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Armorial of the First French Empire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Below is a list which presents and describes of the coat of arms of the Nobility of the First French Empire in France between 1804 and 1814, and 1815.

Note: all information is from each respective coat of arms' pages regarding their description, correct positions, etc.

Emperor of the French

[edit]
Birth (French) Name Local Name Noble Title Subsidiary titles Coat of Arms Grand Arms Portrait Term begin Date end Description
Napoléon Bonaparte Napoléon I Emperor of the French, King of Italy (see below), Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine (12 July 1806 – 19 October 1813), and Mediator of the Swiss Confederation (19 February 1803 – 19 October 1813) Co-Prince of Andorra (from 1806), Grand Duke of Berg and Cleves (from 1809)
18 May 1804 11 April 1814 Azure, an Eagle Or, head facing to the sinister, clutching in its talons a Thunderbolt Or.[1][2]
King of Italy
Arms of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
Arms of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
Napoleon I of France by Andrea Appiani
Napoleon I of France by Andrea Appiani
17 March 1805 11 April 1814 An escutcheon, with a silver pale charged with the blue Milanic serpent (spitting out the first human for the Duchy of Milan). Both sides of the pale are divided horizontally. The upper right field shows the papal parasol with the keys of Saint Peter. The upper left shows the Venetian lion, but without bible and with a Phrygian cap (revolutionary symbol) on its head (for the Papal States). The lower right quarter shows the white eagle of the house of Este (for the Duchy of Modena) and the lower left shows the arms of Piemonte, but under to the right charged with a silver tower (for Rovigo and Feltre (for the Republic of Venice)). The shield is charged with an escutcheon showing the Iron Crown of Lombardy (with pinnacles (for the Ligurian Republic) in a red border with silver rings.
Sovereign Prince of Elba
13 April 1814 26 February 1815[a] Argent, on a bend Gules three bees Or.
Emperor of the French Co-Prince of Andorra
20 March 1815 22 June 1815 Azure, an Eagle Or, head facing to the sinister, clutching in its talons a Thunderbolt Or.[1][2]
Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte Napoléon II
22 June 1815 7 July 1815 Azure, an Eagle Or, head facing to the sinister, clutching in its talons a Thunderbolt Or.[1][2]

Empresses

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Birth (French) Name Local Name Noble Title Subsidiary titles Coat of Arms Grand Arms Portrait Term begin Date end Description
Joséphine
Marie-Josèphe-Rose de Tascher de La Pagerie (Joséphine de Beauharnais) Joséphine I Empress of the French Queen of Italy (26 May 1805 – 10 January 1810), Viscountess of Beauharnais
18 May 1804 16 December 1806 Azure, an Eagle Or, head facing to the sinister, clutching in its talons a Thunderbolt Or.[1][2]
Queen of Italy Viscountess of Beauharnais
Arms of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
Arms of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
Joséphine Reine d'Italie by Andrea Appiani
Joséphine Reine d'Italie by Andrea Appiani
17 March 1805 16 December 1809 An escutcheon, with a silver pale charged with the blue Milanic serpent (spitting out the first human for the Duchy of Milan). Both sides of the pale are divided horizontally. The upper right field shows the papal parasol with the keys of Saint Peter. The upper left shows the Venetian lion, but without bible and with a Phrygian cap (revolutionary symbol) on its head (for the Papal States). The lower right quarter shows the white eagle of the house of Este (for the Duchy of Modena) and the lower left shows the arms of Piemonte, but under to the right charged with a silver tower (for Rovigo and Feltre (for the Republic of Venice)). The shield is charged with an escutcheon showing the Iron Crown of Lombardy (with pinnacles (for the Ligurian Republic) in a red border with silver rings.
Duchess of Navarre[b] Duchess of Navarre,

Viscountess of Beauharnais

Coat of arms of Josephine de Beauharnais
Coat of arms of Josephine de Beauharnais
Empress Joséphine of the French
Empress Joséphine of the French
8 April 1810 29 May 1814 Quarterly, first: Azure with an imperial eagle Or, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same, second and third: Argent a fess Sable surmounted by three martlets of the same (Armes des Beauharnais) and fourth : Or with three pals Vert.
Marie Louise
Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha Lucia Marie Louise I Empress of the French
Blason de Marie-Louise d'Autriche, Impératrice des Français
Blason de Marie-Louise d'Autriche, Impératrice des Français
Empress Marie Louise of the French
Empress Marie Louise of the French
1 April 1810 6 April 1814 Attached from France and Austria, which started from two lines; 1st Or, a lion Gules armed, langued and crowned Azure; , second Gules a the fess Argent; third Or, a bend Gules, charged with three alerions Argent. With a mantle of gules, sown with golden bees, fringed with gold, lined with ermines, with an imperial crown surmounted by a globe surmounted by a crisscrossed cross.
Queen of Italy
Arms of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
Arms of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy
Empress Marie Louise of the French
Empress Marie Louise of the French
1 April 1810 6 April 1814 An escutcheon, with a silver pale charged with the blue Milanic serpent (spitting out the first human for the Duchy of Milan). Both sides of the pale are divided horizontally. The upper right field shows the papal parasol with the keys of Saint Peter. The upper left shows the Venetian lion, but without bible and with a Phrygian cap (revolutionary symbol) on its head (for the Papal States). The lower right quarter shows the white eagle of the house of Este (for the Duchy of Modena) and the lower left shows the arms of Piemonte, but under to the right charged with a silver tower (for Rovigo and Feltre (for the Republic of Venice)). The shield is charged with an escutcheon showing the Iron Crown of Lombardy (with pinnacles (for the Ligurian Republic) in a red border with silver rings.

House of Bonaparte

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Birth (French) Name Local Name Noble Title Relations Coat of Arms Grand Arms Portrait Term begin Date end Description
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte French Prince Son of Maria Bonaparte and Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Joseph Bonaparte Portrait
Joseph Bonaparte Portrait
1st: 18 May 1804

2: 22 June 1815

1st: 11 April 1814

2: 7 July 1815

Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Imperial French Prince Son of Maria Bonaparte and Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Joseph Bonaparte Portrait
Joseph Bonaparte Portrait
18 May 1804 20 March 1811 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Giuseppe I King of Naples (Kingdom of Naples) Son of Maria Bonaparte and Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte Beginning of Reign
Coat of Arms of Joseph I Bonaparte as King of Naples
Coat of Arms of Joseph I Bonaparte as King of Naples
End of Reign
Arms of Joseph Bonaparte as King of Naples
Arms of Joseph Bonaparte as King of Naples
Beginning of Reign
Grandes armes de Joseph Bonaparte (Roi de Naples) au début du règne
Grandes armes de Joseph Bonaparte (Roi de Naples) au début du règne
End of Reign
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Naples
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Naples
Joseph Bonaparte (by Wicar)
Joseph Bonaparte (by Wicar)
30 March 1806 8 June 1808 BEGINNING OF REIGN:

Cut: I, party: a, Azure, with two cornucopias Or passed in saltire (Terra di Lavoro); b, Azure, to a golden dolphin (alias a crowned fish tail) (Otranto); II, of gold, to a triquêtre issante of a head of Mercury of carnation (Island of Sicily); above all azure, with the golden eagle, the head turned, the flight lowered, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.

END OF REIGN:

Gironné of 15 pieces: I, in the shape of a quarter-quarter, of gold, with a triquêtre issuant of a head of Mercury of carnation (Island of Sicily); II, of gold to the horse contouné and frightened of sand (of Naples (old)); 3, Azure, 2 horns of plenty Or, set in saltire (Terra di Lavoro); IV, cut in A Azure with a comet Argent hairy Or, in B Argent with a flight Azure; V, Or, to the eagle Gules, crowned with the field, issuant of a fess tilted and lowered Azure (of Basilicata); VI, Argent, to the cross potencée Sable (of Lower Calabria); VII, quartered in saltire Or, with four pals Gules and Argent, with the cross potencée Sable (alias of Aragon and Lower Calabria) (of Upper Calabria); VIII, Or, four pals Gules, a dolphin Argent, plunging towards the end, debruising above all (d'Otranto); IX, quartered in saltire Azure and Argent, with the butt of gold, debruised above all (of Bari); IX, Azure, to a Saint-Michel Or, slaying a devil Sable, on a mountain with three cups of the second, issante of the point (of Capitanate); XI, Gules, to a star with eight spokes of gold, surrounded by a crown of foliage of the same (of Molise); XII, cut Gules, with the antique crown of gold, and of silver. (from Upper-Crown); XIII, Or, to the head Sable, surmounted by a yoke Gules (of Lower Abruzzo); XIV, Azure, to the eagle Argent, surmounting a mountain Or, issante of the point (of the Upper Abruzzo); XV, Gules accompanied by two cross bored the whole Argent; above all azure, with the golden eagle, the head turned, the flight lowered, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (of Napoleon) in his pavilion of gules.

José I King of Spain and the Indies (Kingdom of Spain) Son of Maria Bonaparte and Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte
Blason Joseph Ier Bonaparte Roi d'Espagne2
Blason Joseph Ier Bonaparte Roi d'Espagne2
Grand Coat of Arms of Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain
Grand Coat of Arms of Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain
Joseph-Bonaparte
Joseph-Bonaparte
8 June 1808 11 December 1813 Two contiguous shields: part of one and cut of two: in 1, Gules with the open castle of gold and openwork Azure (Crown of Castile), in 2, Argent with the lion Gules armed, langued and crowned with gold (Kingdom of León), in 3 Or with four pals Gules (Principality of Catalonia), in 4 Gules with gold chains set in orle, cross and saltire, charged in the heart of a natural emerald (Kingdom of Navarre), in 5 Argent with a pomegranate Gules, stalked and foliated Vert and (Kingdom of Granada) 6 Azure, and Gules in the old and new world Or between the columns of Hercules Argent; on the whole of Azure, with the golden eagle, the rounded head, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (House of Bonaparte).
Marie Julie Clary Giulia I Queen of Naples (Kingdom of Naples) Wife of Joseph Bonaparte
Blason Julie Clary2
Blason Julie Clary2
Grand Coat of Arms of Julie Clary Queen Consort of Naples
Grand Coat of Arms of Julie Clary Queen Consort of Naples
Julie Clary
Julie Clary
30 March 1806 8 June 1808 Attached to the King of Naples and Clary: Coupé: I, party: a, Azure, with two cornucopias Or passed in saltire (Plowing); b, Azure, to a dolphin circled Argent (alias a crowned fish tail) (Otranto); II, of gold, to a triquêtre issante of a head of Mercury of carnation (Island of Sicily); above all azure, with the golden eagle, the head circled, the flight lowered, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (from Napoleon to the golden eagle, the head circled, the flight lowered, encroaching a thunderbolt) of the same and that of Clary, Or with an eagle displayed Sable, membered, beaked and tied Gules, a chief Azure charged with a sun Or.
Julia I Queen of Spain (Kingdom of Spain) Wife of Joseph Bonaparte
Blason Julie Clary
Blason Julie Clary
Coat of Arms of Julie Clary as Queen Consort of Spain
Coat of Arms of Julie Clary as Queen Consort of Spain
Julie Clary - enfants
Julie Clary - enfants
8 June 1808 11 December 1813 Two contiguous shields: part of one and cut of two: in 1, Gules with the open castle of gold and openwork Azure (Crown of Castile), in 2, Argent with the lion Gules armed, langued and crowned with gold (Kingdom of León), in 3 Or with four pals Gules (Principality of Catalonia), in 4 Gules with gold chains set in orle, cross and saltire, charged in the heart of a natural emerald (Kingdom of Navarre), in 5 Argent with a pomegranate Gules, stalked and foliated Vert and (Kingdom of Granada) 6 Azure, and Gules in the old and new world Or between the columns of Hercules Argent; on the whole of Azure, with the golden eagle, the rounded head, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (House of Bonaparte) and that of Clary, Or with the eagle displayed Sable, membered, beaked and bound Gules, a chief Azure charged with a sun Or.
Lucien Bonaparte
Lucien Bonaparte Prince of Canino Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte
Blason Lucien Bonaparte
Blason Lucien Bonaparte
Coat of Arms of Lucien Bonaparte, Roman Prince of Canino
Coat of Arms of Lucien Bonaparte, Roman Prince of Canino
Fabre - Lucien Bonaparte
Fabre - Lucien Bonaparte
18 August 1814 29 June 1840 Elliptical shield, Gules with two bars of gold accompanied by two stars of the same, one in chief, the other in point crown of Roman Prince in the antique style, mantle Gules lined with ermine, Legion of honor.
French Prince
Stemma luciano bonaparte
Stemma luciano bonaparte
Coat of Arms of Lucien Bonaparte during the Hundred Days2
Coat of Arms of Lucien Bonaparte during the Hundred Days2
Robert Lefèvre - Lucien Bonaparte, Prince de Canino (1755-1840)
Robert Lefèvre - Lucien Bonaparte, Prince de Canino (1755-1840)
2 June 1815 1815 On June 2, 1815, peer of France, making Lucien ipso facto a count of the Empire and French prince. (Nevertheless, he remains excluded from the imperial succession because of marriage not authorized by the emperor).
Louis Bonaparte
Louis Bonaparte Louis Napoléon Bonaparte French Prince Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Louis Napoléon peint par François Gérard
Louis Napoléon peint par François Gérard
18 May 1804 1 July 1810 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Lodewijk I King of Holland (Kingdom of Holland)
Blason du Royaume de Hollande
Blason du Royaume de Hollande
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Holland (1808)
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Holland (1808)
Louis Bonaparte by Vogel von Vogelstein
Louis Bonaparte by Vogel von Vogelstein
5 June 1806 1 July 1810

Quarterly: I and IV, Gules, to the lion Or crowned with the same, holding in its dexter paw a bundle of seven arrows Argent, pointed and fletched Or, and in its sinister paw, a sword Argent, garnished with gold (Prince of Orange); II and III, Azure, with the golden eagle, the head rounded, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (of Napoleon).

Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte French Prince
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Cottrau - Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte (1804-1831)
Cottrau - Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte (1804-1831)
11 October 1804 1815 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Louis I Grand Duke of Clèves and Berg (Grand Duchy of Berg) Son of Louis Bonaparte
Coat of arms of Napoleon Bonaparte Louis Grand Duke of Cleves and Berg
Coat of arms of Napoleon Bonaparte Louis Grand Duke of Cleves and Berg
3 March 1809 1 December 1813 Berg (Duchy of Berg) impaled with Clèves (Duchy of Cleves), overall an inescutcheon of Napoleon.
Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte Prince Royal of Holland
Cottrau - Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte (1804-1831)
Cottrau - Napoléon-Louis Bonaparte (1804-1831)
5 May 1807 1 July 1810

Quarterly: I and IV, Gules, to the lion Or crowned with the same, holding in its dexter paw a bundle of seven arrows Argent, pointed and fletched Or, and in its sinister paw, a sword Argent, garnished with gold (Prince of Orange); II and III, Azure, with the golden eagle, the head rounded, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (of Napoleon).

Lodewijk II King of Holland (Kingdom of Holland)
Blason du Royaume de Hollande
Blason du Royaume de Hollande
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Holland (1808)
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Holland (1808)
1 July 1810 13 July 1810

Quarterly: I and IV, Gules, to the lion Or crowned with the same, holding in its dexter paw a bundle of seven arrows Argent, pointed and fletched Or, and in its sinister paw, a sword Argent, garnished with gold (Prince of Orange); II and III, Azure, with the golden eagle, the head rounded, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (of Napoleon).

Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte French Prince Son of Louis Bonaparte
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Hortense with her children
Hortense with her children
20 April 1808 1815 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Prince Royal of Holland

20 April 1808 13 July 1810

Quarterly: I and IV, Gules, to the lion Or crowned with the same, holding in its dexter paw a bundle of seven arrows Argent, pointed and fletched Or, and in its sinister paw, a sword Argent, garnished with gold (Prince of Orange); II and III, Azure, with the golden eagle, the head rounded, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (of Napoleon).

Jérôme Bonaparte
Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte French Prince Brother of Napoléon Bonaparte
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Rümelin 40 Jérôme Napoléon
Rümelin 40 Jérôme Napoléon
18 May 1804 1815 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Jerome Napoleon I King of Westphalia (Kingdom of Westphalia)
Blason Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860)2
Blason Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860)2
Grandes Armes Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860) 2
Grandes Armes Jérôme Bonaparte (1784-1860) 2
King Jerome Bonaparte
King Jerome Bonaparte
9 July 1807 26 October 1813 First quarter shows the silver horse of Westphalia (Electorate of Hanover); the second the lion of Hesse over the counties of Dietz, Nidda, Ziegenhain and Katzenelnbogen (Electorate of Hesse); the third was newly designed for non-specified territories around Magdeburg (Duchy of Magdeburg); and the fourth combined Brunswick, Diepholz, Lüneburg and Lauterburg (Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel). Around the shield are the Order of the Crown of Westphalia and the French Grand Aigle of the Légion d'honneur. Above is Napoleon's star.
Katharina Friederike von Württemberg Katharina I Queen Consort of Westphalia (Kingdom of Westphalia/Kingdom of Württemberg) Wife of Jérôme Bonaparte
Coat of Arms of Catherine of Württemberg following her marriage to Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte. Before her marriage, the left part (that of the King of Westphalia) wasn't part of her coat of arms.
Coat of Arms of Catherine of Württemberg following her marriage to Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte. Before her marriage, the left part (that of the King of Westphalia) wasn't part of her coat of arms.
Grandes Armes Catherine de Wurtemberg2
Grandes Armes Catherine de Wurtemberg2
Catharina of Württemberg - Queen of Westphalia
Catharina of Württemberg - Queen of Westphalia
22 August 1807 26 October 1813 First quarter shows the silver horse of Westphalia (Electorate of Hanover); the second the lion of Hesse over the counties of Dietz, Nidda, Ziegenhain and Katzenelnbogen (Electorate of Hesse); the third was newly designed for non-specified territories around Magdeburg (Duchy of Magdeburg); and the fourth combined Brunswick, Diepholz, Lüneburg and Lauterburg (Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel). Around the shield are the Order of the Crown of Westphalia and the French Grand Aigle of the Légion d'honneur. Above is Napoleon's star.

For Kingdom of Württemberg coat of arms: First part of gold, with three half antlers of sable deer, which is for the Duchy of Württemberg, and Second Part of gold with three lions passing sable, for the Duchy of Swabia.

Grand Dignitaries

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Initially under the Constitution of the Year XII (1804), six Dignitaries of the Empire (Grandes Dignités de l'Empire) were created:

The following grand dignitaries were later added:

Birth (French) Name Noble Title Coat of Arms Grand Arms Portrait Term begin Date end Description
Jean-Jacques-Régis de Cambacérès Archchancellor of the Empire
Armoiries Cambacérès
Armoiries Cambacérès
Blason de la famille de Cambacérès
Blason de la famille de Cambacérès
Jean-Jacques-Regis de Cambaceres (par Henri-Frederic Schopin)
Jean-Jacques-Regis de Cambaceres (par Henri-Frederic Schopin)
1st: 18 May 1804

2nd: 20 March 1815

1st: 14 April 1814

2nd: 22 June 1815

Or, a dextrochère of carnation, adorned Gules, turned up Ermine, holding the tables of the law Sable, the whole accompanied by three lozenges Sable; , a chief Azure sown with bees Or, which is that of the Princes Grand Dignitaries.
Eugène de Beauharnais Archchancellor of State of the Empire
Gérard - Eugène de Beauharnais 1
Gérard - Eugène de Beauharnais 1
18 May 1804 1 February 1805 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same, the thunderbolt charged with an oval silver medallion overloaded with an E of sand.
Charles-François Lebrun Arch-Treasurer of the Empire
Blason Charles-François Lebrun (Duc de Plaisance) (Restauration)
Blason Charles-François Lebrun (Duc de Plaisance) (Restauration)
Blason Charles-François Lebrun (1739-1824) (Empire)
Blason Charles-François Lebrun (1739-1824) (Empire)
Charles François Lebrun prince architrésorier de l'Empire
Charles François Lebrun prince architrésorier de l'Empire
18 May 1804 11 April 1814 Sable, to a wolf stopped Or, supported of the same, surmounted by two billets Argent; , a chief cousu Azure sown with stars Or.
Joseph Bonaparte Grand Elector of the Empire
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Joseph Bonaparte Portrait
Joseph Bonaparte Portrait
18 May 1804 30 March 1806 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Louis Napoléon Bonaparte Constable of the Empire
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Smaller coat of arms of a French Prince during the Napoleonic Wars.
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Grand Coat of Arms of a French Prince
Louis Napoléon peint par François Gérard
Louis Napoléon peint par François Gérard
18 May 1804 5 June 1806 Azure with a golden eagle encroaching a thunderbolt of the same.
Joachim Murat Grand Admiral of the Empire
Blason de Joachim Murat (1805)
Blason de Joachim Murat (1805)
Murat (Gerard)
Murat (Gerard)
18 May 1804 8 June 1808 Shield on which is placed a double anchor, surrounded by the collar of the Legion of Honor placed on two Marshal's staff (azure sown with golden eagle), feathered helm, imperial mantle, marquis crown.
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord Vice Grand Elector of the Empire
Blason Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838) (Empire)2
Blason Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838) (Empire)2
Prud'hon - Portrait de Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), en habit de grand chambellan - P1065 - Musée Carnvalet - 01
Prud'hon - Portrait de Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838), en habit de grand chambellan - P1065 - Musée Carnvalet - 01
14 August 1807 11 April 1814 Party: to the I Gules with three lion cubs Or armed, languid and crowned Azure (Talleyrand-Périgord); in the II of gold with the boar wild boar passing sand loaded on the back of a silver cover (Benevento); to the head of the Sovereign Princes of the Empire debruising the score. Re que Diou: RE QUE DIOU.
Louis-Alexandre Berthier Vice Constable of the Empire
Coat of Arms of Louis-Alexandre Berthier
Coat of Arms of Louis-Alexandre Berthier
Louis-Alexandre Berthier
Louis-Alexandre Berthier
1807 11 April 1814 Party: to the I, Or, to the dextrochère Argent, armed with Azure heightened Or, holding a sword Sable and charged with a shield Sable to a W surrounded by Commilitoni Victor Caesar, the whole of or, to the head of the Princes Grand Dignitaries of the Empire (Wagram); 2nd, Or, pale Gules, charged with three chevrons Argent (Neufchâtel), a chief of Princes Souverains.
Camillo Filippo Ludovico Borghese Governor General of the Alps Departments
Blason Camille Borghèse2
Blason Camille Borghèse2
Camille Borghèse
Camille Borghèse
24 February 1808 11 April 1814 Party: to the I, Azure, to a winged dragon Or (Borghesi), a chief of the same, charged with an eagle Sable, beaked, membered and crowned Or (Holy Empire); to II, Gules with a parasol with gules and gold braid, topped with a gold cruciferous globe, the spear-shaped stem loaded with two long-salted keys with the bits facing outwards and towards the top, one of gold and the other of silver, bound in gules (gonfalonnier of the Church); to the head of sovereign prince debruising.
Élisa Bonaparte Grand Duchess of Tuscany
Blason Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820)
Blason Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820)
Blason Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820) orn
Blason Elisa Bonaparte (1777-1820) orn
Guillaume Guillon-Lethière - Elisa Bonaparte
Guillaume Guillon-Lethière - Elisa Bonaparte
3 March 1809 1 February 1814 Quarterly: I, Or with six spheres set in orle, five Gules, that in chief Azure charged with three fleur-de-lys Or (from Medici, for Tuscany); II, cut Argent and Gules (from Lucca); III, cut Gules and Or, the chief of the first charged with a two-headed eagle Sable, a crestier Sable with leaves of silver (alias of a branch of thorns Vert in pale) debruising, charged in abyss of 'an escutcheon Gules a bend checkered Argent and Azure, a chief Argent a cross Gules (of Cybo-Malaspina, for Massa and Carrara); IV, Gules with two bands Or accompanied of two mullets of the same; on the whole Azure, with the golden eagle, the circumvented head, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (from Napoleon).

Marshals of the Empire

[edit]
Birth (French) Name Noble Title(s) Noble Title Years[c] Coat of Arms Grand Arms Coat of Arms Description Portrait Raised to Marshal Date Notes
Louis-Alexandre Berthier I: Sovereign Prince of Neuchâtel and Valangin

II: Prince of Wagram

I: 25 February 1806 – 3 June 1814

II: 9 July 1809

Coat of Arms (cropped) of Louis Alexandre Berthier
Coat of Arms (cropped) of Louis Alexandre Berthier
As Prince of Wagram:
Party: to the I, Or, to the dextrochère Argent, armed with Azure heightened Or, holding a sword Sable and charged with a shield Sable to a W surrounded by Commilitoni Victor Caesar, the whole of or, to the head of the fr: Princes Grand Dignitaries of the Empire (Wagram); 2nd, Or, pale Gules, charged with three chevrons Argent (Neuchâtel), a chief of Princes Souverains.
Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince de Neufchâtel et de Wagram, maréchal de France (1753-1815)
Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince de Neufchâtel et de Wagram, maréchal de France (1753-1815)
19 May 1804 1st in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Joachim Murat I: Grand Duke of Berg and Clèves

II: Lieutenant General of the Realm of the Kingdom of Spain

III: King of Naples

I: 15 March 1806 – 1 August 1808

II: 4 May – 20 July 1808

III: 1 August 1808 – 19 May 1815

Coat of Arms as the Grand Duke of Berg & Clèves
Blason Joachim Murat Grand-Duc de Clèves et de Berg
Blason Joachim Murat Grand-Duc de Clèves et de Berg
Coat of Arms as King of Naples:
Arms of Joaquim Murat as king of Naples
Arms of Joaquim Murat as king of Naples
Coat of Arms as a Marshal and Admiral of the Empire (till 1806):
Blason de Joachim Murat (1805)
Blason de Joachim Murat (1805)
Coat of Arms as the Grand Duke of Berg & Clèves
Blason Joachim Murat Grand-Duc de Clèves et de Berg (Orn ext)
Blason Joachim Murat Grand-Duc de Clèves et de Berg (Orn ext)
Coat of Arms as King of Naples:
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Naples (1808)
Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Naples (1808)
As Marshal & Admiral of the Empire:

Shield on which is placed a double anchor, surrounded by the collar of the Legion of Honor placed on two Marshal's staff (azure sown with golden eagle), feathered helm, imperial mantle, marquis crown.

As Grand Duke of Berg & Clèves:

Party: in I of silver with a lion Gules, the forked tail passed in saltire (Duchy of Berg); in II Gules, to the escutcheon Argent, to the spokes of carbuncle Or, brochantes on the whole (Duchy of Cleves); on the whole azure with the golden eagle, the circumvented head, with the lowered flight, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (from Napoleon), on the insignia of Grand-Admiral of the Empire.

As King of Naples:

Gironné of 15 pieces: I, in the shape of a quarter-quarter, of gold, with a triquêtre issuant of a head of Mercury of carnation (Island of Sicily); II, of gold to the horse contouné and frightened of sand (of Naples (old)); 3, Azure, 2 horns of plenty Or, set in saltire (Terra di Lavoro); IV, cut in A Azure with a comet Argent hairy Or, in B Argent with a flight Azure; V, Or, to the eagle Gules, crowned with the field, issuant of a fess tilted and lowered Azure (of Basilicata); VI, Argent, to the cross potencée Sable (of Lower Calabria); VII, quartered in saltire Or, with four pals Gules and Argent, with the cross potencée Sable (alias of Aragon and Lower Calabria) (of Upper Calabria); VIII, Or, four pals Gules, a dolphin Argent, plunging towards the end, debruising above all (d'Otranto); IX, quartered in saltire Azure and Argent, with the butt of gold, debruised above all (of Bari); IX, Azure, to a Saint-Michel Or, slaying a devil Sable, on a mountain with three cups of the second, issante of the point (of Capitanate); XI, Gules, to a star with eight spokes of gold, surrounded by a crown of foliage of the same (of Molise); XII, cut Gules, with the antique crown of gold, and of silver. (from Upper-Crown); XIII, Or, to the head Sable, surmounted by a yoke Gules (of Lower Abruzzo); XIV, Azure, to the eagle Argent, surmounting a mountain Or, issante of the point (of the Upper Abruzzo); XV, Gules accompanied by two cross bored the whole Argent; above all azure, with the golden eagle, the head turned, the flight lowered, encroaching a thunderbolt of the same (of Napoleon) in his pavilion of gules.

Murat (Gerard)
Murat (Gerard)
19 May 1804 2nd in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey Duke of Conegliano July 1808
Blason Adrien Jannot de Moncey (1754-1842)
Blason Adrien Jannot de Moncey (1754-1842)
Azure, a hand Or, winged and maintaining a sword in pale argent.
Marechal Moncey
Marechal Moncey
19 May 1804 3rd in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan Comte de Jourdan
Blason Jean Baptiste Jourdan (1762-1833) (Restauration)
Blason Jean Baptiste Jourdan (1762-1833) (Restauration)
Coat of Arms of Jean-Baptiste, 1st Comte de Jourdan
Coat of Arms of Jean-Baptiste, 1st Comte de Jourdan
Azure, with the letters JBJ entwined Or; with a silver border, besantée Sable.
Le maréchal Jourdan
Le maréchal Jourdan
19 May 1804 4th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
André Masséna I: Prince of Essling

II: Duke of Rivoli

I: 31 January 1810

II: 24 August 1808

Blason André Masséna (1758-1817)
Blason André Masséna (1758-1817)
As Prince of Essling:

As Duke of Rivoli:
Under the head of the Princes of the Empire: of gold, to a Winged Victory of canarnation, dressed in silver, holding in his dexter hand a palm and in the sinister an olive wreath, the whole of vert, accompanied in tip of a dog lying on the sand.
André Masséna (Fontaine et Gros)
André Masséna (Fontaine et Gros)
19 May 1804 5th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Charles Pierre François Augereau Duke of Castiglione 19 March 1808
Blason Charles Pierre François Augereau (1757-1816) duc de Castiglione.svg
Blason Charles Pierre François Augereau (1757-1816) duc de Castiglione.svg
Azure with a lion Or, quarter of the Barons drawn from the army debruising to the ninth of the shield, and for liveries: blue, red, yellow.
Robert Lefevre 20
Robert Lefevre 20
19 May 1804 6th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Jean Bernadotte I: Prince of Pontecorvo

II: Crown Prince of Sweden

I: 5 June 1806 – 21 August 1810

II: 21 August 1810 – 5 February 1818 (became King of Sweden & Norway)

As Crown Prince of Sweden:
Prins Karl (XIV) Johan
Prins Karl (XIV) Johan
As Prince of Pontecorvo:
Coat of arms of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte
Coat of arms of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte
As Crown Prince of Sweden:
Karl XIV Johan Prince de Suède
Karl XIV Johan Prince de Suède
As Prince of Pontecorvo:

Azure, a bridge with three arches Argent, on a river of the same, shaded Azure, and supporting two towers of the second; to the head of the Sovereign Princes of Empire debruising.

Jean-Baptiste-Jules Bernadotte, Prince de Ponte-Corvo, roi de Suède, Maréchal de France (1763-1844)
Jean-Baptiste-Jules Bernadotte, Prince de Ponte-Corvo, roi de Suède, Maréchal de France (1763-1844)
19 May 1804 7th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.

Accepted position of "Crown Prince of Sweden" on 21 August 1810 and dropped all French titles including marshalcy.

Jean-de-Dieu Soult Duke of Dalmatia 28 June 1808
Blason Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult (1769-1851)
Blason Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult (1769-1851)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: gold, with the escutcheon Gules, charged with three heads of leopards of the first.
Jean-de-Dieu Soult, maréchal duc de Dalmatie (1769-1851)
Jean-de-Dieu Soult, maréchal duc de Dalmatie (1769-1851)
19 May 1804 8th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Guillaume Marie-Anne Brune Comte de Brune 2 June 1815
Guillaume Marie-Anne, comte de Brune, maréchal de France (1763-1815)
Guillaume Marie-Anne, comte de Brune, maréchal de France (1763-1815)
19 May 1804 9th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Jean Lannes Duke of Montebello 1 June 1808
Blason Jean Lannes (1769-1809)
Blason Jean Lannes (1769-1809)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: Green, with the high sword Or.
Julie Volpelière (d'après Gérard) - Le maréchal Lannes (1769-1809), 1834
Julie Volpelière (d'après Gérard) - Le maréchal Lannes (1769-1809), 1834
19 May 1804 10th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Adolphe Édouard Casimir Joseph Mortier Duke of Trévise 2 July 1808
Blason Adolphe Édouard Casimir Joseph Mortier (1768-1835)
Blason Adolphe Édouard Casimir Joseph Mortier (1768-1835)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: quartered, I and IV, gold, with the head of a sand horse, that of the I bypassed; II, Azure, to the right hand armed Or, holding a high sword Argent; III, Azure, to the senestrochere armed Or, holding a high sword Argent.
Dubufe - Marshal Mortier
Dubufe - Marshal Mortier
19 May 1804 11th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Michel Ney I: Prince of the Moscow

II: Duke of Elchingen

I: 25 March 1813

II: 6 June 1808

Blason Michel Ney (1769-1815)
Blason Michel Ney (1769-1815)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: Or, with a border Azure, an escutcheon Azure, charged with an orle Or, accosted with two back-to-back hands, dressed in sable, holding silver badelaires.
Marechal Ney
Marechal Ney
19 May 1804 12th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Louis-Nicolas Davout I: Prince of Eckmühl

II: Duke of Auerstedt

I: 15 August 1809

II: 2 July 1808

Blason Louis Nicolas d'Avout (1770-1823)
Blason Louis Nicolas d'Avout (1770-1823)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: Or, 2 lions leopard gules, each holding a Polish lance Sable, one in the first canton, the other, bypassed, in the fourth canton.
Louis nicolas davout
Louis nicolas davout
19 May 1804 13th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
Jean-Baptiste Bessières Duke of Istria 28 March 1809
Blason Jean Baptiste Bessières (1768-1813)
Blason Jean Baptiste Bessières (1768-1813)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: quarterly, to the I, Azure, to the lion Or; to II, Argent, to the hawk spinning Sable; 3rd, Or, a tower Azure, open Sable; 4th, Gules, to the fox passing Or.
Reisener - Portrait du maréchal Jean-Baptiste Bessières, duc d'Istries (1768-1813)
Reisener - Portrait du maréchal Jean-Baptiste Bessières, duc d'Istries (1768-1813)
19 May 1804 14th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals.
François-Étienne-Christophe de Kellermann Duke of Valmy May 1808
Blason François Christophe Kellermann (1735-1820)
Blason François Christophe Kellermann (1735-1820)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: cut Gules with an inverted crescent Argent; and Argent, 3 mountains Vert, each surmounted of a star Gules.
Marechal-Kellermann
Marechal-Kellermann
19 May 1804 15th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals. Promoted as an "Honorary Marshal".
François Joseph Lefebvre Duke of Danzig 10 September 1808
Blason François Joseph Lefebvre (1755-1820)
Blason François Joseph Lefebvre (1755-1820)
Party: 1st, Azure, to a right hand, cuirassed Argent, holding a sword of the same, garnished Or; 2nd, Or, a fess Vert, charged with two passers-by, each leading a woman, all Argent, the fess accompanied in chief by a flight Sable, and in base of a cross pattée reamed of the same; to the chief of the dukes of the Empire debruising.
François-Joseph Lefebvre
François-Joseph Lefebvre
19 May 1804 16th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals. Promoted as an "Honorary Marshal".
Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon Comte de Pérignon 1808
Blason Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon (1754-1818)
Blason Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon (1754-1818)
Azure, to a passing ram Argent, accorné Or, the head summoned of a patriarchal cross of the same; in the canton of the Counts Senators debruising.
Dominique-Catherine Pérignon
Dominique-Catherine Pérignon
19 May 1804 17th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals. Promoted as an "Honorary Marshal".
Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier Comte de Sérurier 8 May 1808
Blason Jean Mathieu Philibert Sérurier (1742-1819)
Blason Jean Mathieu Philibert Sérurier (1742-1819)
Gules, to the seated greyhound Argent; in the canton of the Counts Senators debruising.
Jean mathieu philibert serurier
Jean mathieu philibert serurier
19 May 1804 18th in seniority for the 1804 First promotion of Marshals. Promoted as an "Honorary Marshal".
Claude Victor-Perrin Duke of Belluno 10 September 1808
Blason Claude-Victor Perrin (1764-1841)
Blason Claude-Victor Perrin (1764-1841)
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire: party, to the I of azure to the dextrochère argent garnished with moving gold of the partition: in II Or with a lion sable, a fess gules debruised.
Claude-Victor Perrin
Claude-Victor Perrin
12 July 1807 Made a Marshal of the Empire in 1807 following his exemplary conduct at the Battle of Friedland.
Étienne Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre Macdonald Duke of Taranto 9 December 1809
Blason Étienne Jacques Joseph Macdonald (1765-1840) Duc de Tarente
Blason Étienne Jacques Joseph Macdonald (1765-1840) Duc de Tarente
Quarterly: 1st, Argent, to the lion Gules; 2nd, Or, a dextrochère, armed Gules, holding a cross crisscross at the stuck foot of the same; 3rd, Or, to a galley Sable, flagged and weather-vane Gules; 4th, Green; to the silver salmon; all below the head of the Duke of the Empire debruised.
MacDonald par Antoine Jean Gros
MacDonald par Antoine Jean Gros
12 July 1809 Made a Marshal of the Empire in 1809 following his conduct at the Battle of Wagram, and only Marshal ever appointed on a battlefield. Napoléon decreed he was the choice "for France".
Nicolas Charles Oudinot I: Duke of Reggio

II: Comte de Oudinot

I: 14 April 1810

II: 19 March / 2 July 1808

Blason Nicolas Charles Marie Oudinot (1767-1847) Duc de Reggio
Blason Nicolas Charles Marie Oudinot (1767-1847) Duc de Reggio
Party: I, Gules, 3 helmets Argent; II, Argent, to the lion Gules, holding a grenade Sable inflamed Gules; all below the head of the Duke of the Empire debruised.
Nicolas Charles Oudinot by Robert Lefèvre
Nicolas Charles Oudinot by Robert Lefèvre
12 July 1809 Made a Marshal of the Empire in 1809 following his conduct at the Battle of Wagram. Napoléon decreed he was the choice "for the Army".
Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont Duke of Ragusa 28 June 1808
Blason Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont (1774-1852)
Blason Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont (1774-1852)
Quarterly: I and IV, Argent, 3 bends Gules; II, Or, to the standard Gules, to the cross Argent, set in bend, the trable Sable; III, party: a, Azure, to the Cross of Lorraine Or; Gules, to a flaming sword in pale Argent; all below the head of the Duke of the Empire debruised.
Marmont
Marmont
12 July 1809 Made a Marshal of the Empire in 1809 following his conduct at the Battle of Wagram. Napoléon decreed he was the choice "for Friendship".
Louis-Gabriel Suchet I: Duke of Albufera

II: Comte de Suchet

I: 11 January 1813

II: 19 March / 24 June 1808

Blason Famille Suchet Albufera
Blason Famille Suchet Albufera
Under the head of the Dukes of the Empire, party 3, cut into:
  1. Or, 4 vergettes Gules, three irons of Pikes Argent, debruising above all
  2. Argent, to the tower Sable, surmounted by three turrets of the same
  3. Quarterly Gules in turn Sable, and Or to the green tree
  4. Argent, 3 wavy pals of azure
  5. Azure, to a galley, surmounted by "SAG" and accompanied by a point of a dolphin and a shall, all Argent
  6. Or, 4 vergettes Gules, at the foot of lily Argent debruising above all
  7. Azure, a tower Sable, surmounted by three turrets and terraced green
  8. Or, 5 mullets Azure set in saltire; all superimposed upon:
  • I: Party of military counts of the Empire and gold, in the half-flight reversed Sable
  • II: Gules, to the lion leopard Argent, passing over a bridge of wood Or, and holding an olive branch of the same
Gault - Le maréchal Suchet, duc d'Albufera (1770-1826)
Gault - Le maréchal Suchet, duc d'Albufera (1770-1826)
8 July 1811 Made a Marshal of the Empire for his exemplary and conduct throughout the Peninsular War, and only marshal to gain his baton during said campaign. Awarded following the Siege of Tarragona.
Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr Comte de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr May 1808
Blason Laurent Gouvion-Saint-Cyr (1764-1830)
Blason Laurent Gouvion-Saint-Cyr (1764-1830)
Cut, at I, left of the district of the Military Counts of the Empire surrounded by a chain of silver and azure with a gold star; at II, sand
Laurent de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr
Laurent de Gouvion-Saint-Cyr
27 August 1812 Made a Marshal of the Empire for his brilliant defence and later tactical withdrawal which held off a Russian counter-attack at Polotsk twice. Granted his baton after the first battle.
Prince Józef Antoni Poniatowski No titles for the French Empire.
Ciolek
Ciolek
Józef ks Poniatowski CoA
Józef ks Poniatowski CoA
Argent, with an ox Gules, on a green terrace.
Prince Jozef Poniatowski, by Josef Grassi
Prince Jozef Poniatowski, by Josef Grassi
17 October 1813 Only foreigner to become a Marshal of France under Napoleon, awarded for his bravery during the Invasion of Russia.
Emmanuel de Grouchy Comte de Grouchy 28 January 1809
Blason Emmanuel de Grouchy (1766-1847)
Blason Emmanuel de Grouchy (1766-1847)
Or, fretté Azure; over-all Argent, 3 trefoils Vert; in the canton of the Military Counts of the Empire debruising
Emmanuel de Grouchy 2
Emmanuel de Grouchy 2
17 April 1815 Initially a brave cavalry commander, but later blamed for Napoléon's defeat during the Hundred Days. Made a Marshal of the Empire on the advice of Marshal Louis-Nicolas Davout (Minister of War at this time). Last Marshal created by Napoléon.

Noble Titles of the Empire

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Princes of the Empire

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Dukes of the Empire

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Counts of the Empire

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Barons of the Empire

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Chevaliers of the Empire

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Commune Amorial

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During the Napoleonic Wars, several regions were integrated into 'Metropolitan France', becoming départements. These are listed separately.

Footnotes

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Notes

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  1. ^ Napoleon left Elba on 26 February, however the title wasn't disestablished until 9 June.
  2. ^ Though Napoléon and Joséphine had divorced in 1806, Napoléon kept her as an official "member of the senior family". Therefore, her title of Duchess of Navarre is kept here under Empress.
  3. ^ The date is when the title was "confirmed by decree". If another year follows after that, this is when that title was abolished, or the titular holder dropped it, etc.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d Ottfried Neubecker & J P Brooke-Little (1980). Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meanings. The Book Service Ltd. p. 98. ISBN 978-0354044936.
  2. ^ a b c d Jirí Louda & Michael MacLagan (1999). Lines of Succession: Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe. Little, Brown. p. 125. ISBN 978-1856054690.

References

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