JOSEPHINE, MARIE ROSE, empress of the French, was b. June 23, 1763, in the island of Martinique, where her father, Tachcr de la Pagerie, was rapt. of the port at St. Pierre. She had only an indifferent colonial education; but her qualities of mind and heart, even more than her beauty, won universal regard. When about 15 years of age she came to France, and soon after married the viscount Alexandre Beauharnais; of which marriage were born Eugene, viceroy of Italy, and Hortense, queen of Holland, and mother of the emperor Napoleon III. Josephine's husband having been executed during the reign of terror, she herself just escaped through the events of 91.11 Thermidor •(July 27, 1794). She was married, Mar. 9, 1796, to Napoleon Bonaparte, accompanied him in some of his campaigns, and exercised a great influence in restraining him from measures of violence and severity. At Malmaison, and afterWards at the Luxembourg and the Tuileries, she attracted round her the most brilliant society of France, and contributed not a little to the increase of her husband's power. She regarded his
.exaltation to the throne, however, with a presentiment of evil; and from the day of lier. becoming empress, seemed to dread that political motives might lead him taseek the .dissolution of a marriage which had proved unfruitful. After scenes of the most pain ful kind this took place. The marriage was dissolved by law on Dec. 16, 1809. Josephine retained the title of empress, corresponded with Bonaparte, and if the allied sovereigns had _permitted would have rejoined him after his fall. She lived near Evreux, and died, after a short illness, on Iday•29, 1814. Compare Ifistoire de l'Imper atrice Josephine (2 vols. Paris, 1859), by M. J. Aubenas.