Carmi on "My Napoleon Obsession" writes a delightful blog. All her posts are brief and visually attractive. The latest Stunning Cameo Tiara, is about the tiara recently worn by the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria at her wedding.
This tiara has been in the Swedish Royal family since the early nineteenth century.
It was apparently originally given by Napoleon to the Empress Joséphine, and passed into the hands of her grandaughter, Josephine of Leuchtenberg (Joséphine Maximilienne Eugénie Napoléone,1807– 1876). (1)
In 1823 Joséphine and her jewelry came to Sweden when she married Joseph François Oscar Bernadotte (1799-1859), who also happened to be Napoleon's godson. In 1844, on the death of his father Jean Bernadotte, Joseph became Oscar I of Sweden and Norway.
Jean Bernadotte (Charles XIV of Sweden and from 1818 Carl III Johan of Norway ), had of course been one of Napoleon's marshalls.
Bernadotte's wife and Joseph's mother was none other than Desirée Clary, Napoleon's first love to whom he had at one point been engaged.
Desirée's sister married Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte.
What a complicated set of relationships!
When Joséphine arrived in Sweden in 1823 the name Napoléone was removed, but the Swedes kept the jewels! If ever they wished to sell them I think they would fetch a tidy sum.
It always amazes me how the European Royal Families all seem connected either to Queen Victoria and/or the Empress Josephine.
Anyway thanks to Carmi for another interesting post.
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1. Her father was Eugène de Beauharnais, The Empress's son by her first marriage. Her mother was Princess Augusta of Bavaria. Through her mother Joséphine was also a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden, Charles IX of Sweden and of Christian II of Denmark.
2 comments:
You summed that up brilliantly...I can't believe how many of the Napoleon children and nieces and nephews inter-married. Josephine really did make a brilliant match in the long run!
As a reminder, all these European crowned heads have -really- nothing to do with Napoleon bloodline directly (e.g. children and nieces). Because, on the side of Bernadotte, it was his marshall (who then turned the arms against France and, at some point in 1814, thought that the Allies will put the crown of France over his head...). And on the other side, of Eugene, it was Josephine's son, but not Napoleon's. Eugene, once married to the daughter of the King of Bavaria, didn't want to have anything to do much with Napoleon. During the 100-day period, he stayed put in Bavaria. Didn't help much of the napoleonic former friends later either. He was said to be very rich and only pre-occupied of making sure that his children will find suitable match with other crowned heads in Europe. His daughter eventually married the heir of Swedish throne, indeed.
Bernadotte and Eugene are not my favoured characters ;-)
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