Germaine de Stael had a particularly tumultuous love life including a crush on Napoleon in the early stages of his power when she imagined she could be an advisor (much in the same way Mme de Pompadour had been with Louis XV). She was the daughter of the Swiss banker Necker who had played a major role before the French Revolution. Napoleon couldn’t stand her. She was far too outspoken and masculine for him and he found her messy love life and political views unacceptable.
When Napoleon banished her from Paris, her good friend Juliette Recamier (who was far more to Napoleon’s taste) stayed loyal to Germaine and suffered the consequences.
Germaine’s original bed is still in place in Coppet, her family’s private chateau (still owned by the descendants) just over the French border.
