Marie Louise Of Austria: Her Beauty And Appearance

Marie Louise of Austria, born on 12 December 1791, was the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. She was the daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Emperor of Austria, and Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Marie Louise was just 18 when she married the 40-year-old Napoleon, who had spent years waging war against her country. Despite the circumstances, the marriage was relatively happy. Marie Louise was described as having charming hands and feet and a natural dignity. Napoleon was favourably impressed with her appearance.

Marie Louise's childhood

Marie Louise of Austria was born on 12 December 1791 at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. Her parents were Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Emperor of Austria, and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Marie Louise was their eldest child and was named after her grandmother, Marie Louise, Holy Roman Empress. She was also a great-granddaughter of Empress Maria Theresa through both her parents, who were double first cousins.

Marie Louise's early life was marked by conflict between Austria and revolutionary France. Her upbringing was supervised by her French imperial governess, Victoire de Folliot de Crenneville, and she was influenced by her grandmother, Maria Carolina, who despised the French Revolution and the death of her sister, Marie Antoinette, at the hands of the revolutionaries.

Marie Louise's family was forced to flee Vienna in 1805, and she took refuge in Hungary and later Galicia before returning to Vienna in 1806. Her father relinquished the title of Holy Roman Emperor but remained Emperor of Austria. Marie Louise's mother, Maria Theresa, died in 1807 after suffering a miscarriage, and her father remarried less than a year later.

To make her more marriageable, Marie Louise was tutored in several languages, including English, French, Italian, Latin, and Spanish, in addition to her native German. She grew up during a period of ongoing conflict between Austria and France, and she was raised to detest France and French ideas. She later admitted to having grown up in "an environment hardly favourable" to Napoleon, whom she referred to as the "Corsican ogre".

Marriage to Napoleon

Marie Louise's marriage to Napoleon Bonaparte was largely a political arrangement. Napoleon sought an heir and to marry into one of the major European royal families to validate and legitimise his Empire. Marie Louise, meanwhile, was raised to detest France and French ideas, having grown up during a period of conflict between Austria and revolutionary France. Despite this, she agreed to the marriage, which took place on 2 April 1810. Marie Louise was excited to be Napoleon's wife and settled into the French court quickly. She developed a close friendship with her Première dame d'honneur, the Duchess of Montebello, while her Dame d'atour Jeanne Charlotte du Luçay handled most of the daily affairs.

Napoleon initially remarked to an aide that he had "married a womb". However, their relationship soon grew, and he spared no pains to please her. He claimed to prefer Marie Louise to his first wife, Josephine, whom he had reluctantly divorced. While he had loved Josephine, and she remained his greatest friend even after their divorce, with Marie Louise, there was "never a lie, never a debt" — presumably a reference to Josephine's rumoured extramarital affairs and reputation as a spendthrift. Marie Louise herself wrote to her father:

> "I assure you, dear papa, that people have done great injustice to the Emperor. The better one knows him, the better one appreciates and loves him."

However, the marriage was not without tension. Napoleon sometimes remarked to aides that Marie Louise was too shy and timid, comparing her to the outgoing and passionate Josephine, with whom he remained in close contact, upsetting Marie Louise.

The excitement surrounding the wedding ushered in a brief period of peace and friendship between France and Austria, who had largely been at war for the previous two decades. The people of Vienna, who had hated Napoleon only months before, were suddenly in full praise of the French Emperor. Flattering letters were sent between Napoleon and Emperor Francis, Empress Maria Ludovika Beatrix and Archduke Charles during the wedding festivities.

During public occasions, Marie Louise spoke little due to her reserve and timidity, which some observers mistook for haughtiness. She was regarded as a quiet woman and never interfered in politics. Privately, she was polite and gentle. Napoleon arranged for her to participate in some carefully selected charity assignments, most notably the Société de Charité Maternelle, for which he made her Honorary President.

Marie Louise became pregnant by July 1810 and gave birth to a son, Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte, on 20 March 1811. The boy was given the title King of Rome, in accordance with the practice of calling the heir apparent to the Holy Roman Empire the King of the Romans. Napoleon was delighted that his wife survived the ordeal and said:

> "I had rather never have any more children than see her suffer so much again."

Marie Louise was devoted to her son; she had him brought to her every morning and visited him in his apartment throughout the day.

Birth of the King of Rome

Marie Louise of Austria was born on 12 December 1791 in Vienna. She was the daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Emperor of Austria, and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Marie Louise grew up during a period of conflict between Austria and revolutionary France. She was raised to detest France and French ideas, and her upbringing was supervised by her French imperial governess, Victoire de Folliot de Crenneville.

In 1809, rumours circulated that Napoleon Bonaparte, who had recently defeated Austria, was looking for a new bride. Marie Louise, then aged eighteen, found the idea of becoming Empress of the French abhorrent. However, the marriage was arranged for the purpose of producing an heir and establishing a bond between Napoleon's regime and the Habsburgs, one of Europe's oldest royal houses. Marie Louise became Napoleon's second wife on 2 April 1810.

Napoleon did not have to wait long for an heir. On 20 March 1811, after a long and difficult labour, Marie Louise gave birth to a son, who received the title of Roi de Rome (King of Rome). The boy, Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte, was nicknamed "the Eaglet" and was conferred to Madame de Montesquiou, who became his governess. Marie Louise was devoted to her son; she had him brought to her every morning and visited him throughout the day.

The birth of the King of Rome marked the beginning of a period of peace and friendship between France and Austria, who had largely been at war for the previous two decades. The people of Vienna, who had hated Napoleon only months before, were now in full praise of the French Emperor. Flattering letters were exchanged between Napoleon and Emperor Francis, Empress Maria Ludovika Beatrix, and Archduke Charles during the wedding festivities.

Marie Louise's life as Empress was governed by ceremony and etiquette. She fulfilled her representative role with diligence and conducted herself with dignity. In 1813, she was left in France as regent when Napoleon embarked on his campaign in Germany. Although the Emperor returned when the capital was threatened, he left again on 25 January 1814, never to see his wife and son again. On 28 March, the enemy reached the gates of Paris; Napoleon insisted that Marie Louise leave with their son for the Loire valley. Marie Louise pleaded with Napoleon to be allowed to accompany him to the island of Elba, but he sent her to Austria instead, back to her father's court.

The King of Rome, or "Franz", remained in Vienna, where he lived at the Austrian court. He was given the title of Duke of Reichstadt in 1818. However, he was constantly undermined by Austrian ministers and nationalists, who did their best to sideline him. The relationship between mother and son eventually broke down when he became aware that she had borne two illegitimate children with Count Adam Albert von Neipperg before their marriage. Franz died of tuberculosis at the age of 21 in 1832.

Marie Louise went on to marry Count Neipperg in 1821 and Count Charles-René de Bombelles in 1834. She died in Parma, Italy, on 17 December 1847 and is buried in Vienna.

Marie Louise as Empress of the French

Marie Louise of Austria, born on 12 December 1791 in Vienna, was the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, whom she married at the age of 18. She was the eldest daughter of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Emperor of Austria, and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Marie Louise's marriage to Napoleon was arranged to produce an heir and to establish a bond between his regime and the Habsburgs, one of Europe's oldest royal houses.

Upon her marriage to Napoleon, Marie Louise became Empress of the French, which she would remain for four years. She was relatively happy in her marriage to Napoleon, despite the circumstances, and he grew genuinely fond of her, especially when she gave birth to an heir in 1811. Marie Louise became pregnant by July 1810 and gave birth to a son, Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte, on 20 March 1811. The boy was given the title King of Rome and was nicknamed "the Eaglet". Marie Louise was devoted to her son, but rarely handled him, and he was mostly cared for by his governess, Madame de Montesquiou.

Marie Louise's life as Empress was governed by ceremony and etiquette. Josephine's chambers in all the imperial palaces were refurbished for her, and strict protocol kept her confined. She fulfilled her representative role with diligence and dignity. While Napoleon was campaigning in Russia, Marie Louise served as regent for him in Paris, although she had little real power. Napoleon returned to Paris in November 1813 following his defeat at the Battle of Leipzig, and left again on 25 January 1814, never to see his wife and son again.

In March 1814, when the allied forces were approaching Paris, Marie Louise wanted to remain in the city, but Napoleon sent a letter insisting that she and their son leave: "I would prefer to know that they were both at the bottom of the Seine, rather than in the hands of the foreigners." Marie Louise and her son left Paris and continued to Blois, accompanied by the Council of Regency and a portion of the National Guard. Marie Louise eventually learned that Napoleon had abdicated and was being exiled to the island of Elba. She would retain her title of Empress and be given the Duchies of Parma, Placentia, and Guastalla.

Marie Louise met with her father, hoping to persuade him to support Napoleon, but he persuaded her to go to Vienna with her son to rest. They arrived in May and were warmly received. Marie Louise still had hopes of joining her husband, but she was seduced by Adam Albert von Neipperg, an Austrian officer who had been sent to dissuade her from going to Elba. She and Neipperg became lovers, and she bore him two children before his death in 1829. Marie Louise married twice more after Napoleon's death in 1821, first to Neipperg and then, after Neipperg's death, to Count Charles René de Bombelles in 1834.

Marie Louise as Duchess of Parma

Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, was born Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria on 12 December 1791 at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. She was the eldest child of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor and Emperor of Austria, and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily. Marie Louise's formative years were marked by ongoing conflict between Austria and revolutionary France, which influenced her to detest France and French ideas. Despite this, she was excited to become Napoleon's wife in 1810, and their marriage brought about a brief period of peace and friendship between Austria and the French Empire.

Marie Louise became pregnant in July 1810 and gave birth to a son, Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte, on 20 March 1811. The boy was given the title King of Rome at birth and was later titled Duke of Reichstadt. Marie Louise was devoted to her son, visiting him every morning and throughout the day.

In 1813, Marie Louise was left in France as regent while Napoleon went on his campaign in Germany. She maintained a correspondence with Napoleon, informing him of increasing demands for peace in Paris and the provinces. Napoleon was decisively defeated in Leipzig in October 1813 and returned to Saint Cloud in November. In January 1814, Marie Louise was appointed regent for the second time.

Napoleon abdicated the throne on 11 April 1814 and was exiled to Elba. Marie Louise, who never saw Napoleon again, returned to Vienna with her son. The Treaty of Fontainebleau gave her sovereignty over the Duchies of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla, with her son as heir. She ignored Napoleon's pleas to join him in Elba and became estranged from him when he threatened to abduct her.

Marie Louise made her entrance in Parma on 9 April 1816. She was a liberal ruler, governing the duchy benevolently in the company of her second husband, Count Adam Albert von Neipperg, whom she married in 1821. Marie Louise largely left the running of day-to-day affairs to Neipperg, who received instructions from Metternich. She and Neipperg had three children together: Albertine, William Albert, and Mathilde. Neipperg died in 1829, and Marie Louise married Count Charles-René de Bombelles in 1834. She died in Parma on 17 December 1847 and was buried in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna.

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