Joseph BONAPARTE

Joseph Bonaparte was Napoleon Bonaparte's eldest brother. Born in Corte, Corsica, he studied law and began a political career during the French Revolution. Thanks to his brother, he held high diplomatic positions (ambassador, deputy) before being placed on two thrones - King of Naples (1806-1808) and King of Spain (1808-1813).although loyal to Napoleon, Joseph was a moderate sovereign, more interested in administration than war. In 1793, Joseph Bonaparte and Napoleon, his brother, took part in the siege of Toulon. Staying in the Provencal hinterland, they met the Clary family, who had taken refuge in the Château de Julhans. Joseph Bonaparte married Marie Julie Clary in Cuges on August 1, 1794. The religious ceremony will take place in the small chapel of Julhans.  After the fall of the Empire, he went into exile first in the United States, then returned to end his life in Italy, where he died in Florence in 1844.

Three anecdotes about Joseph Bonaparte

1. "Reluctant" king:
2. Luxurious American exile: After 1815, he settled in the United States, in a vast New Jersey estate called "Point Breeze", where he lived as an enlightened gentleman, entertaining European artists, scholars and diplomats. Americans respectfully referred to him as "Count of Survilliers".
3. An art-loving king: Passionate about the arts, he took many master paintings with him when he fled Europe. His collection, one of the finest on the continent, inspired future American museums.