Duchess of Baltimore Betsy Bonaparte
and the Emporor of France
Had it not been for Napoleon Bonaparte, Betsy Patterson
of Baltimore might have borne a royal title. Visting
Maryland, the last stop of an American tour, in 1803,
Napoleon's youngest brother, Jerome, was so smitten by
Betsy that he married her. Napoleon, newly crowned as
emporor of France, however, had other plans. He
intended to marry his siblings off to royalty, install
them on their own thrones, and create a transcontinental,
imperial family. Jerome's rash marriage was not part of
that grand plan, and Napoleon demanded that he return to
Europe- alone.
Trusting that his brother would relent once he met Betsy,
Jerome sailed home with his bride. But when his ship
landed in Portugal, he was ordered to proceed to France
without her. Betsy, six months pregnant, traveled on to
London where she gave birth to a son,
Jerome
Napoleon Bonaparte, known as Bo, and eventually
returned to the United States.
Once the marriage had been annulled, Jerome was wed to a
German princess. Betsy, on the other hand, never
remarried. Having once been married to the brother of an
emperor, she haughtily explained, "I had not the meaness
of spirit to descend from such an elevation to the
deplorable condition of being the wife of an American."
Fellow Baltimoreans snidely referred to her as
"the duchess," but she ignored them.
Betsy petitioned Napoleon for a title and a pension, and
though he refused her the title, he did pay her 60,000 francs
a year until his abdication in 1814. Investing the money
carefully, Betsy lived in comfort with Bo on both sides
of the Atlantic and later put her son through Harvard.
In her old age she was still shrewdly tending her
investments. "Once I had everything but money," she
quipped at 90. "Now I have nothing but money."
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The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
Jerome sailed home with his bride. But when his ship
landed in Portugal, he was ordered to proceed to France
without her. Betsy, six months pregnant, traveled on to
London where she gave birth to a son,
Jerome
German princess. Betsy, on the other hand, never
remarried. Having once been married to the brother of an
emperor, she haughtily explained, "I had not the meaness
of spirit to descend from such an elevation to the
deplorable condition of being the wife of an American."
Fellow Baltimoreans snidely referred to her as
"the duchess," but she ignored them.
though he refused her the title, he did pay her 60,000 francs
a year until his abdication in 1814. Investing the money
carefully, Betsy lived in comfort with Bo on both sides
of the Atlantic and later put her son through Harvard.
In her old age she was still shrewdly tending her
investments. "Once I had everything but money," she
quipped at 90. "Now I have nothing but money."
Discovering America's Past
Napoleon Bonaparte Vain Glory
The French Revolution Napoleon Bonaparte
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Napoleon Bonaparte Battle of Morengo
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Betsy Bonaparte Duchess of Baltimore
Coming Soon! The Women Napoleon Bonaparte Loved
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4th of July Celebration
Declaration of Independence
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Betsy Ross
The American Revolution
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