11. Napoleon never wanted to break-up with Josephine, but their split changed the course of European history
The romance between Napoleon and his beloved Josephine is often held up as one of history’s greatest love stories. The military genius clearly adored his partner, as the many letters he wrote to her attest. They wed in 1796, when he was 26 and she was a 32-year-old widow. And, even though both of them had affairs on the side, they remained in love for 13 years. However, in 1806, Napoleon petitioned for a divorce. He decided that they needed to break-up as Josephine was unable to provide him – and, therefore, France – with a male heir.
With a heavy heart, Josephine agreed to the request. Napoleon even arranged a ‘divorce ceremony’ to mark the occasion. Here, the Emperor thanked his ex-wife for 13 happy years. Before long, Napoleon had married again. His new bride, 19-year-old Marie Louise of Austria, did indeed provide him with a son, guaranteeing that the bloodline would be continued. That boy would grow up to be Napoleon II. However, he would only rule over France for a few weeks in the summer of 1815, and even then he was just the titular head of state.