The Bonaparte Women – The daughters of Lucien Bonaparte




charlotte bonaparte
(public domain)

Lucien Bonaparte, a younger brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, was married twice and fathered a total of seven daughters (and seven sons). His first wife Christine Boyer died in 1800 of pulmonary disease. She was pregnant at the time, and the child died with her. He remarried to Alexandrine de Bleschamp in 1803.

Charlotte 

The Bonaparte Women – Charlotte Bonaparte Gabrielli

Victoire Gertrude

(born and died 9 July 1797)

Victoire Gertrude was the second daughter of Lucien Bonaparte and Christine Boyer. Though Victoire died the day of her birth, a bust was made of her with the inscription, “I shall see her again.” There is a painting where Christine is shown with the bust.

Christine Egypta

Christine Egypta was born on 18 October 1798, and she was nicknamed “Lili” in the family. She married on 28 March 1818 to Count Arvid Posse, but that marriage was annulled in 1823. During their marriage, they lived at Fogelvik. On 20 July 1824, she remarried to Lord Dudley Stuart, the youngest son of John Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute. Their only son Paul Amadeus Francis Coutts Stuart died childless in 1889. Christine Egypta died on 19 May 1847 in Rome.

Letizia

Letizia was born on 1 December 1804 to Lucien’s second wife, Alexandrine. She married Sir Thomas Wyse on 4 March 1821. They had met during Thomas’ grand tour of Europe and had married in Italy before returning to his home in Waterford. They had at least two sons together: Napoleon Alfred Bonaparte-Wyse and William Charles Bonaparte-Wyse. They were poorly matched and separated in 1828, though they never officially divorced. Letizia moved to London after the separation, and she never saw her husband again. Her sons were raised by her husband’s brother and sister-in-law. Letizia threw herself into a lake in an apparent suicide and was rescued by Captain Studholme John Hodgson who became her lover. They went on to have three children Marie Bonaparte-Wyse, Adelina Bonaparte Wyse and Lucien Bonaparte-Wyse. Their children carried the last name Wyse because Letizia was still officially married.1

She died on 15 March 1871 in misery in an Augustinian convent in Paris.2

Jeanne

Jeanne was born on 22 July 1807. Unfortunately, very little is known about her. She married Marquis Honoré Honorati in  June 1825 and moved to Jesi in Italy. She died after falling ill after a carnival ball and died on 22 September 1829, at the age of just 22.

Marie Alexandrine

Marie Alexandrine was born on 10 October 1818. During her teenage years, she left home against her mother’s wishes. She married a count from Canino named Vincenzo Valentini on 29 July 1836. They went on to have two sons and two daughters together. Marie was known to be an author and a poet. She died on 20 August 1874 in Florence.

Constance

Constance was born on 30 January 1823 as the last child of Lucien and Alexandrine. She became a nun and Abbess of the Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome. She died on 5 September 1876.

  1. The Book of Thomases by Dr Thomas Clough Daffern p.295
  2. Napoleon and the rebel: a story of brotherhood, passion, and power by Marcello Simonetta p.265






About Moniek Bloks 2869 Articles
My name is Moniek and I am from the Netherlands. I began this website in 2013 because I wanted to share these women's amazing stories.

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