Buzz
While many assume Napoleon was a womanizer, his heart, mind, and masculinity were devoted solely to Josephine. His letters to her echo the frantic, emotional, and sometimes cringe-worthy messages we see in today’s texts and emails. Below are 10 striking examples.
1. "I CAN'T STAND YOU"
Shortly after their wedding, Napoleon penned a letter to Josephine stating, “I feel no love for you, none at all; in fact, I despise you—you’re a mischievous, clumsy, foolish woman.” And that was only the opening line.
2. "I CAN'T WAIT TO HOLD YOU TIGHTLY IN MY ARMS"
He concludes the letter with, “I eagerly await the moment I can embrace you tightly and shower you with countless fiery kisses, as hot as the equator’s sun."
3. "A KISS ON YOUR HEART, AND ANOTHER FAR BELOW"
In April 1796, Napoleon pleaded with Josephine to join him in Milan, writing, “I will be alone and distant. But you’ll come, won’t you? You’ll be here, in my embrace, against my chest, on my lips? Fly to me, come quickly ... A kiss on your heart, and another far below, much lower!” This is essentially 18th-century flirting.
4. "YOUR TEARS LEAVE ME UNHINGED"
In a July letter, Napoleon continues to lavish her with praise: “Your tears strip away my rationality and set my blood ablaze. Trust me, I cannot form a single thought that isn’t about you, nor a desire I wouldn’t share with you.” A tad obsessive.
5. "YOU ARE MISCHIEVOUS AND IMPISH, UTTERLY IMPISH."
“I write to you often, my dearest, yet you rarely respond. You are mischievous and impish, utterly impish, as fickle as you are. It’s cruel to deceive a devoted husband, a passionate lover!” Here, the jealous husband emerges, appealing for pity.
6. "WITHOUT HIS JOSEPHINE ... WHAT IS LEFT FOR HIM?"
Napoleon makes it clear that he feels incomplete without her. “Without his Josephine, without the certainty of her love, what remains for him on this earth? What purpose does he have?” It’s worth noting he was the Emperor of nearly all Europe at the time.
7. "YOU DON'T CARE FOR YOUR HUSBAND"
Frustrated by Josephine’s silence, Napoleon lashes out: “You don’t send me any letters; you don’t care for your husband; you know how much joy your words bring him, yet you can’t even scribble a few meaningless lines…”
8. "HOW DELIGHTED I WOULD BE TO HELP YOU UNDRESS."
Returning to his flirtatious tone, he writes: “How delighted I would be to help you undress, admiring your firm, pale bosom, your enchanting face, and your hair tied up in a creole-style scarf.”
9. "FAREWELL, MY BELOVED JOSEPHINE"
Like a possessive husband or partner, Napoleon warns Josephine that he will “surprise” her unexpectedly: “Farewell, my dearest Josephine; one night, your door will burst open with a loud noise, and as a jealous lover, you’ll find me in your arms.”
10. "THE MASK HAS FALLEN"
Napoleon confided in his brother about his fading affection for Josephine: “The mask has fallen … It’s tragic when one heart is torn by such conflicting emotions for a single person … I need solitude. I’m weary of grandeur; my emotions have withered. I no longer care for my fame. At twenty-nine, I’ve already experienced it all.”
What adds to the humiliation? The British intercepted the letter and printed it in their newspapers, publicly shaming Napoleon. It’s like a teacher reading your private note aloud to the entire class for dramatic effect.
