Alexandre Francois

politician member of parliament in France

March 28, 1760 (age 34)

Fort-de-France, Martinique, France

He was the first husband of Joséphine Tascher de la Pagerie, who later married Napoleon Bonaparte and became Empress of the First Empire. Alexandre was arrested in March 1794, and following his sentence of death during the Reign of Terror, was executed by guillotine in Paris"s Place de la Révolution. They had two children: Eugène de Beauharnais (3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824). Hortense de Beauharnais (10 April 1783 – 5 October 1837), later mother of Napoleon III of France. Alexandre fought in Louis XVI"s army in the American Revolutionary War. He was later deputy of the noblesse in the Estates-General, and was president of the National Constituent Assembly from 19 June to 3 July 1791 and from 31 July to 14 August 1791. Made a general in 1792 (during the French Revolutionary Wars), he refused, in June 1793, to become Minister of War. He was named General-in-Chief of the Army of the Rhine in 1793. On 2 March 1794, the Committee of General Security ordered his arrest.

Alexandre Francois Edit Profile

politician member of parliament in France

Background

Alexandre was born in Fort-Royal (today"s Fort-de-France), Martinique.

Career

He was the first husband of Joséphine Tascher de la Pagerie, who later married Napoleon Bonaparte and became Empress of the First Empire. Alexandre was arrested in March 1794, and following his sentence of death during the Reign of Terror, was executed by guillotine in Paris"s Place de la Révolution. They had two children:

Eugène de Beauharnais (3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824).

Hortense de Beauharnais (10 April 1783 – 5 October 1837), later mother of Napoleon III of France.

Alexandre fought in Louis XVI"s army in the American Revolutionary War. He was later deputy of the noblesse in the Estates-General, and was president of the National Constituent Assembly from 19 June to 3 July 1791 and from 31 July to 14 August 1791.

Made a general in 1792 (during the French Revolutionary Wars), he refused, in June 1793, to become Minister of War. He was named General-in-Chief of the Army of the Rhine in 1793.

On 2 March 1794, the Committee of General Security ordered his arrest.

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Accused of having poorly defended Mainz during the Siege of Mainz in 1793, and considered an aristocratic "suspect", he was jailed in the Carmes prison and sentenced to death during the Reign of Terror.

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