Rome.
This rumor makes him furious!
He fears that if the Austrian government learns of the visit of Marie Walewska and her son, it will encourage his wife to cancel her own visit.
He is mistaken: Marie-Louise has no intention of coming to Elba, her father, the Emperor of Austria, dissuaded her from doing so.
In the evening, Napoleon and Marie dine in the tent.
There are dances, we sing, but we will have to separate.
Marie is hurt.
She probably secretly hoped to stay on Elba Island with her lover, but he didn't want to.
A strong storm breaks out.
The Bee, Marie's boat, awaits her in Porto Longone, at the other end of the island.
It takes several hours to get there.
The escort tries to dissuade her from going on board but, proud and angry, she jumps into a boat carrying Alexandre and reaches the ladder cut by a raging sea.
The Bee moves away while Napoleon, seized with remorse, jumps on horseback and gallops to Porto Longone.
It's too late.
He let go of his great love.
Worse: he chased him away.
Marie Walewska only spent 36 hours on the Island of Elba ... including one night.
She will see Napoleon twice, during the Hundred Days.
On June 11, 1815, at the Tuileries, they spoke at length.
After the defeat of Waterloo on June 18, the defeated emperor moved to the Elysee Palace where he signed his second abdication.
Then he left for Malmaison.
In the afternoon of June 28, Marie and her son came to bid him farewell.
The atmosphere is dismal.
Napoleon leaves for Saint Helena.
In 1816, after the death of her husband, Marie Walewska married Count Philippe d'Ornano, who had been very diligent with her for years.
She will give him a son the following year.
It is said that his remarriage greatly annoyed the prisoner of Saint Helena.
She died the following year, December 11, 1817, in Paris, victim of a heart attack after a difficult childbirth.
She had just turned 31.
His body is taken to Poland and placed in the family vault of Kiernozia.
Before that, his heart was taken from it and placed in an urn, inside the Ornano tomb, in the 67th division of the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.
These were the wishes expressed in his will.
As if to keep, beyond death, a link with the country of her illustrious lover.
Bibliographic resources:
Christine Sutherland, Marie Walewska, le grand amour de Napoléon (translation by Françoise de Bernardy, Perrin, 1981)
Frédéric Masson, of the Académie française, Napoléon et les femmes (reissue with a judicious preface by Jean Tulard, of the Institut, France-Empire, 2010)
Jean des Cars, Tragic couples in history (Perrin, 2020)
"At the heart of History" is a Europe 1 Studio podcast
Author and presentation: Jean des Cars
Production: Timothée Magot
Director: Jean-François Bussière
Distribution and editing: Clémence Olivier
Graphics: Karelle Villais