If Pauline was Napoleon’s most loyal sister, Caroline was undoubtedly his most scheming. As a child, she took orders from her big brother, but as he rose from celebrated military commander to Emperor, she made sure he never forgot to improve her fortunes, as well. After she married one of Napoleon’s military advisors – a match he was only persuaded to support by his wife Josephine – Caroline swiftly moved up the odd intra-family career ladder.
In 1804, with Napoleon on his self-appointed throne, Caroline and her sisters became Imperial Princesses. In 1806, she became a Grand Duchess of two German principalities in Napoleon’s portfolio. In 1808, she became Queen Consort of Naples, with her husband Joachim Murat becoming its flamboyant king.
Obviously, these titles and positions of power would not hold. After Napoleon’s fall, and Joachim’s death, she styled herself a countess from her exile in Austria, then lived out her life in Florence.
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Sources
Napoleon: His Wives and Women, by Christopher Hibbert (Amazon.com)
Caroline Bonaparte (en.wikipedia.org)
Cup with the effigy of Caroline Bonaparte Murat (uffizi.ir)
Caroline Bonaparte: the story of the ambitious queen of Naples (quellochepiaceavaleria.com)
Women and the History of Classical Archaeology #1: Caroline Bonaparte (resgerendae.wordpress.com)
Caroline Bonaparte Murat, Napoleon’s Treasonous Sister (shannonselin.com)
Shape-Shifters, Boston Legal & the “other” Queen Caroline (naplesldm.com)
