From her earliest infancy, the archduchess was distinguished for sweetness of disposition, modesty, and all amiable qualities. Hence she was the idol of her family, especially of her father, over whom her influence was boundless.
When, in the war of 1809, Vienna was bombarded by the French, Maria Louisa was the only member of the imperial family who remained in the capital. She was too ill to be removed, and was accordingly left with her own attendants in the palace. Of this circumstance Napoleon was informed, and he immediately issued orders for the shells to spare the abode of the invalid. He became interested in her fate, made constant inquiries concerning her, and, perhaps, thus early resolved in his own m1nd that she should displace Josephine on his throne. It is not doubted, that in the treaty signed some months afterwards at Schoenbrun, he stipulated for her hand.
The espousals of the imperial pair were celebrated at Vienna, March 11, 1810; and in a few days the youthful bride, accompanied by the queen of Naples, set out for France. Near Soissons, a horseman, quite unattended, and no way distinguished by dress, rode past the carriage in which the young empress was seated, and then boldly returned as if to reconnoitre more closely. The carriage stopped, the door was opened, and Napoleon, utterly regardless of ceremony, introduced himself. The marriage was solemnized at Paris by Cardinal Fesch the 1st of April following. On this occasion Prince Schwartzenberg, the Austrian ambassador, gave a grand entertainment to the imperial couple, when a tragic circumstance occurred. The ball-room took fire, and many persons, among whom was the sister of the ambassador, perished in the flames. The empress herself is said to have been in some danger. This catastrophe was considered as a bad omen, especially when it was remembered that, at the marriage of her aunt Marie Antoinette with Louis XVI., in 1770, a similar disaster had happened.
Within somewhat under a year from the day of her marriage, Maria Louisa presented the emperor with a son. The birth was one of extreme difficulty, and the agitation of the accoucheur was intense. Napoleon encouraged him: "Forget that she is an empress, and treat her exactly as you would one of the poorest women in the faubourg St. Denis; she is but a woman!" The infant was thought to be dead; but was awakened from its lethargy by the discharge of one hundred and one pieces of cannon.
A stranger to every species of intrigue as well as of ambition, this princess was a model of wives and mothers. To please and obey her husband, and to watch over her infant son, were her occupation and her delight. When Napoleon left Paris to open the campaign of 1814, she was left as empress-regent; but the dignity was merely nominal; the real authority being vested in the council of regency. She had as little talent as inclination for the cares of government, or indeed for any cares beyond her domestic circle. At the approach of the allies she removed to Blois; and, when the treaty of Paris was signed, returned to her father's court; where she was compelled to lay aside her imperial title, and to assume that of Duchess of Parma, Placentia, and Guastalla, with the sovereignty of which fiefs she was invested by the allies.
Between the two wives of Napoleon there existed a great and surprising contrast. Josephine was all art and studied elegance; Maria Louisa all nature and simplicity: the one had something of audacity in her manners; the other a remarkable diffidence, which often approached to timidity: the former had considerable talents, which she delighted to exhibit before a numerous assembly; the latter had an understanding much less brilliant, but at the same time solid for one of her years: Josephine was formed for the applause of the saloon; Maria Louisa for the endearments of domestic life. It is surely singular that the artificial character should be the daughter of a West-India planter; and the natural one, a princess of the proudest house in Europe. In other respects, both were women of great sweetness of disposition; both fondly devoted to Napoleon, and both benevolent to the poor. Of this latter quality in Maria Louisa, we give one instance, among many, from the pen of Madame Durand, one of her superior domestics.
"One evening the empress had just risen from the supper-table, and withdrawn into a private room, when a footman, Esperance by name, and a very honest fellow, entered in some emotion to acquaint one of the ladies of honour with a distressing scene which he had just witnessed. He stated that a family which occupied the seventh floor of a house in the Rue de l'Echelle, and consisted of a man, his wife, and six children, had not tasted food for two days; that when he heard of the circumstance he went to assure himself of the fact; and that his sorrow was great on finding that he had no money about him.. The lady gave him ten francs for the unfortunate victims of necessity. She did more: when the empress returned, she described their deplorable situation, and solicited relief for them. That august personage immediately directed four hundred francs to be sent them. Her majesty was reminded that it was near midnight; and assured that the ten francs already sent would enable the poor people to wait until the following morning. ' No.' replied she, 'the money shall go immediately: I am happy to think that it is in my power to furnish them with a good night's repose.' The relief was sent; and the same family long continued to experience her bounty."
After the death of her husband -- we believe in 1825 -- Maria Louisa gave her hand to the count de Neipperg -- a marriage, however, which cannot be recognised by any European court. Her son, by Napoleon, has been educated at Vienna; he bears the title of Duke of Reichstadt; is said to be a young man of amiable character, and considerable accomplishments, and to be a great favourite with the emperor his grandfather. What destiny may be in store for him, who shall pretend to guess?