Beauharnais (EUGENE DE Viceroy of Italy)

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

EUGENE DE, Viceroy of Italy, and a Prince of the French Empire, son of Alexandre de Beauharnais and Josephine, born in Paris in 1781. After his mother's marriage to Napoleon, he, in 1796, became aide-de-camp to the latter, and served with distinction in the campaigns of Italy and Egypt. Beauharnais was wounded at Acre, contributed to the victory of Marengo, was created Prince of the Empire in 1805, and Viceroy of Italy. In 1806, he married the Princess Amelia Augusta, of Bavaria, and in the same year was adopted by the Emperor as his son, and appointed governor of Lombardy and Venice. He served in the campaign of 1809, defeated the Austrians at Raab, and distinguished himself at Wagram. His military talents maphroditus," and later he became the were particularly evinced in the retreat from Moscow and in the following campaigns of 1813-1814. To Beauharnais may be mainly ascribed the victory of Lützen. After the fall of Napoleon, he retired to Munich, was allowed, by the Treaty of Fontainebleau and the Congress of Vienna, to retain his extensive possessions in Italy, and took his place as Duke of Leuchtenberg among the Bavarian nobles. His children subsequently ranked as members of the imperial family of Russia. He died Feb. 21, 1824. (bō-mär-sha'), BEAUMARCHAIS PIERRE AUGUSTIN, BARON DE, born in Paris, Jan. Jan. 24, 1732. He was a man versatility of talent, being by by of singular versatility turns politician, artist, dramatist, and merchant. His father was a watchmaker and brought up his son to the same profession. His fame rests on his plays, and chiefly on the two, "Le Barbier de Seville" (1775), and "Le Marriage de Figaro" (1784). The character of Figaro was a happy invention, and the other principal characters, in both plays, are drawn with great skill. He wrote a third is play, "La Mère Coupable," which may be considered as a sequel to the other two, but is inferior to them in many respects. At the beginning of the American War of Independence (1777), Beaumarchais entered into a speculation for supplying the colonies with arms, ammunition, etc.; he lost several vessels, three of which were taken in one day by the English cruisers in coming out of the river at Bordeaux, but the greater number arrived in America, and inspired the colonists with renewed hope. When the French Revolution broke out, Beaumarchais showed himself favorable to the popular cause, and entered into speculations to supply corn, muskets, etc. But his activity in that critical period exposed him to suspicion and he fled to England and then to Germany. He returned to France after the fall of Robespierre, and then entered into a new speculation in salt, by which he lost a large sum. He died in Paris, May 18, 1799.