Napoleon and Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte

Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, King of Sweden and Norway, Marshal (1804)
(Born Pau, 1763 - Died, 1844)

Bernadotte, Marshal of the Empire (1804), and king of Sweden and Norway (1818-1844), existed well before Bonaparte. He was one of the generals who could claim to be a rival to the future Emperor. Lastly, he was the only one of Napoleon's close relations to obtain success strictly on his own. He is the ancestor of several monarchs today, not only in Sweden, but also in Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium and Denmark.
The son of a Pau tailor made an astonishing rise to power. At a young age, Bernadotte first enlisted in the royal armies and then in the revolutionary armies. General by 1794, he left the Army of the Rhine to lend his support to Bonaparte in Italy in 1797. He was asked to take the enemy flags to the Directory. After a brief mission as ambassador to Vienna, he became minister of War under the Directory, from July to September 1799.

Bernadotte would never be an unwavering Bonaparte supporter. He refused to take part in the 18-Brumaire coup d'etat, and thus earned the reputation of being a radical Jacobin. As commander of the Army of the West, his name was linked to what was called the "butter pot" conspiracy (since the anti-Bonaparte leaflets circulated in these pots). Then he married Desiree Clary, Bonaparte's ex-fiance, thus becoming brother-in-law to Joseph Bonaparte, married to Julie Clary since 1794.

Nonetheless, he was named marshal in 1804 and prince of Pontecorvo two years later, even though he played a minor role in major battles. During the two simultaneous battles at Auerst;dt and Jena, he was apparently long in bringing up reinforcements. Napoleon did not hold this against him, probably because of the Emperor's past relationship with Desiree Clary.

While pursuing the remains of the Prussian army after the battle, Bernadotte made contacts with Swedes taken prisoner at Luebeck. This proved to be an important step, since on August 21, 1810, undoubtedly because of the relations he had formed with the prisoners, he was elected crown prince of Sweden by the Eretro States General. The Swedes hoped to have a ruler who would have Napoleon's approval. The Emperor did not support Bernadotte but did not oppose him either. The new prince himself "became" completely Swedish: he renounced Catholicism and took the affairs of the kingdom to heart.

Some wondered if he would become a traitor. In 1812, he drew closer to Russia and entered a coalition against France in 1813. His army beat Oudinot at Grossberen and Ney at Dennewitz. Though he may have coveted the French throne as it was said he did not obtain it; however, the Treaty of Kiel on January 14, 1814 granted him the throne of Norway. On February 5, 1818, he took the name Charles XIV, King of Sweden and Norway. The dynasty he founded still reigns in Sweden.

By Artea


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Why did Napoleon fail to make his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte to his alley instead of making an enemy out of him?

There are a few reasons why Napoleon failed to make his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, an ally instead of an enemy.

Bernadotte was ambitious and independent. He was not content to be a subordinate to Napoleon, and he had his own political ambitions.
Bernadotte was a popular figure in Sweden. He was seen as a potential threat to Napoleon's power, and Napoleon was worried that he would try to overthrow him.
Bernadotte had a different vision for the future of Europe. He believed that France should be a partner with other European powers, rather than their ruler.
As a result of these factors, Napoleon and Bernadotte became increasingly estranged. In 1810, Napoleon forced Bernadotte to accept the position of Crown Prince of Sweden. Bernadotte accepted the position, but he never forgot his ambition to rule France.

In 1813, Bernadotte joined the coalition against Napoleon. He led the Swedish army to victory at the Battle of Leipzig, and he played a key role in Napoleon's defeat.

Napoleon's failure to make Bernadotte an ally was a major factor in his downfall. Bernadotte was a talented military commander, and he had the support of the Swedish people. If Napoleon had been able to keep Bernadotte on his side, he might have been able to avoid defeat.

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there are a few other factors that may have contributed to Napoleon's failure to make Bernadotte an ally.

Napoleon's arrogance. Napoleon was a very arrogant man, and he often underestimated his opponents. He may have believed that he could control Bernadotte, and he may not have taken his ambitions seriously.
Napoleon's lack of trust. Napoleon was a very distrustful man, and he often had difficulty trusting his subordinates. He may have seen Bernadotte as a potential threat, and he may have been reluctant to give him any real power.
Bernadotte's own ambitions. Bernadotte was a very ambitious man, and he had his own political agenda. He may have been unwilling to accept a subordinate role to Napoleon, and he may have been planning to overthrow him from the beginning.
Whatever the reasons, Napoleon's failure to make Bernadotte an ally was a major factor in his downfall. Bernadotte was a talented military commander, and he had the support of the Swedish people. If Napoleon had been able to keep Bernadotte on his side, he might have been able to avoid defeat.

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Napoleon failed to make his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, his ally for a number of reasons.

Bernadotte was a talented and ambitious general. He was one of Napoleon's most trusted commanders, and he was seen as a potential threat to Napoleon's power.
Bernadotte had his own political ambitions. He was interested in becoming the King of Sweden, and he was willing to make deals with Napoleon's enemies in order to achieve his goals.
Napoleon was suspicious of Bernadotte. He believed that Bernadotte was not loyal to him, and he was afraid that he would one day turn against him.
As a result of these factors, Napoleon and Bernadotte eventually became enemies. Bernadotte defected to the Allied side in 1813, and he played a key role in Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Leipzig.

There are a few things that Napoleon could have done to prevent Bernadotte from becoming his enemy. He could have given Bernadotte more power and responsibility, which would have made him feel more loyal to Napoleon. He could have also been more open and honest with Bernadotte about his plans, which would have helped to build trust between them. However, Napoleon was a proud man, and he was not always willing to share power or trust others. This ultimately led to his downfall, as it alienated some of his most important allies.

In conclusion, Napoleon failed to make his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, his ally for a number of reasons. These reasons included Bernadotte's ambition, his political ambitions, and Napoleon's own suspicions. As a result, Bernadotte defected to the Allied side and played a key role in Napoleon's defeat.

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Napoleon failed to make his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, his ally for a number of reasons.

Bernadotte was a talented and ambitious general. He was a popular figure in the French army, and he was seen as a potential threat to Napoleon's power.
Bernadotte had his own political ambitions. He was interested in becoming the King of Sweden, and he was willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goal.
Napoleon was suspicious of Bernadotte. He believed that Bernadotte was not loyal to him, and he was afraid that he would betray him.
As a result of these factors, Napoleon never fully trusted Bernadotte. He kept him at arm's length, and he never gave him the same level of responsibility as he gave to other generals. This created a rift between the two men, and it eventually led to Bernadotte's defection to the enemy.

In 1810, Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden. He took the name Charles XIV John, and he became King of Sweden in 1818. As King, Bernadotte allied himself with the British and Russians, and he fought against Napoleon in the War of the Sixth Coalition. Bernadotte's defection was a major blow to Napoleon, and it contributed to his eventual defeat.

In hindsight, it is clear that Napoleon made a mistake in not making Bernadotte his ally. Bernadotte was a talented and ambitious general, and he could have been a valuable asset to Napoleon. However, Napoleon's suspicions and his own political ambitions prevented him from seeing the potential benefits of an alliance with Bernadotte. This was a costly mistake, as Bernadotte's defection eventually led to Napoleon's downfall.