Napoleon’s second marriage

Napoleon was adamant that the surest way to maintain the institutions he had created to modernize France after the Revolution, was to restore a form of monarchy and have a son that would continue his work. Sadly, Josephine could not give him a child.

A second marriage with a European princess would also help forge an alliance and strengthen the position of France. Among the countries that were considered was Austria, which made sense with regards to pacifying the relations that had gone sour during the French Revolution…

So on 1st and 2nd April 1810, Napoleon married Marie-Louise of Austria (First the civil marriage, and the next day, the religious ceremony). Being a Habsburg, she was the great-niece of the last Queen of France. In other words, this marriage made Napoleon the great-nephew of Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI...