Bonaparte, Alexandrine Jouberthon (1778–1855)

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Bonaparte, Alexandrine Jouberthon (1778–1855)

Second wife of Lucien Bonaparte. Name variations: Madame de Bleschamps. Born Alexandrine Bleschamps in 1778; died in 1855; daughter of a lawyer; daughter-in-law ofLetizia Bonaparte (1750–1836); sister-in-law of Napoleon I, emperor of France (r. 1804–1815); married Jean-François-Hippolyte Jouberthon, around 1797 (died); became second wife of Lucien Bonaparte, in May 1803 (he was first married toChristine (Boyer) Bonaparte [1773–1800]); children: (first marriage) two; (second marriage) Charles or Carlo, prince of Canino; Laetitia; Jeanne; Paul; Lucien; Pierre; Antoine; Marie; Constance; and one who died in infancy.

A beautiful, eccentric redhead, Alexandrine was, by some accounts, still married to her banker husband when she met and fell in love with Lucien Bonaparte. Pregnant with Lucien's son, she was secretly married the day after she gave birth. Napoleon, who had planned a royal marriage for his brother Lucien, demanded that he denounce Alexandrine, but Lucien refused and took her to live in Rome. Lucien was subsequently offered several crowns on the condition that he divorce Alexandrine, but the marriage endured and produced ten children.

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