Joséphine was actually a name given to Madame de Beauharnais by Napoleon. She was born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerieon on June 23rd 1763 on the French island colony of Martinique. She was called Rose during her childhood, and after her first marriage, Rose de Beauharnais. Joséphine and her famous husband, the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, are well documented by historians, and portrayed in many films and novels. She was a singular woman who had an unusual background compared to some of the other women of the era. Her life was one of powerful influence, as author Anne Higonnet has chronicled in her recent book, Liberty Equality Fashion: The Women Who Styled the French Revolution. External Joséphine was tremendously influential in the fashion world and the new Empire style that emerged from the French Revolution. She was daring and brave, but also had a tender-heartedness that allowed her to form life-long friendships and loyalties. Her relatively humble upbringing, in comparison with most of the Parisian nobility, gave her a casual rather than imperious manner. She had a relatively informal and carefree early life as a young girl. As a result, she was more comfortable in less formal situations and only with time and necessity did she learn to carry herself like a regal empress. Yet, it was likely her approachable and affectionate manner that first drew Napoleon to her. She was able to make the somewhat awkward — if brilliant — young Napoleon feel more comfortable and perhaps their easy and authentic dynamic won his life-long devotion. Napoleon was not fond of what he saw as overly educated women. While Joséphine was certainly politically and diplomatically shrewd, she was not an avid reader or a political thinker compared to her contemporaries such as Germaine de Staël (who Napoleon could not stand). Napoleon liked that about her. Six years his senior, divorced, and with two children, his family did not approve of his choice of wife, but his ardent feelings for her could not be swayed.

Unlike continental France, where rules and societal norms were strictly enforced, in Martinique Joséphine was granted more liberty. In many ways these formative years would shape who she became — an empress who still had the capacity for humility and empathy. She brought her favorite servant, Euphémie with her to Paris from the Antilles (the name for the Caribbean territories at that time). Even while becoming one of the most powerful women in history, she retained a humanity that was deeply endearing to those around her. Her unhappy marriage in 1779 to vicomte Alexandre de Beauharnais, (who was executed during the French Revolution) gave her two children: her son Eugène and her daughter, Hortense. During the Reign of Terror in 1794 the Committee of Public Safety arrested Joséphine and imprisoned her for supposed ties to the Counter-Revolution. While in prison she met Thérésia Cabarrus (who later became Madame Tallien after her marriage to Jean-Lambert Tallien) and it was in fact through Thérésia's powerful influence over Tallien (with whom she was having an affair), that both ladies were freed from prison. Thérésia wrote a strong admonishment from prison to M. Tallien, about his inability to stand up to Robespierre and the excesses of the Jacobins. Probably buoyed by her urging, M. Tallien initiated the Thermidorian Reaction against Robespierre and initiated the end of The Terror. Joséphine managed to survive the French Revolution despite her associations (through her husband) with the French aristocracy. She was well-suited to downplaying her aristocratic ties and refashioning herself as young citoyenne Beauharnais in simple gowns of red and blue. During this time, she wore her hair in the natural style (un-powdered) and had the pragmatic look of an ideal revolutionary woman in her simple dress. While she did not have strong political views per se, or any true passion for abolishing the monarchy (or aristocratic privileges) she did not typically share her political views and spent her energies instead securing powerful allies and ensuring her own safety, and the safety of her children.

Amazingly, in 1796, within two years of imprisonment, Joséphine would be married to Napoleon and find herself one of the most influential women of her time. Her interest in fashion and natural style increased her enormous popularity in France and among the people. Despite her less ostentatious dress, she purportedly spent far more than Marie Antoinette on her clothing. Along with Juliette Récamier and Thérésia, Joséphine circulated in the most important circles of political power. There were plenty of powerful men who she would tangle with, and even her relationship with Napoleon was full of scheming. Before her marriage to Napoleon she had affairs (as did her friends) with political men of power such as Paul Barras. Her soft power complemented Napoleon's hard rule. Sadly, as is so common in European history, the issue of a male heir became an urgent matter. Most likely for health reasons and age, Joséphine was unable to bear more children. Napoleon and his advisors became desperate and Joséphine herself was well aware of the significance of a male son. Various schemes coming to no good end, Napoleon was forced to annul his marriage to Joséphine in what was reported as a solemn and sad ceremony. In 1810 Napoleon married the young Austrian duchess, Marie Louise who gave him a son. Their son Napoleon II would not live past 21 and would only rule over France for a disputed few weeks in 1815 due to Napoleon's defeat. Joséphine's daughter however, had married Napoleon's brother and their son (Napleon's nephew) would go on to rule France as Napoleon III after a roundabout climb to power and an unceremonious end in the humiliating 1871 Prussian War (that also tied into the Paris Commune). Joséphine herself would live out her days at the Château de Malmaison External near Paris. Despite the affairs and the betrayals, Napoleon never forgot her, and reportedly at his death bed he uttered her name along with a short list of things he deemed sacred, France and the French Army being foremost among them.

For an overview of French women in history and the evolution of the French feminist movement, please see the research guide Feminism & French Women in History, and the section in this guide, Fashion During the French Revolution.

You can identify additional material by searching the Library of Congress Online Catalog using the following heading:

Josephine, Empress, consort of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1763-1814]