From Heartbreak to Happiness: Princess Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg

Princess Augusta of Bavaria, Duchess of Leuchtenberg (Augusta Amalia Ludovika Georgia von Bayern; Strasbourg, France, 21st June 1788 - Munich, Germany, 13th May 1851)

Princess Augusta of Bavaria by Joseph Karl Stieler

In this, the week of the 199th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, we find ourselves once more meeting members of the extended Bonaparte family. We have previously made the acquaintance of the Emperor's stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais, and today seemed like a nice moment to meet Eugène's wife, Princess Augusta of Bavaria.

Augusta was born to Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt. She lost her mother when she was just eight years old and though Maximilian married Princess Caroline of Baden, it took some years for the young Augusta to get used to her stepmother. From the start, it was intended that she would make a good dynastic match. Initially the young woman was promised to Charles, heir to the Grand Dukedom of Baden and brother of her stepmother. However, Napoleon had other ideas and prevailed upon Maximilian to offer his daughter as a bride for Eugène.

The Marriage of Eugene de Beauharnais and Princess Augusta by Francois Guillaume Menageot

Although Augusta and Charles were very fond of one another, Maximilian eventually capitulated and on 14th January 1806, Munich saw the lavish wedding ceremony that joined Augusta and Eugène. The young bride was distraught at the loss of the man she had come to adore but agreed to the wedding as a matter of national duty, recognising the importance to her father and the territories that would become his.

Despite its political beginnings, it is my pleasure to say that the marriage was, in fact, a happy one. They fell in love almost immediately and eventually had seven children, six of whom survived childhood. The joyful marriage was ended only by the death of Eugène in 1824. Throughout his final illness, he was nursed by his devoted wife, who was at his side when he passed away.

Augusta never fully recovered from the loss of her husband and retired into a quiet life. For two decades she devoted herself to philanthropy and faith before, finally, she too passed away.

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A Lucky Accident for Joseph von Fraunhofer

Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria (Schwetzingen, Baden, 27th May 1756 - Munich, Bavaria, 13th October 1825)

Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820

Today we make the reacquaintance of Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, a king who was well-liked by his subjects and court. He was a a monarch who loved to mingle with the citizens of his country and on the anniversary of his birthday, it seems apt to share a story that demonstrates the very personal interest he took in the lives of those over whom he reigned.

On 21st July 1801 the house of glassmaker Philipp Anton Weichelsberger collapsed. Buried beneath the rubble of the building was Weichelsberger's 14 year old apprentice, Joseph von Fraunhofer. Rushing to the scene of the disaster, Maximilian directed the rescue efforts at the scene of the catastrophe and the young lad was pulled from the wreckage, shaken but alive. Also present at the rescue was Joseph von Utzschneider, a prominent figure in the world of glassmaking and between Utzschneider and Maximilian, the young man's life was to be transformed.

Joseph von Fraunhofer

Maximilian took a personal interest in the future welfare of Fraunhofer and donated money and books in order that he might continue his studies. He prevailed upon Weichelsberger, a stern taskmaster, to allow his apprentice time away from work to study under Utzschneider's care. With Maximilian's financial and moral support, Fraunhofer was eventually able to leave the employ of Weichelsberger and become apprentice to Utzschneider instead. 

It was to prove a fateful decision; the young man who had been rescued from the remains of his master's house went onto become famed for his experiments, inventions and discoveries in the field of optical instrumentation and science. His name lives on today, immortalised in  Fraunhofer Lines, a scientific term still used by scientists to this day.

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Diplomatic Flip Flops: Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria

Maximilian I (Maximilian Joseph; Schwetzingen, Germany, 27th May 1756 – Munich, Germany, 13th October 1825)

Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria by Joseph Stieler, 1822

After yesterday's flights of fancy we are firmly back on solid ground today with no trace of or need for a parachute! I've had the girl get the best china out again in honour of another royal guest, a member of the very grand-sounding house of Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld... try saying that after a few clarets!

The boy who would become Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria was born to Count Palatine Frederick Michael of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld and Maria Francisca of Sulzbach; as has been the case with so many of our noble guests, the young man's education was focussed on preparing him for a military life in the service of his country. His schooling was supervised by his uncle, Duke Christian IV of Zweibrücken, and the boy proved himself an able and dedicated student. 

A follower of enlightenment and sympathetic to many French policies, Maximilian entered French army at the rank of colonel and rose swiftly up the career ladder. However, when Revolution came to France and some serious sabre rattling could be heard coming from the direction of Austria, the young man found himself under pressure to change allegiance. Eventually he resigned his commission and joined the Austrian army instead, though his he would eventually become allied with Napoleon himself.

Auguste Wilhelmine Marie of Hesse-Darmstadt and her Youngest Children

In 1785 Maximilian married Auguste Wilhelmine Marie of Hesse-Darmstadt, with whom he had five children; she died in 1796 aged just 31 and the following year he married again, this time to Karoline Friederike Wilhelmine of Baden, later to have eight children with her husband. The couple enjoyed many happy years together and Karoline was notable among Bavarian consorts as she was the only one to remain a Protestant throughout her marriage.

With the death of his brother, Charles II, on 1st April 1795, Maximilian became Duke of Zweibrücken. Four years later he acquired a very impressive collection of new titles if not the land to go with them when the death of Elector of Bavaria Charles Theodore saw Maximilian become Elector of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine, the Arch-Steward of the Empire, and Duke of Berg. Almost immediately Maximilian enacted a sweeping programme of reform across an enormous range of policies and procedures including criminal justice, religion, taxation and education. A born organiser, Maximilian and his minister, Maximilian, Graf von Montgelas, gathered together the disparate territories of Bavaria and began to create a coherent, united Bavarian state.

Karoline Friederike Wilhelmine of Baden

Maximilian founded both the Academy of Fine Arts and the National Theatre in Munich and prided himself on his easy relationship with his subjects. He would often walk through the city and chat to the people he encountered, winning their loyalty and respect due to his down to earth manner and abiding interest in their stories, regardless of their social status. He even personally intervened in efforts to rescue a boy trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building, changing that young man's life in the process.

As his reign went on and Austria made repeated efforts to move into Bavarian territory, Maximilian allied himself with Napoleon and agreed to a marriage between his own daughter and Eugène de Beauharnais. Napoleon rewarded his loyalty in 1806 when Maximilian was given the title of King and a generous parcel of land to seal the deal. He remained an ally of Napoleon until the Treaty of Ried in 1813 when France's defeat in Russia saw Maximilian switch sides in return for an Austrian guarantee that his kingdom would be safe. However, the Treaty was set aside at the Congress of Vienna when Maximilian found himself forced to hand over large amounts of territory once more.

Despite his territorial disputes and disappointments, Maximilian remained hugely popular with the Bavarian people. He died in 1825 in his beloved Nymphenburg Palace and was laid to rest at the Theatinerkirche in Munich amid much mourning.  and was succeeded on the throne by his son, Ludwig, whose own reign would end in abdication.

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Marriage, War and Living up to Napoleon: Eugène de Beauharnais

Eugène Rose de Beauharnais (Paris, France, 3rd September 1781 – Munich, Bavaria, 21st February 1824)

Eugène de Beauharnais  by Andrea Appiani, 1810

We met a lady by the name of de Beauharnais just a few days ago and now it's time to meet a gentleman by the same name. We're staying in France and not straying too far from Napoleon as we say happy birthday to Eugène Rose de Beauharnais.

Eugène was the eldest child of Alexandre de Beauharnais, later to die on the revolutionary guillotine, and Joséphine Tascher de la Pagerie, better known to history as the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. When his mother and father were incarcerated during the Reign of Terror, Eugène's time was devoted to his military education,  initially under General Lazare Hoche and then at the Collège Irlandais.

Eugène de Beauharnais  by Henry Scheffer, 1906

Eugène first encountered Napoleon when he requested an audience to demand the return of Alexandre's sword, taken from him at his arrest. The young man was thoroughly was unimpressed with Napoleon at that meeting but the feeling was far from mutual. Impressed with Eugène's loyalty and courage, Napoleon duly saw to it that the sword was returned.

Already making a name for himself as a soldier, following his mother's marriage to Napoleon, Eugène's career improved in leaps and bounds. Although he initially disliked his new stepfather, he went on to fight alongside Napoleon in Egypt, where he was wounded at the Siege of Acre in 1799. The young man's injuries caused him to return to Paris where he found his mother and Napoleon at odds, each furious at the infidelities of the other. Proving himself a shrewd negotiator on the domestic front Eugène brought the couple back together, though their relationship would continue to be rocky.

The Marriage of Eugene de Beauharnais and Princess Augusta by Francois Guillaume Menageot

With his injuries healed, Eugène returned to active service and was given command of the Army of Italy, eventually earning himself the title of Viceroy of Italy in 1805, one in a growing pile of honours. The following year would prove eventful for our hero as he was legally adopted by Napoleon and subsequently given the title, Prince de Venise. He also married Princess Augusta of Bavaria in a union arranged between Napoleon and her father, Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, Their politically astute marriage was to mature into a contented and happy bond, with the couple eventually having seven children together.

Princess Augusta of Bavaria by Joseph Karl Stieler

Eugène proved himself a popular leader in Italy, taking an interest in the country's constitutional reform and defending his territory against Austrian forces during the 1809 War of the Fifth Coalition. It was here that he experienced his first significant defeat in battle at the Battle of Sacile. Following this failure he regrouped, returned to the strategy table and went on to win a series of victories, securing his position and reputation.

Eugène's glittering career would come to a juddering halt with the fall of Napoleon. Seeking advice from his father-in-law, Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria, he retired with his family to Munich and remained there until his death, his reputation as a fearless soldier and gifted military strategist secure.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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