Meanwhile : Napoleon’s first love, “Désirée”

Shin Bok-ryong The author is a former emeritus professor of history at Konkuk University. Among the memorable historical films of the past was "Désirée" (1954), starring Jean Simmons and Marlon Brando. The film was based on the life of Désirée Clary (1777-1860), the first woman seriously loved by Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) before he rose to power. At age 23, Napoleon visited the home of his older brother Joseph and met Désirée, Joseph's sister-in-law. She was known not only for her beauty but also for the inheritance of 150,000 francs she possessed. Napoleon and Désirée became engaged, and their future together once appeared secure. But as Napoleon's political and military fortunes rose rapidly, Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814) entered his life and eventually married him instead. Désirée, heartbroken after experiencing love for the first time, reportedly fell into deep despair and even considered ending her life. After receiving her final letter, Napoleon regretted the pain he had caused her. Hoping to secure her future, he arranged her marriage to the ambitious General Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, later King Charles XIV John of Sweden (1763-1844). Years later, when Bernadotte emerged as a candidate to inherit the Swedish throne, Napoleon actively supported him. Yet history took an ironic turn. After becoming king, Bernadotte aligned Sweden with Britain and joined efforts to defeat Napoleon. Napoleon was forced to abdicate and was exiled to Elba. One can only imagine the emotional conflict Désirée must have felt as her husband turned against the man she had once loved. Even after Napoleon's downfall, their connection did not entirely disappear. When he was later exiled to Saint Helena following his final defeat, Désirée was said to be the last woman to visit him. Many years later, Napoleon's nephew Louis-Napoléon became Emperor Napoleon III of France. By then, Désirée was living peacefully as queen of Sweden. Seeking to elevate his own authority through the legacy of his uncle, Napoleon III ordered the construction of Place Haussmann in Paris. Yet during the demolition of surrounding homes, one house was spared because Napoleon had once purchased it for Désirée. Only after Désirée died at age 83 was the house finally demolished and the square completed. Today, as cities are repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt with little hesitation, the story of Désirée and Napoleon III serves as a reminder that careless officials, profit-driven developers and indifferent citizens can slowly erode cultural heritage. This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.