BONAPARTE (pron. in Ital. in four syllables; in Eng., usually in three), FA31ILY OF. In the tali e., and afterwards, several families named B. appear in Italian records—at Florence, San Miniato, Sarzano, and Genoa; and towards the close of the 15th c., branch of the Genoese B. family settled at Ajaecio, Corsica, where they occupied a respectable position as patricians, padre del commune or cilladini; in the middle of the 16th century. In the 18th c., this family was represented by three male descendants, all residing at Ajaccio: the archdeacon, Lucien 13.; his brother, Napoleon H.; and their nephew, Charles.—CHAULES BONAPARTE, father of the emperor Napoleon, was born Mar 29, 1740; studied law at Pisa; and married in 1767—without the consent of his uncles—a beautiful young patrician, named Letizia Hamlin°. In 1768, he removed with his family, accompanied by his uncle Napoleon. to Corte, in order to assist gem. Paoli in defending the island against the French invasion. As the French prevailed. and further resistance was useless, Charles 13. attached himself to the French interest, and in 1771 was included by Louis X'c. in the election of 400 Corsican families to form a nobility. In 1773, through the inthienee of Marireuf, governor of Corsica, Charles B. was appointed royal counselor and assessor of the town and province of Ajaceio. In 177Z, he was a member of the deputation of Corsican nobles to the court of France. In this capacity Ile resided for sonic time in Paris, where he gained for his son Napoleon, through the interest of count Marloomf, a free admission into the military school at Brienne. In 1779, lie returned to Corsica, and in 1785 went to Montpellier, for the benefit of his health, where he died of cancer in the stomach. Feb. 24, 1785. Ile was a man of prepossessing exterior and amiable character. By his marriage with Letizia, lie left eight children: Joseph B., king of Spain; Napoleon (q.v.), emperor of tne French; Lucien B., prince of Canino; Maria Anna (afterwards named Elise), princess of Lucca and Pimnbino. wife of prince BACei0elli; B., king of Holland; Carlotta (afterwards
named Marie Pauline), princess Borgliese; Annunciata (afterwauls named Caroline), wife of Murat, king of Naples; Jerome B., king of Westphalia. These members of the B. family, with the children of Beanharnais (q.v.), adopted by the emperor Napoleon when he married Josephine, are distinguished as the Nopoleonida of modern French history. By a decree of the senate, Nov. 0, 1804, the right of succession to the throne was restricted to Napoleon and his brothers Joseph and Louis, with their offspring. Luelen.and Jerome were excluded on account of their unequal marriages. Napoleon intended to give the right of succession also to Lucien, by the additional act of April 22, 1815; but this was never concluded. As Joseph, the eldest brother of the emperor, had no son, the descend ants of Louis became nearest heirs to the throne.--:qattla LETIZIA RAMOLINO, 1110ther of Napoleon L. lived to see her family placed on the thrones of Europe, and also witnessed their downfall. She was born at Ajaccio, Aug. 24, 1750. After the death of her hus band, she lived for some time in Corsica, and in 1793, when the island came under British rule, removed with her family to Marseilles, where she lived in poverty, mainly supported be the pension given to Corsican refugees. After her son became tirst consul, she removed to Paris, and when her son was crowned in 1804. received the title madame mere. A brilliant court-household was given to her, which, however, was never pleas ing to her modest tastes. former adversities. and foreboding reverses of the Splendid success of her sons, site was prepared fcr all that followed. After the downfall of Napoleon, Letizia lived with her step-brother, cardinal Fesch, in winter at Route, and in summer at Albano, and submitted to her change of fortune with remark able dignity, She died Feb. 2, 1836, leaving a considerable property, the result of saving habits during prosperity.