Napoleon - family moments

1815 Napoleon deals with a young nephew

This engraving is often given the title “Bonaparte says goodbye to his nephew”.

I think this is wrong.

This scene occurred just a few weeks before the Battle of Waterloo which will bring Napoleon Bonaparte face to face with the combined armies of the continent, including England, at the Battle of Waterloo in July.

Napoleon is living in the Elysee Palace with Josephine’s daughter, Hortense, and her two boys, both fathered by Napoleon’s youngest brother, Louis Napoleon. He parades his family everywhere so people can see that he has a family despite his wife having left him to go back to Vienna and taken his infant son with her.

Little Louis was one of Napoleon’s favourite nephews and very much enjoyed going round with his uncle. One day he escaped the nursemaid which we see in the picture and walked into the conference room where his Uncle was discussing his tactics for the forthcoming engagement with his senior officers.

Napoleon saw him coming and bent down to pick him up, asking him what mischief he was planning, or something like that.

“Don’t go away you won’t come back” was the child’s message.

Bonaparte soothed him, “I always come back don’t I” but was angry with the people in the nursery for putting such thoughts in his head.