Bashkirtseff
Orig | CZ

Prince Imperial (Napoléon Eugène Louis Bonaparte)

Comprehensive Aktualizováno: 2025-11-20

Research Status: Comprehensive Last Updated: 2025-11-20 Diary Coverage: Book 13 (1879) - His death is major event

Overview

Napoléon Eugène Louis Jean Joseph Bonaparte (1856-1879), known as the Prince Imperial, was the only child of Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie. His death in June 1879 during the Zulu War was a major political and emotional event for Bonapartists, including Marie Bashkirtseff.

Historical Background

Birth and Childhood

  • Born: March 16, 1856, at the Tuileries Palace, Paris
  • Baptism: Celebrated with great pomp; Napoleon I's great-nephew
  • Childhood: Raised as heir to the Second Empire
  • Education: Received princely education befitting future emperor
  • Character: Described as brave, earnest, somewhat earnest and romantic

Fall of the Empire (1870)

  • Age 14: When Second Empire collapsed after Sedan (September 1870)
  • Exile: Fled to England with his mother after father's capture
  • Father's death: Napoleon III died in England (January 1873)
  • Became pretender: At age 17, became Bonapartist claimant to French throne

Exile in England

  • Residence: Chislehurst, Kent (with his mother Empress Eugénie)
  • Education: Royal Military Academy, Woolwich
  • Military passion: Deeply wanted to prove himself as soldier
  • Political status: French law forbade his return to France
  • Bonapartist hopes: Center of legitimist dreams for restoration

Character and Reputation

  • Earnest: Took his dynastic responsibilities seriously
  • Brave: Perhaps too eager to prove courage
  • Romantic: Idealistic about honor, duty, and military glory
  • Young: Only 23 when he died
  • Symbolic: Embodied Bonapartist nostalgia for imperial grandeur

Death in Zulu War (June 1, 1879)

Context

  • Zulu War: Britain fighting Zulu Kingdom in southern Africa
  • Prince's participation: Insisted on serving with British forces
  • Mother's fears: Empress Eugénie deeply worried but couldn't dissuade him
  • Political complications: French government relieved he was far away

The Fatal Incident

  • Date: June 1, 1879
  • Location: Near Ulundi, Zululand
  • Circumstances: On reconnaissance patrol, his small party was ambushed by Zulus
  • Death: Killed with assegai (spear) wounds; fought bravely but overwhelmed
  • Age: 23 years old

Details of Death

The patrol had stopped to rest. Zulus attacked suddenly:
  • Prince's horse bolted before he could fully mount
  • He ran alongside, unable to get on (saddle holster broke)
  • Fell and was killed by pursuing Zulus
  • Body had 18 assegai wounds
  • Companion Lieutenant Carey survived and was later court-martialed for not protecting the Prince

Impact in France

The news reached Europe in early June 1879:

  • Bonapartist devastation: End of direct Napoleonic line
  • Public emotion: Even non-Bonapartists felt sympathy
  • Controversy: Debate over Carey's actions; questions about British responsibility
  • Empress Eugénie's grief: Mother's unbearable loss
  • Political consequence: Essentially ended Bonapartist hopes for restoration

Marie's Reaction

In Book 13, Marie records:

  • Shock and grief: Even though she was questioning Bonapartism
  • Political significance: Understanding this ended an era
  • Social impact: Bonapartist circles she moved in were devastated
  • Historical moment: Recognition of witnessing major historical turning point

Context of Marie's Politics (1879)

The Prince's death accelerated Marie's political evolution:
  • She was already questioning Bonapartism
  • Cassagnac scandal had disillusioned her about Bonapartist figures
  • Gambetta's rising power suggested Republic's permanence
  • Prince's death removed any hope of restoration

Historical Significance

The Prince Imperial's death was a watershed:

  • End of dynasty: Direct line of Napoleon extinct
  • Bonapartist collapse: Movement lost its natural center
  • Republic consolidated: Removed last serious dynastic threat
  • Symbol of era: Romantic, doomed figure; last gasp of Second Empire nostalgia

Aftermath

Empress Eugénie

  • Devastated: Made pilgrimage to site of son's death in South Africa
  • Memorial: Erected monument where he died
  • Lived until 1920: 41 years as tragic figure, last of imperial family

Lieutenant Carey

  • Court-martial: Found guilty of misbehavior, later exonerated
  • Controversy: Debate over whether he abandoned the Prince or was blameless
  • Empress's view: She forgave him, saying it was fate

Political Consequences

  • Bonapartist division: Movement split among rival claimants
  • Republican relief: Removed dynastic challenge
  • Historical closing: Chapter of French history definitively ended

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