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Lui Napoleon BoanapartFrench Emperor (1852-1870), nephew of Napoleon I
Date of Birth: 20.04.1808
Country:  France |
Content:
- Biography of Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III)
- Early Life
- In Exile
- Presidency and Empire
- The Reign
- Downfall
- Legacy
Biography of Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (Napoleon III)
Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, also known as Napoleon III, was a French emperor from 1852 to 1870. He was the nephew of Napoleon I.
Early Life
Born in 1808, Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was the result of the marriage between Hortense de Beauharnais and Louis Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napoleon. His mixed heritage, with a mulatto grandmother and a Corsican father, promised him exotic and southern beauty. However, he was born weak and fragile, and his birth circumstances hinted at a challenging life ahead.
In Exile
After the fall of Napoleon in 1815, Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte lived in exile. His father's death in 1832 propelled the Bonapartists to consider him as the rightful heir to the French throne. Driven by the intoxicating taste and scent of power, he attempted two Bonapartist revolts in 1836 and 1840. However, he was captured, convicted, and sentenced to lifelong imprisonment. After spending six years in relatively comfortable conditions, he escaped to his familiar refuge, England.
Presidency and Empire
In February 1848, when the French people overthrew Louis Philippe, Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was ready to seize the opportunity. A skilled manipulator and intriguer, he managed to get himself elected as the President of the Second Republic. Standing out from the dullness of other candidates, Napoleon III appeared to be a fresh political figure.
Exactly one year after his election, Napoleon III followed in his uncle's footsteps and orchestrated his own "18 Brumaire." He dissolved the Legislative Assembly and established a regime of personal power. Shortly after, he proclaimed himself Emperor Napoleon III and declared the Second Empire in France.
The Reign
As a Bonaparte by blood and calling, Napoleon III skillfully maneuvered in both foreign and domestic politics. Within the country, he oppressed some while providing for others, even caring for the poorest segments of society. He constructed a unique regime of semi-liberalism, relying on a powerful apparatus of violence and press censorship. He sought to release the steam of passions externally, engaging in colonial adventures in Syria, Mexico, and Indochina. In alliance with England, he confronted Russia in the Crimean War.
Napoleon III's only emotional attachment was to his wife, Eugenie de Montijo, a beautiful Spanish woman whom he married in 1853. She was 18 years his junior, and their marriage was shrouded in mystery, involving a golden ring that belonged to Josephine Bonaparte, which may have been a gift or a stolen item. According to the romantic version, it was through this family ring that the young Louis Napoleon recognized his future spouse.
Downfall
On September 2, 1870, Napoleon III, severely ill and incapacitated due to kidney disease, surrendered to the Prussians in the Battle of Sedan. It marked a total and irreparable collapse of everything he had undertaken. The most significant tangible remnant of the Napoleon III era were the 20-franc coins, called "Napoleons," weighing 5.8 grams of pure gold, featuring the emperor's profile on the reverse. Although they were initially minted during his uncle's reign, they serve as a reminder of his nephew.
Legacy
Perceptive French citizens noticed a pattern: whenever an empire was established in France, things started off very well, but eventually ended badly. Since then, they have opted for numbered republics - the Third, Fourth, Fifth - with an interruption for German occupation and the Temporary Government of de Gaulle.
