Empress Josephine: The Early Years Quiz

Answer: Marie-Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie

Josephine was born as Marie-Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie in Trois-Ilets, Martinique on June 23, 1763.

Answer: Joseph-Gaspard de Tascher

Josephine's father was a lieutenant of the Troupes de Marine and his wife was Rose-Claire des Vergers de Sanois, whose maternal grandfather was English.

Answer: 1766

The hurricanes put Josephine's family in a financial crisis.

Answer: Catherine

Catherine was originally supposed to marry Alexandre, Vicomte de Beauharnais but she died on October 16, 1777, before even leaving for France. Catherine was then replaced by Josephine, her older sister.

Answer: 1779

Josephine and Alexandre married on December 3,1779 in Noisy-le-Grand, which is about ten miles east of Paris. Alexandre was Josephine's first husband.

Answer: Eugène and Hortense

Eugène de Beauharnais was born in 1781 and died in 1824. Hortense de Beauharnais was born in 1783 and died in 1837.

Answer: March 2, 1794

On March 2, 1794, during the Reign of Terror, the Committee of General Security ordered the arrest of Alexandre, and he was then jailed in the Carmes prison.

Answer: April 19, 1794

Considering Joséphine as too close to the counter-revolutionary financial circles, the Committee ordered her arrest on April 19, 1794. A warrant of arrest was issued against her on 2 Floréal, year II (April 21, 1794), and she was imprisoned in the Carmes prison until 10 Thermidor, year II (July 28, 1794). She was freed thanks to the trial of Robespierre.

Answer: 1795

In June 1795, thanks to a new law, Josephine was allowed to recover the possessions of Alexandre.

Answer: 1794

Alexandre was accused of having poorly defended Mainz in 1793. He was considered an aristocratic "suspect" and was sentenced to death. He was guillotined on July 23, 1794, one year after the Siege of Mainz, together with his brother Augustin, on the Place de la Révolution (today's Place de la Concorde) in Paris.