Paris, January 3, 1810
This is a letter by Madame Eleonore Metternich (nicknamed Lorel) to her husband Clemens, giving some insight into how negotiations about the Austrian-French marriage started. It’s translated from Metternich’s papers, Volume 2, the original is in French, and the spouses adress each other as “vous”.
The Metternichs were a rather odd couple. He a notorious skirt-chaser, falling in love (and passionately!) with every other pretty lady, and she a rather homely, small and unattractive woman, perfectly informed about her husband's many affairs, yet still staunchly supportive and full of admiration for hubby dearest. When during the wedding ceremonies at Compiègne the two of them happened to meet on the road one night, he coming from Vienna and she from Paris, there was the bonmot that "all these extra-ordinary circumstances had been necessary to make Monsieur and Madame Metternich meet at night for once." In truth, the two of them seem to have gotten along pretty well; they had seven children, Metternich entrusted his wife with many important tasks, and she dutifully closed her eyes over his exmarital escapades. The two of them seem to have led an "old-fashioned" marriage, which was much more about business than about romance.
Paris, January 3 , 1810
Today I have some very extraordinary things to tell you, and I almost believe that my letter will be an essential part of the expedition.
First of all I must tell you that I was presented to the Emperor last Sunday. I had only asked Champagny for it verbally, when I received a letter from M. de Ségur which told me that the Emperor had fixed it for Sunday, and that I had to choose a lady from the palace who would present me. I chose in my wisdom the Duchess of Bassano, and after waiting, together with a score of other women among whom were the Princess of Isenbourg, Madame de Tyszkiewitz and others, from two o'clock until half-past six in the evening, I was introduced first, and the Emperor received me in a way that I could not have believed. He showed real joy at seeing me again and at the fact that I had stayed here during the war; [...]
When war broke out in 1809, it seems the Austrian government kinda forgot about its ambassador in Paris and did not recall him in time. Metternich was first detained, then exchanged for a general as prisoner of war. As soon as peace had been concluded, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs in Austria and had since then remained in Vienna. Lorel, as to her, had contemplated following her husband to Austria several times. But she clearly was more useful in Paris, so she stayed and informed Metternich of what was going on in the French capital.
[...] he spoke to me about you and said: "M. de Metternich has the first place in the Monarchy; he knows this country well, he will be able to be useful to it." This sentence impresses me above all by what will follow.
The next morning Madame d'Audenarde came to me, and told me that the Empress [...]
The empress - that would be Josephine. Already chucked out of the Tuileries and with her marriage to Napoleon declared invalid. But obviously still very much in the midst of things.
[...] would like to see me very much; I went to Malmaison the next day, which was yesterday. When I arrived, there was only the Viceroy in the salon, who is the best of humans; he is the Queen of Holland as a man.
No! No, he's not! You take that back! He may be in some ways similar to her but he really isn't quite as bad ... - (For the record, I am aware that Lorel meant this as a compliment.)
He spoke to me a great deal about you, and in the midst of our conversation came the Queen, who was very glad that we had so soon renewed our acquaintance; then, taking me aside, she said to me: "You know that we are all Austrians at heart; but you would never guess that my brother had the courage to advise the Emperor to ask for your Archduchess!"
I bet Lorel never would have guessed. Neither would have Eugène, most likely. In truth, he was probably there on explicit orders from his stepfather to sound out Madame Metternich if her husband might be ready to hand over some archduchess to be married by a French emperor.
Napoleon: But be subtle! They must not take it for an actual request! You have to ask without actually asking the question, got it?
Eugène: [stares at Napoleon blankly]
Napoleon: You know what, let your mother and sister do the talking.
I had not yet recovered from my astonishment, when the Empress entered, and after telling me of all the events which had just happened, and of all that she had suffered, [...]
... and after Eugène and Hortense had interrupted her lengthy sermon on that topic and had reminded her that there was something else Josephine really, really wanted to talk to Madame Metternich about, ...
[...] she said to me: "I have a project which occupies me exclusively, and the success of which alone gives me hope that the sacrifice I have just made will not be in vain; it is that the Emperor should marry your Archduchess; I spoke to him about it yesterday, and he told me that his choice is not yet fixed; but," she added, "I believe that it would be, if he were sure of being accepted by you." I told her all I could to prove to her that, for me individually, I would regard this marriage as a great happiness; but I could not refrain from adding that, for an Archduchess of Austria, it might be painful to come and settle in France. She always said: "We must try to arrange this", and then she was sorry that you were not here. "Your Emperor must be made to consider that his ruin and that of his country is certain if he does not consent, [...]
Ah, the napoleonic approach to negotiations. Always start with a threat.
[...] and this is perhaps also the only way of preventing the Emperor from making a schism with the Holy See."
Religion, that'd be good, right? Your're all quite catholic in Austria, right? Imagine if you could save the Pope!
She told me that the Emperor was to lunch at her house today, and that she would then let me know something more positive. - At this moment I receive a note from Cochelet, [...]
Louise Cochelet, one of Hortense's ladies and chief intriguer in her household.
[...] who tells me that the Queen is expecting me tomorrow morning; we shall have to see what she has to say to me.
Probably added some time later:
I have not seen the Queen of Holland again, because she is ill. I therefore have nothing positive to tell you about the affair in question; but if I wanted to tell you about all the honours with which I was showered, I would not come to an end soon. At the last circle, I played with the Emperor; [...]
Cards, I presume.
[...] you can well believe that it was no small affair for me, yet I came through it with glory. He began by praising me for my diamond headband and the timeless golden dress, and then he asked me a lot of questions about my family and all my relatives; he absolutely wanted, in spite of everything I could tell him, that Louis Kaunitz was my brother.
Look, if Napoleon says that this young man is your brother, you better inform your parents to adopt the guy. Easier than trying to convince Napoleon of the opposite. (In truth, Kaunitz was a cousin.)
You cannot believe the effect of this game; when it was over, I was surrounded and courted by all the great dignitaries, Marshals, Ministers, etc. I had enough to make me happy. I had plenty of opportunity to make philosophical reflections on the vicissitudes of human affairs.
Court life really must be something special.