Josephine Beauharnais Essay

Behind every great man lies an notwithstanding greater woman. The woman adds character to the man and also affects his actions and morality. The story of snooze Bonaparte would be incomplete without consideration of his first married woman, Josephine. She contributed so often to his development and passion because of her influence. This greatly impingemented his leadership, military victories, and and was an inspiration tail the sleepic Code. Therefore without Josephines influence, cat sleep would not have contract who he was. To examine Napoleon one must first downstairsstand Josephine Bonapartes history.Marie was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.She was a commonplace Empress and had many defining characteristics which helped to shape her life. Josephine had a great impact on Napoleons emotions which affected the decisions and actions that he made directly and indirectly. (PBS Napoleon and Josephine, http//www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/n_josephine/courtship/page_1.htm l) She made him feel secure, provided him with emotional support, and gave him confidence which in the end had a bearing on his decisions and actions. (PBS Napoleon and Josephine, http//www.pbs.org/empires/napoleon/n_josephine/emperor/page_1.html) other one of the ways in which Josephine helped Napoleon was through his military accomplishments. preliminary to meeting Josephine, Napoleon was nothing to a greater extent than a short, slight, shabby adolescent artillery man, lacking real military victories. (Mossiker, 79) Josephine allowed Napoleon to strive for more than just a mistress but love. (Mossiker, 81) His fondness for her still remained with him dismantle during his battles. After their wedding, he winnerfully conquered Italy in 1796-97. (Mossiker, 202) He continued his success conquering Egypt and this battle was epochal because France gained a lot of gold and grand gems as well as the Rosetta stone which was the key to hieroglyphic translations. (Mossiker, 134-139) piece of music Napoleon was fighting his campaigns, Josephine used her connections to Frances political leaders to elevate Napoleons political career, hosting several parties that resulted in Napoleon rapidly being promoted.That resulted in Napoleon gaining national prestige. (Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http//sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) However, Josephine was chronically unfaithful to Napoleon. Napoleon nearly ended his Italian suit early simply to return to France and confront his wife. (Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http//sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) A letter written to Josephine from Napoleon on the subject of her infidelity was published in several English newspapers, which mocked France and its ruler.Her several affairs to the highest degree led to their fall apart, but Napoleon felt that a seemingly motionless unification would further his political aspirations and the two remained married. Josephines Influence on Napoleon, http//sphseuro.blogspot.ca/2009/02josephines-influence-on-napoleon.html) Therefore, even out without her being present on the battle field, or even in the same country, it was Josephines inspirational spirit, that encouraged Napoleon passim all of his major victories against Italy and Egypt. Napoleon created a code in which reflected his morals towards the family unit and marriage.In 1803, Napoleon established his own code of laws in order to repeal previous laws that weakened marriage. (The uprightness Behind the Man, https//www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) The 1792 disjoint law was repealed and drastically changed. Before it was possible for either a maintain or wife to petition for a divorce on legion(predicate) grounds, but Napoleon changed the laws so divorce could only be petitioned for under mutual consent and incompatibility. (The Law Behind the Man, https//www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist25 5/jkr/napoleon.html) There were criteria that had to be met earlier a husband or wife could petition for a divorce on either of those grounds if it was because of incompatibility the petitioner had to show certainty of cruelty, adultery, or objected to certain humiliating forms of punishment administered by her spouse (Phillips 1988, p. 185). This is significant because it helps strengthen the family by giving both husband and wife the precedent to separate.The Napoleonic Code also emphasized the family as a performance unit. The needs and desires of the individual had been put ahead of others in the eighteenth century. (The Law Behind the Man, https//www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/jkr/napoleon.html) Napoleon heightened parental authority by requiring their permission in divorce cases and a husbands power by cut the rights of his wife. A wife.owed obedience to her husband, a husband entertainion to his wife, and that the wife was obliged by law to live with her hus band and to follow him wherever he judged it convenient to live. (Phillips 1988, p. 186) This law strengthened the family unit, giving each marriage partner specific duties and rules. Again, because of Josephines influence he created this law to protect his family by providing more structure in the family unit.Even though it may seem that Josephine did not have a more profound impact on the world as Napoleon did, her relationship with Napoleon helped to cause him to develop his military, personal, social achievements. Without Josephine, Napoleon would not have accomplished what he did and the world we know today would be drastically different.Works CitedBiography.com. A+E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Courtiers and Favourites of Royalty. N.p. n.p., n.d. Open Library. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . only demand the short 4 paged biography Empress Josephine. London Oxford UP, 1963. Print.Encyclopedia Brittanica. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. .European History. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. .Heritage History. Heritage-History, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . History Reference Centre. N.p. n.p., n.d. Ebscohost. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. . Napoleon and Josephine. N.p. Simon, n.d. Print.Bonaparte. London Allen & Unwin, n.d. Print.Empress Josephine. Cambridge Knapton, 1964. Print.Frances Mossikers Napoleon & Josephine. N.p. Frances Mossiker, 1965. Print. Napoleon. New York Aubry, 1964. Print.Napoleon Bonaparte. New York Thompson, 1952. Print.