BEAUHARNAIS, EUGENE DE stepson of Napoleon I., was born in Paris on Sept. 3, 1781, the son of the general Viscount Alexandre de Beauharnais (176o-94) and Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie. The father, who was born in Martinique, and served in the American War of Independence, took part in the politics of the French Revolution, and in June Aug. 1793 commanded the army of the Rhine. He was guillotined (June 23, 1794) not long before the fall of Robespierre. The marriage of his widow Josephine to Napoleon Bonaparte in March 1796 was at first resented by Eugene and his sister Hortense; but their step-father proved to be no less kind than watchful over their interests. In the Italian campaigns of 1796-97 Eugene served as aide-de-camp to Bonaparte, and accompanied him to Egypt in the same capacity. He was wounded during the siege of Acre. The intervention of Eugene and Hortense helped to bring about the reconciliation which took place in 1799 between Bonaparte and Josephine. The services rendered by Eugene at the time of the coup d'etat of Brumaire (1799) and during the Consulate (1799 1804) established his fortunes.
After the proclamation of the Empire, Eugene received the title of prince, with a yearly stipend of 200,000 francs, and became general of the cliasseurs a cheval of the Guard. A year later Eugene received the title of viceroy of Italy with large administra tive powers. In the campaign of 1809 Eugene commanded the army of Italy, with General (afterwards Marshal) Macdonald as his adlatus. The battle of Sacile, where he fought against the Austrian Army of the Archduke John, did not yield proofs of military talent on the part of Eugene or of Macdonald ; but on the retreat of the enemy into Austrian territory (owing to the disasters of their main army on the Danube) Eugene's forces pressed them vigorously and finally won an important victory at Raab in the heart of the Austrian empire. Then, joining the main army under Napoleon, on the island of Lobau in the Danube, near Vienna, Eugene and Macdonald acquitted themselves most creditably in the great battle of Wagram, July 6, 18o9. He and his Italian con tingent distinguished themselves especially at the battles of Boro dino and Malojaroslavitz in 1812 ; and Eugene's soldierly constancy and devotion to Napoleon shone out conspicuously in 1813-14, especially by contrast with the tergiversations of Murat. On the downfall of Napoleon Eugene retired to Munich, where he contin ued to reside, with the title duke of Leuchtenberg and prince of Eichstadt. He died in 1824, leaving two surviving sons and three daughters by his wife Augusta of Bavaria.