Napoleon at Home: Family Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Napoleon's parents, Carlo and Letizia Bonaparte, were both members of Corsican noble families; Carlo was a lawyer whose family originally came from Tuscany, Italy, and Letizia's family was from Lombardy. Together they fought in a rebel group - some sources say that they were expecting their fourth child, Napoleon, at the time - to try to prevent the ceding of Corsica to France by the Republic of Genoa. The couple had thirteen children - eight lived to adulthood - before Carlo's death at the age of thirty-eight; Letizia, called Madame Mère during Napoleon's reign, died at the age of eighty-five.

Napoleon had three sisters who survived infancy and childhood. Maria Anna, also called Elisa, was appointed Grand Duchess of Tuscany, and was the only sister that Napoleon, who generally disapproved of women in politics, trusted to enforce his decisions within her domain. The only sibling to visit Napoleon in exile, Pauline was first made the Duchess of Guastalla, but later became Princess Consort of Sulmona and Rossano after marrying Camillo. Caroline married Joachim Murat and became the Queen Consort of Naples.

Joseph, Napoleon's oldest brother, held the titles King of Naples and King of Spain. After his brother fell out of power, Joseph emigrated to the United States. Lucien became Prince of Canino and Musignano after assisting in Napoleon's overthrow of the French government. Louis became King of Holland, and married one of Josephine's daughters. Napoleon's youngest brother, Jérôme, was appointed King of Westphalia. When Louis Napoleon, also known as Napoleon III, rose to power in France, Jérôme served in his government.

Napoleon had three sons who are known to history. The first two, Charles, Count Léon and Alexandre, Count Colonna-Walewski, were born to his mistresses. While Count Léon had a modest military career and was recognized as his son by Napoleon, Count Colonna-Walewski's connection to Napoleon was just recently confirmed by modern DNA testing; he served in the government of Napoleon III. Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte was Napoleon's son with his second wife, Marie Louise, and his heir. He held the title King of Rome, and was known as Napoleon II before his death at the age of twenty-one.