The Man Who Had Been King: The American Exile of Napoleon's Brother Joseph

Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain, was forced into exile after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo and spent seventeen years in the United States. He built and fitted out the magnificent New Jersey estate called Point Breeze, filled with paintings and sculpture by great masters, and became friend and host to many of the nation's wealthiest and most cultivated citizens. Despite his republican airs, he never stopped styling himself as the Count de Survilliers and never learned more than rudimentary English. He continued to feel the separation from his two legitimate daughters keenly and never stopped plotting to ensure the dynastic survival of the Bonapartes. The legacy of Joseph Bonaparte in America remains, and Patricia Tyson Stroud has masterfully uncovered it in a book that is sure to appeal to lovers of art and gardens and European and American history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 292 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain, claimed that he had never desired the overwhelming responsibilities bestowed upon him by his illustrious younger brother Napoleon. Had he been left to his own devices, he would likely have pursued a career as a lawyer in his native Corsica, enjoying the leisure to indulge in his love for literature and oversee the management of his property. However, Napoleon's downfall forced Joseph into exile, and it was during this period that he finally became the country gentleman he had always envisioned himself as, albeit in an unexpected location. Surprisingly, Joseph spent seventeen years in the United States following Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. In her book, "The Man Who Had Been King," Patricia Tyson Stroud has provided a captivating account of Joseph's American exile, drawing on unpublished Bonaparte family letters. Upon his escape from France in 1815, Joseph arrived in the new land with a substantial fortune and promptly set about constructing and furnishing the magnificent New Jersey estate he named Point Breeze. The opulent residence was adorned with paintings and sculptures by renowned artists such as David, Canova, Rubens, and Titian. The surrounding park spanned 1,800 acres of meticulously landscaped gardens, boasting twelve miles of carriage roads, an artificial lake, and a network of subterranean tunnels that sparked considerable local curiosity. Stroud recounts how Joseph forged friendships with many of the nation's wealthiest and most cultivated citizens, and how his art collection played a pivotal role in introducing high European taste to America. Despite his professed republican sentiments, Joseph continued to style himself as the Count de Survilliers, a noble title that he held dear.

Weight: 568g
Dimension: 154 x 234 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780812225167