Marie-Rose-Josèphe Tascher de La Pagerie was born in Martinique in 1763 (six years before Napoleon was born). Her parents were both from French noble families (at 16 her father had been a page at Versailles serving the dauphine Marie-Josèphe de Saxe).
Josephine’s aunt was having an affair with the governor of Martinique, French nobleman François V de Beauharnais.
They organised the marriage of his son Alexandre to Josephine who was then known as “Rose”. (It was Napoleon who later changed her name to Josephine). They were married in Paris when Josephine was 16 and Alexandre was 19.
Their son Eugène was born when Josephine was 18 and daughter Hortense about 18 months later. It was an unhappy marriage with Alexandre absent most of the time and involved with other women. He wanted to marry someone else and treated Josephine dreadfully. He accused her of adultery, claiming Hortense was not his child.
When her husband despatched her to a convent, it turned out to be a very positive move for Josephine.
She was surrounded by women of high nobility—in those days single noble women had apartments at convents as a standard practice. The rough edges from being brought up in Martinique were rubbed off as these aristocratic women took Josephine under their wing.
She went to court to file a complaint against Alexandre for his unjust charges against her. She won and was granted an official separation. Alexandre had to pay her an annual allowance and she went to live with her aunt and Alexandre’s father who were then in Fontainebleau. She was struggling financially and after three years decided to return with Hortense to Martinique. Eugène remained in Paris with his father.
When the French Revolution broke out, Josephine returned to Paris. Alexandre was one of the rare nobles who had rallied to the cause, becoming quite prominent politically for the next four years. Josephine and he had both moved on and there was no longer any animosity.
They were to spend the last few weeks of Alexandre’s life in the same place—prison.
During the period of the French Revolution known as “The Terror” Alexandre was imprisoned at the Carmes in Paris. Josephine was arrested the following month and sent to the same prison.
During the day, the prisoners were able to mingle in the gardens. The imprisoned aristocrats were facing the guillotine and did not know whether each day would be their last. It was typical for them to pass the time amusing themselves with affairs.
While prisoners in the Carmes, Alexandre took up with Delphine de Custine and Josephine with General Lazare Hoche.
Alexandre was guillotined three months after Josephine’s arrival at the prison. Only five days later Robespierre, the leading figure in the “Reign of Terror” was himself guillotined bringing it to an end . The remaining prisoners, including Josephine were released the following week.
Josephine rented a house in Paris and concentrated on ensuring a good education for her son and daughter.
