NAPOLEON’S RELATIVES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20644, 16 February 1929, Page 5

NAPOLEON’S RELATIVES.

THEIR SHARE IN HIS CAREER. _ When Napoleon wrote to one of his sisters that his family was a public family he was giving expression to a truth with wider implications than ho dreamt. No one can study his life without realising the important part played in it by his brothers and sisters. It was his genius that brought them on the stage of history, and although he kept them revolving round him like obedient satellites, their influence on his career and final downfall was greater than is generally believed. Not many of the current biographies of Napoleon give proper weight to this aspect of things, but Mr Walter Geer stresses it in his “Napoleon and His Family” (says a reviewer in the Melbourne Age). The sub-title proclaims Mr Geer’s viewpoint, “ The Story of a Corsican Clan." Napoleon is the central figure, the dominating personality, but the group about him Lave much to say and do, and are never quite out of the picture. Mr Geer promised three volumes on this perpetually enthralling theme, and the second has just appeared. Though a goodly-sized book, it covers the period only from 1809 to 1813, or to state it in terms of events, from Madrid to Moscow. When one remembers that Napoleon had four brothers and three sisters, all ( of them insistent on rights and privileges and keen on something more than reflected glory, it is easy to realise the difficulty of maintaining interest in the main actor and yet doing justice to all the lesser lights. To a surprising degree Mr Geer accomplishes the double task, keeps his narrative' well in hand in short, crisp chapters, avoids undue detail, and leaves the impression of a well-told tale. When occasion demands a whole chapter is devoted to the crises which happened in a few months, and in the life of Napoleon this was no rare occurrence.

Joseph, the eldest brother, was transferred from the throne of Naples to that of Spain in 1809, where he had a miserable time owing to his military incapacity, disregard of Napoleon’s orders, troubles with the marshals and the wavering policy of the Emperor. Finally, as Napoleon bcame more and more entangled in the Russian maze, he was less able to help Joseph. The volume closes at the point at which Napoleon criticises the military operations in Spain and confesses he can give no assistance. The truth is he felt he ought to demand the abdication of Joseph, but could not make up his mind to take the decisive step. Lucicn, the brother younger than Napoleon, a man of marked ability and conceit, showed a spirit of independence which did him credit. The whole Bonaparte family hated Josephine, and only a Corsican wife for the Emperoi would have satisfied them. Madame, the name always given to Napoleon’s mother, urged Lucicu to send his daughter Charlotte to Paris. The family plan was to marry the Emperor to his own niece. Lucien refused to send his daughter, refused to divorce his wife at Napoleon’s request, and finally, as he and the Emperor had no confidence in each other, sailed for Sardinia, was arrested hy the English, had a friendly reception in London, purchased an estate near'Worcester, and lived there till his fortunes sank to their lowest ebb. Lucicn imagined that the whole family, the Emperor included, owed their grandeur and honours to him. and now. he complained, they wanted to treat him like a “prodigal son.” After such an insolent letter he got his passports, and when Napoleon heard of Lucien’s arrival in England he ordered his name to be struck from the list of senators and from the rolls of the Legion d’Honneur. Louis, the next brother, was made King of Holland, and learned that Napoleon’s only aim in setting his brothers on the thrones of Europe was to augment the glory of France and the Emperor. To Napoleon self-determination of nationalities was a principle not to be tolerated for a mofnent. His dynasty was to be eternal. Louis, too, felt that he held his throne by divine right. He had received it from God. not from the Emperor. A clash and a rupture were inevitable. Louis abdicated, fled to Austria, refused to return to France, declined the Emperor’s allowance, and thought of America as other members of the family did. .He had literary gifts, but was too much of a Napoleon to work happily with the Emperor. If Joseph was cursed by incapacity, the same fatal limitation belonged to Jerome, the next brother. In the Austrian war, instead of marching with the advacne guard, he was, as Napoleon complained, “ making war like a satrap.” He was relieved of his command. In the Russian campaign he signally failed to press his frontal attack, and so wrecked Napoleon’s plan in its very first stages. Jerome was disrated to the second place, a high enough honour for a carpet knight. His incompetence was the main factor in producing the catastrophe of the frozen retreat. In spite, however, of his military incapacity, Jerome was the only brother who always remained devoted to the Emperor,

What about the Emperor's sisters during this period of strain and stress? The eldest sister, Elisa, was made Grand Duchess of Tuscany, but chafed under the restrictions imposed upon her, quarrelled with the Emperor, with increasing years became positively‘ugly, and was not much concerned about the Russian disaster. She went on with the embellishment of her palace at Lucca.

Pauline, some three years younger, was famous for an intrigue with Torbin; for a romance with her teacher of music and other flirtations which caused Napoleon much irritation. He was kept busy banishing her lovers to distant appointments.

Caroline, the youngest sister, became Queen oi Naples and wife of General Murat, and was another member of the family who caused the Emperor, no little trouble. She had a fertile brain and an ambitious nature, which did not hesitate to plan that Murat should succeed Napoleon. To do this she set about the seduction of General Junot, Governor of Paris, and was also particularly attentive to Metternich, Napoleon banished Junot, and placated Caroline by giving Murat the_ throne of- Naples, and gartitying her desire to he a queen. In Naples she began to intrigue against her husband. She was selfish, cold, calculating, and Talleyrand said of her that “ she had a head of Cromwell upon the shoulders of a pretty woman.” She was unmoral rather than immoral, very poorly educated, and quite unfamiliar with a noble sentiment, Murat was compelled by her infidelities to separate from her, and Napoleon was placed in a difficult position. Caroline was the sister who had proved most agreeable and serviceable, and Murat had no peer as a leader of cavalry. , The day. of reckoning was postponed, but Napoleon knew that Murat had dared to aliirm his independence. The continual scandals in which the sisters of the Emperor were involved created strong disaffection bn the part of the masses towards Napoleon, and one historian is firmly of opinion that it would have been better for Napoleon had he never had any sisters and brothers.

The fate of Louis and the danger threatening Joseph and Jerome scared Caroline and Murat into reconciliation, and she posted olf to Paris to placate the Emperor. She succeeded, and later as regent at Naples showed herself a clever woman of affairs. All the while, however, she was at one with Murat in desiring the emancipation of the crown.

Mr Geer sot out to prove that Napoleon was impeded by his brothers and sisters. Some were incapable, some were traitors, and all of them were more or less possessed of insistent egotism. Well might Napoleon have used the common saying: Life would be tolerable but for one’s relations!