Napoleon III of France
Person Born 1808 Died 9/1/1873
Categories: Nationalism, Politics & Administration, Royalty
Countries: France, Switzerland
Last monarch of France. Son of Louis Bonaparte (Napoleon I's brother) and Hortense de Beauharnais, he is known as Louis Napoleon. He grew up in Switzerland and Germany, but due to involvement in revolutionary activities he got himself exiled to the US. Returned to Switzerland, the French still found him too close for comfort so in 1838 he came to England. Back in France he misbehaved again and escaped to England again in 1846, returning to France after the February Revolution of 1848. The Second Empire was established in November 1852 and Louis Napoleon became Emperor Napoleon III. His reign was ended in 1870 by disaster in the Franco-Prussian War. So what did he do? Off to exile in England, where he eventually died, in Chislehurst. He died at his home at Camden Place, an 18th century mansion which would in 1894 become Chislehurst Golf Club.
During one of his visits to London he was so impressed with the John Nash terraces at Regent's Park that he and his planner, Hausmann, used them as models for their work in Paris.
Just to complete the picture: in 1815 Napoleon I abdicated in favour of his son (by Marie Louise), who became known as Napoleon II but he never ruled. He was known variously as the king of Rome, prince of Parma, duke of Reichstadt and (the best) the "Eaglet". To the best of our knowledge he never came to England.
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