Charles Marie Jérôme Victor Napoléon Bonaparte
Encyclopedia
Charles, Prince Napoléon (Charles Marie Jérôme Victor Napoléon) (born 19 October 1950) is a French politician, and is, himself or, the father of the head of the Imperial House of France
, Jean Christophe, as male heir to the rights and legacy established by his great-great-grand-uncle, Emperor Napoléon I
.
, King of Westphalia
, Napoléon's youngest brother. As neither Napoléon I nor Napoléon III of France
had surviving legitimate issue in the male line, Jérôme's descendants represent the only Imperial Bonapartes still living (the American Bonapartes
were senior in descent from King Jérôme, but the last male of that line died in 1945, nor was this branch ever considered dynastic
).
Charles's mother is Alix de Foresta
(born 4 April 1926), daughter of Albéric, comte
de Foresta. Although she was the only consort of the surviving Imperial line not born a princess, her family had been nobles in Lombardy
since the 13th century, becoming counts palatine
in 1330, constable
s of Venice in 1425, then retainer
s of the powerful Doria
family in Genoa. They settled in Provence
, France early in the 16th century, where they acquired twenty-two manor
s and the title of marquis
by 1651. Ironically, the Forestas distinguished themselves during the French Restoration
as courtier
s loyal to the House of Bourbon
, and to Henri, comte de Chambord
in particular. Long established as squire
s of large estates and rice paddies
in the Camargue
, the Forestas often welcomed Charles and his siblings there while they were growing up.
Charles was born in Boulogne-Billancourt
, France along with his twin sister, Princess Cathérine. He was baptised at Saint-Louis-des-Invalides
by the Apostolic nuncio
to France Archbishop Angelo Roncalli (later Pope John XXIII
). Charles spent much of his youth at the family's ancestral retreat-in-exile, the Villa Prangins on Lake Geneva
between Lausanne and Geneva in Switzerland. He has two younger siblings, Princess Laure (born 1952) and Prince Jérôme (born 1957). His sisters are married, while his brother remains a bachelor.
, Haute-Savoie
, taking off 1964–1965 to study German in the Black Forest
. He holds a doctorate
in Economics from the Sorbonne
. He has written essays and books, including "History of Urban Transportation" (Histoire des Transports Urbains, Dunod-Bordas), "Bonaparte and Paoli" (Bonaparte et Paoli, Plon-Perrin, 2000), "The Bonapartes, Rebels at Heart" (Les Bonaparte, des esprits rebelles, Plon-Perrin, 2006), and "For a New Republic" (Pour une nouvelle République, to be published by Pharos, 2007). He makes frequent public appearances in support of his political beliefs and candidacies.
Charles has worked professionally as a banker, financial planner, and real estate developer and as a visiting professor at the American Institute on Foreign Policy.
, daughter of Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro
, a pretender
to the throne of the Two Sicilies. Although both families are Roman Catholic
, the couple declined religious nuptials in favour of a civil wedding in Paris
.
Charles and Béatrice had two children
Charles and Béatrice were divorced on 2 May 1989.
On 28 September 1996, Charles was married in a civil ceremony to Jeanne-Françoise Valliccioni (born in Ortiporio
, Corsica
on 26 March 1958). She had previously married Erik Langrais on 15 July 1978 at Casaglione
, Corsica
, from whom she was divorced on 24 July 1990. When Charles and Jeanne-Françoise wed, they already had a daughter:
In 1998 the couple adopted a daughter of Vietnam
ese extraction:
to the Bonapartist
claim during the lifetime of his father Prince Louis Napoléon, when the latter's will
was made public on 2 December 1997 (seven months after his death), it declared that Prince Charles was to be bypassed as dynastic
heir in favour of his only son, Prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon
, then 11 years old.
In an interview published by Le Figaro
on 2 December 1997, Jean-Marc Varaut, the attorney who witnessed the late Prince Louis Napoléon's will and subsequently represented the dynastic interests of Prince Jean Christophe against his father, stated that Prince Charles had alienated
himself from the Bonaparte legacy by publicly espousing "republican and democratic opinions.... He has deprived himself of all rights to dynastic heritage in remarrying without his father's permission... which is against the rules of the imperial family."
In his will, Louis cited three sources for his authority to exclude his son as dynastic heir:
Charles has expressed scepticism that his father's genuine intention was to disinherit him dynastically, "Without doubt, he had a mood swing, exploited by conservative elements in his entourage with whom I have long clashed.... I am fighting so that my family ceases to be the victim of attempted manipulation." Moreover, Prince Charles denies that his father had the authority, by law or tradition, to exclude him from the order of succession
:
Aside from his second marriage, Varaut alleged that Louis was offended that his son unilaterally had French civil authorities change their surname from "Napoléon-Bonaparte" to "Napoléon" during his divorce in 1989. But Charles maintains that the family's legal surname had, in fact, been Napoléon until altered through clerical error on his birth certificate
. When Charles requested that his surname be corrected, the civil authorities proceeded to apply the same change to the father's surname, "but not at my initiative."
Varaut further drew attention to the fact that Charles was warned in advance by his father that he would be purged from the succession, and that he had responded to his father with a letter dated 16 June 1996 in which he asserted that his "republican" beliefs had already alienated him from the principles of the Imperial position, even before his father's decision to exclude him.
When queried by the French weekly, Point de Vue, as to why he claimed headship of the Imperial dynasty in view of his republican pretensions, Charles replied, "I assume the 'moral heritage' of my name. To renounce today to my ability to become the head of our House would imply that I accept a certain number of grievances of which I have been accused...I cannot accept this sentence from another era. As for my republican sentiments, those who reproach me misunderstand the history of our family. Bonaparte – General, then First Consul – defended the Republic
."
Charles and his son have not engaged in the public feuding for which some of the past Bonaparte pretenders and their heirs have been notorious, and the father has stated of his son that "there will never be conflict between us". A pre-screening of Un nom en héritage, a documentary television series on France's former dynasties, was the subject of a two-page spread in a December 2006 issue of Point de Vue that pictured Charles side-by-side with Jean-Christophe, both shown as participating in a cordial meeting between Napoleonic and Orléanist
pretenders.
Nonetheless, in November 2004 an issue of Point de Vue had announced that henceforth the magazine would accord the Bonapartist title of pretence, "the Prince Napoleon", to Jean-Christophe, whereas since 1997 that title had been attributed to Charles. This decision followed receipt by the magazine of a protest from Jean-Marc Varaut, prompted by publication in an earlier issue of a reference to Charles as "head of the Imperial house". Point de Vue, which sometimes gazette
s monarchist announcements, published Varaut's re-assertion of the dynastic exclusion of Charles along with the prince's response: "...the title of 'head of family' among the Bonapartes devolves, at the death of the father, upon his eldest son. That rule is not susceptible to modification by the titleholder, a fortiori when the motives involved are petty and contrary to the Civil Code
. I have the honour of bearing this charge since the death of my father, and my son will assume it in turn upon my death."
, the historical seat of the Bonapartes in Corsica
. Subsequently, he served as a member of the Ajaccio City Council
, and in 2004 he held the post of deputy mayor in that city.
In early 2008, Charles announced plans to stand for election in March 2008 as mayor of Nemours
, where he leads a union list called "Ensemble Pour Les Nemouriens" with local personalities, such as Ginette Tardy. In the election, he was defeated by Valérie Lacroute.http://www.ville-nemours.fr/compo_cm.html
Bonaparte
The House of Bonaparte is an imperial and royal European dynasty founded by Napoleon I of France in 1804, a French military leader who rose to notability out of the French Revolution and transformed the French Republic into the First French Empire within five years of his coup d'état...
, Jean Christophe, as male heir to the rights and legacy established by his great-great-grand-uncle, Emperor Napoléon I
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
.
Family background
Charles is the son of the late Louis, Prince Napoléon (1914–1997), and as such a great-great-grandson in the male line of Jérôme BonaparteJérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, French Prince, King of Westphalia, 1st Prince of Montfort was the youngest brother of Napoleon, who made him king of Westphalia...
, King of Westphalia
Kingdom of Westphalia
The Kingdom of Westphalia was a new country of 2.6 million Germans that existed from 1807-1813. It included of territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte...
, Napoléon's youngest brother. As neither Napoléon I nor Napoléon III of France
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
had surviving legitimate issue in the male line, Jérôme's descendants represent the only Imperial Bonapartes still living (the American Bonapartes
Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte II
Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte II was a son of Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte and Susan May Williams.-Biography:...
were senior in descent from King Jérôme, but the last male of that line died in 1945, nor was this branch ever considered dynastic
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
).
Charles's mother is Alix de Foresta
Alix de Foresta
Alix de Foresta was the wife of Louis, Prince Napoléon, claimant to the Imperial throne of France of the House of Bonaparte from 1926 until his death. Bonapartists regarded her as "Empress of the French" in pretense for several decades in the 20th century.She was the daughter of Albéric, comte de...
(born 4 April 1926), daughter of Albéric, comte
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
de Foresta. Although she was the only consort of the surviving Imperial line not born a princess, her family had been nobles in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
since the 13th century, becoming counts palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
in 1330, constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s of Venice in 1425, then retainer
Retainer
Retainer may refer to:* Retainer , a person, especially a soldier, in the service of a lord in the late Middle Ages** Retainer sacrifice, the sacrifice of a human servant* Retainer...
s of the powerful Doria
Doria
Doria, originally de Auria , meaning "the sons of Auria", and then de Oria or d'Oria, is the name of an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the Republic of Genoa and in Italy, from the 12th century to the 16th century.-Origins:According to legend, a...
family in Genoa. They settled in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, France early in the 16th century, where they acquired twenty-two manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
s and the title of marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
by 1651. Ironically, the Forestas distinguished themselves during the French Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
as courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
s loyal to the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
, and to Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord was disputedly King of France from 2 to 9 August 1830 as Henry V, although he was never officially proclaimed as such...
in particular. Long established as squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
s of large estates and rice paddies
Paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
in the Camargue
Camargue
The Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
, the Forestas often welcomed Charles and his siblings there while they were growing up.
Charles was born in Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt
Boulogne-Billancourt is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt is a sub-prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department and the seat of the Arrondissement of Boulogne-Billancourt....
, France along with his twin sister, Princess Cathérine. He was baptised at Saint-Louis-des-Invalides
Les Invalides
Les Invalides , officially known as L'Hôtel national des Invalides , is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and a retirement home for war veterans, the building's...
by the Apostolic nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
to France Archbishop Angelo Roncalli (later Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
). Charles spent much of his youth at the family's ancestral retreat-in-exile, the Villa Prangins on Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France...
between Lausanne and Geneva in Switzerland. He has two younger siblings, Princess Laure (born 1952) and Prince Jérôme (born 1957). His sisters are married, while his brother remains a bachelor.
Education and profession
Charles attended school at Sainte-croix-des-neiges in AbondanceCommunes of the Haute-Savoie département
The following is a list of the 294 communes of the Haute-Savoie département, in France.* Agglomeration community of Annecy, created in 2001....
, Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie
Haute-Savoie is a French department in the Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. It borders both Switzerland and Italy. The capital is Annecy. To the north is Lake Geneva and Switzerland; to the south and southeast are the Mont Blanc and Aravis mountain ranges and the French entrance to the Mont...
, taking off 1964–1965 to study German in the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
. He holds a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Economics from the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. He has written essays and books, including "History of Urban Transportation" (Histoire des Transports Urbains, Dunod-Bordas), "Bonaparte and Paoli" (Bonaparte et Paoli, Plon-Perrin, 2000), "The Bonapartes, Rebels at Heart" (Les Bonaparte, des esprits rebelles, Plon-Perrin, 2006), and "For a New Republic" (Pour une nouvelle République, to be published by Pharos, 2007). He makes frequent public appearances in support of his political beliefs and candidacies.
Charles has worked professionally as a banker, financial planner, and real estate developer and as a visiting professor at the American Institute on Foreign Policy.
Marriage and children
On 19 December 1978, Charles married his distant cousin, Princess Béatrice of Bourbon-Two SiciliesPrincess Béatrice of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Princess Béatrice Marie Caroline Louise Françoise of Bourbon-Two Sicilies is the eldest daughter of Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro, Castro-line claimant to the Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and his wife Chantal de Chevron-Villette...
, daughter of Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro
Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro
Prince Ferdinando of the Two Sicilies was a claimant to the headship of the House of the Two Sicilies. He was known as the Duke of Castro.-Biography:...
, a pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the throne of the Two Sicilies. Although both families are Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, the couple declined religious nuptials in favour of a civil wedding in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Charles and Béatrice had two children
- HIH Princess Caroline Marie-Constance Napoléon (born 24 October 1980) married Eric Alain Marie Quérénet-Onfroy de Bréville (born Neuilly-sur-SeineNeuilly-sur-SeineNeuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
, 20 June 1971), son of François Quérénet-Onfroy de Bréville and wife Christiane Vincent de Vaugelas, on 19 September 2009 in CastellabateCastellabateCastellabate is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy.-History:The are was inhabited since Upper Palaeolithic times...
nel CilentoCilentoCilento is an Italian geographical region of Campania in the central and southern part of the Province of Salerno and an important tourist area of southern Italy.-Geography:...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... - HIH Prince Jean Christophe, Prince Napoléon or Prince Impérial (born 11 July 1986)
Charles and Béatrice were divorced on 2 May 1989.
On 28 September 1996, Charles was married in a civil ceremony to Jeanne-Françoise Valliccioni (born in Ortiporio
Ortiporio
Ortiporio is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.It shares the canton of Alto-di-Casaconi with Monte, Volpajola, Campile, Olmo, Prunelli-di-Casacconi, Campitello, Canavaggia, Lento, Bigorno, Scolca, Crocicchia and Penta-Acquatella.-Geography:Ortiporio is to...
, Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
on 26 March 1958). She had previously married Erik Langrais on 15 July 1978 at Casaglione
Casaglione
-References:*...
, Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, from whom she was divorced on 24 July 1990. When Charles and Jeanne-Françoise wed, they already had a daughter:
- Sophie Cathérine Napoléon (born in Paris, 18 April 1992).
In 1998 the couple adopted a daughter of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese extraction:
- Anh Napoléon (born in SaigonHo Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
on 22 April 1998).
Dynastic dispute
Although officially recognized as heir apparentHeir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to the Bonapartist
Bonapartist
In French political history, Bonapartism has two meanings. In a strict sense, this term refers to people who aimed to restore the French Empire under the House of Bonaparte, the Corsican family of Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew Louis...
claim during the lifetime of his father Prince Louis Napoléon, when the latter's will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
was made public on 2 December 1997 (seven months after his death), it declared that Prince Charles was to be bypassed as dynastic
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
heir in favour of his only son, Prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon
Jean-Christophe Louis Ferdinand Albéric Bonaparte
Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon, is, in the views of some monarchists, Head of the former Imperial House of France and heir of the legacy of Napoleon Bonaparte.-Biography:...
, then 11 years old.
In an interview published by Le Figaro
Le Figaro
Le Figaro is a French daily newspaper founded in 1826 and published in Paris. It is one of three French newspapers of record, with Le Monde and Libération, and is the oldest newspaper in France. It is also the second-largest national newspaper in France after Le Parisien and before Le Monde, but...
on 2 December 1997, Jean-Marc Varaut, the attorney who witnessed the late Prince Louis Napoléon's will and subsequently represented the dynastic interests of Prince Jean Christophe against his father, stated that Prince Charles had alienated
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
himself from the Bonaparte legacy by publicly espousing "republican and democratic opinions.... He has deprived himself of all rights to dynastic heritage in remarrying without his father's permission... which is against the rules of the imperial family."
In his will, Louis cited three sources for his authority to exclude his son as dynastic heir:
- The Senatus Consultus of 7 November 1852 (an amendment to the Second EmpireSecond French EmpireThe Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
constitution): It states, in relevant part, "Article 3 Louis Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon III of FranceLouis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
, if he has no male children, may adopt the legitimate children and descendants in the male line of the brothers of Emperor Napoleon I... his adopted sons may only be called upon to succeed him after his legitimate descendants. Adoption is forbidden to Louis Napoleon's successors and to their descendants.... Article 4 Louis Napoleon Bonaparte shall determine, by an organic decreeOrganic lawAn organic or fundamental law is a law or system of laws which forms the foundation of a government, corporation or other organization's body of rules. A constitution is a particular form of organic law for a sovereign state....
addressed to the Senate and deposited in its archives, the order of succession to the throne within the Bonaparte family, in case there remains no direct heir, legitimate or adopted.... The members of the family of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte eligible for the succession, and their descendants of both sexes, are members of the Imperial family.... They may not marry without the Emperor's authorization. Their marriage without such authorization entails loss of all rights of succession, both for him who contracts the marriage and his descendants. Nevertheless, if there are no children of the marriage and it is dissolved by death, the prince who contracted the marriage shall recover his succession rights." - The Imperial Family Statute of 21 June 1853: It substantially reinstated the house lawHouse lawHouse law or House laws are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles...
adopted under Napoleon I on 30 March 1806, which provided: that marriages of dynasts required the prior, written consent of the emperor de jure, or were void; that divorce was forbidden for members of the Imperial family; and that the emperor de jureDe jureDe jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
retained the right to supervise and discipline members of the dynasty, including (under Title IV) the right to arrest, |shun, or banish a dynast who "engages in misbehavior and forgets his dignity or duties" for up to one year. - Dynastic traditionTraditionA tradition is a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes , but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings...
: Among the Bonapartes this includes legal changes in the succession order during the first and second empires, and post-monarchy attempts to change heirs by testamentWill (law)A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
. Napoleon I quarreled openly with some of his brothers, particularly over their marriages, and dethroned or de-dynasticizedDynastyA dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
them. When Napoleon III's only son, the Prince Imperial Louis NapoléonNapoléon Eugène, Prince ImperialNapoléon, Prince Imperial, , Prince Imperial, Fils de France, was the only child of Emperor Napoleon III of France and his Empress consort Eugénie de Montijo...
, died in 1879, his will purported to exclude his cousin and genealogicalGenealogyGenealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
heir, Prince Napoléon JosephNapoléon Joseph Charles Paul BonaparteNapoléon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte, Prince Français, Count of Meudon, Count of Moncalieri ad personam, titular 3rd Prince of Montfort was the second son of Jérôme Bonaparte, king of Westphalia, by his wife Catherine, princess of Württemberg...
, from headship of the deposed dynasty due to political differences, in favor of his elder son, Prince Victor NapoléonNapoléon Victor Jérôme Frédéric BonaparteVictor, Prince Napoléon, titular 4th Prince of Montfort was the Bonapartist pretender to the French throne from 1879 until his death in 1926...
. Although almost all Bonapartists therefore recognized his son, Napoléon Joseph insisted that his dynastic claim remained intact. Yet as Imperial pretender he likewise disavowed his heir, writing in his will, "I leave nothing to Victor, my elder son. He is a traitor and a rebel.... I recommend to my son Louis to remain faithful to my political and religious opinions. They are in the true tradition of my uncle Napoleon I. I hope that Louis will be the representative of the cause of the Napoleons. His aim must be to organise French democracy."
Charles has expressed scepticism that his father's genuine intention was to disinherit him dynastically, "Without doubt, he had a mood swing, exploited by conservative elements in his entourage with whom I have long clashed.... I am fighting so that my family ceases to be the victim of attempted manipulation." Moreover, Prince Charles denies that his father had the authority, by law or tradition, to exclude him from the order of succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
:
"Even if I accept their premise, referring me to the Senatus Consultus of Napoleon III, divorce did not exist under the Second Empire, so it cannot be taken into account for the succession.... Moreover, the hypocrisy of this argument is exposed by the dates: My father's will was written in May 1996. I only re-married in October. All that matters is the Bonaparte tradition, which makes the eldest son the natural heir of his father."
Aside from his second marriage, Varaut alleged that Louis was offended that his son unilaterally had French civil authorities change their surname from "Napoléon-Bonaparte" to "Napoléon" during his divorce in 1989. But Charles maintains that the family's legal surname had, in fact, been Napoléon until altered through clerical error on his birth certificate
Birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a child. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensuing registration of that birth...
. When Charles requested that his surname be corrected, the civil authorities proceeded to apply the same change to the father's surname, "but not at my initiative."
Varaut further drew attention to the fact that Charles was warned in advance by his father that he would be purged from the succession, and that he had responded to his father with a letter dated 16 June 1996 in which he asserted that his "republican" beliefs had already alienated him from the principles of the Imperial position, even before his father's decision to exclude him.
When queried by the French weekly, Point de Vue, as to why he claimed headship of the Imperial dynasty in view of his republican pretensions, Charles replied, "I assume the 'moral heritage' of my name. To renounce today to my ability to become the head of our House would imply that I accept a certain number of grievances of which I have been accused...I cannot accept this sentence from another era. As for my republican sentiments, those who reproach me misunderstand the history of our family. Bonaparte – General, then First Consul – defended the Republic
French First Republic
The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
."
Charles and his son have not engaged in the public feuding for which some of the past Bonaparte pretenders and their heirs have been notorious, and the father has stated of his son that "there will never be conflict between us". A pre-screening of Un nom en héritage, a documentary television series on France's former dynasties, was the subject of a two-page spread in a December 2006 issue of Point de Vue that pictured Charles side-by-side with Jean-Christophe, both shown as participating in a cordial meeting between Napoleonic and Orléanist
Orléanist
The Orléanists were a French right-wing/center-right party which arose out of the French Revolution. It governed France 1830-1848 in the "July Monarchy" of king Louis Philippe. It is generally seen as a transitional period dominated by the bourgeoisie and the conservative Orleanist doctrine in...
pretenders.
Nonetheless, in November 2004 an issue of Point de Vue had announced that henceforth the magazine would accord the Bonapartist title of pretence, "the Prince Napoleon", to Jean-Christophe, whereas since 1997 that title had been attributed to Charles. This decision followed receipt by the magazine of a protest from Jean-Marc Varaut, prompted by publication in an earlier issue of a reference to Charles as "head of the Imperial house". Point de Vue, which sometimes gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
s monarchist announcements, published Varaut's re-assertion of the dynastic exclusion of Charles along with the prince's response: "...the title of 'head of family' among the Bonapartes devolves, at the death of the father, upon his eldest son. That rule is not susceptible to modification by the titleholder, a fortiori when the motives involved are petty and contrary to the Civil Code
Civil code
A civil code is a systematic collection of laws designed to comprehensively deal with the core areas of private law. A jurisdiction that has a civil code generally also has a code of civil procedure...
. I have the honour of bearing this charge since the death of my father, and my son will assume it in turn upon my death."
Political career
In 2000, Charles stood for election as mayor of AjaccioAjaccio
Ajaccio , is a commune on the island of Corsica in France. It is the capital and largest city of the region of Corsica and the prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud....
, the historical seat of the Bonapartes in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. Subsequently, he served as a member of the Ajaccio City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, and in 2004 he held the post of deputy mayor in that city.
In early 2008, Charles announced plans to stand for election in March 2008 as mayor of Nemours
Nemours
Nemours is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Geography:Nemours is located on the Loing and its canal, c...
, where he leads a union list called "Ensemble Pour Les Nemouriens" with local personalities, such as Ginette Tardy. In the election, he was defeated by Valérie Lacroute.http://www.ville-nemours.fr/compo_cm.html
External links
- Website of Charles, Prince Napoléon (In French)
- Website of the Mexico-France Napoleonic Institute (In French and Spanish)