Rivals, Rebels, and Royalty: Pauline Bonaparte & Maria Caroline of Austria

Tudors Dynasty

RedTop Media / Rebecca Larson

History

4.4 • 794 Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Pauline Bonaparte and Maria Carolina of Naples—two women with power, ambition, and a deep loathing for each other. One, Napoleon’s scandalous sister; the other, a fierce Habsburg queen determined to destroy him. Their clash wasn’t just personal—it was political, shaping the fate of Europe. In this episode, we unravel their intense rivalry, the schemes, the scandals, and the battle for dominance in a world ruled by men.

Narrated by: Rebecca Larson

Researched by: Emily Airey

Transcript

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0:30.2	The Tudors Dynasty podcast. Hello and welcome back to the show. I'm your host, Rebecca
0:36.6	Larson. Pauline Bonaparte and Maria
0:40.4	Carolina of Austria were two powerful women whose lives intertwined with the political upheavals of 18th and
0:47.6	19th century Europe. Pauline, the sister of Napoleon Bonaparte, navigated the complexities of imperial France while defying societal expectations with her beauty, scandalous behavior, and eventual royal marriage to Prince Borgesi.
1:05.6	In contrast, Maria Carolina, the Queen of Naples, was a steadfast figure in the face of revolution and war,
1:13.4	wielding considerable influence behind the scenes while fiercely defending her family's rule.
1:20.3	Despite their different roles and regions, both women played pivotal parts in shaping the
1:25.6	destinies of their kingdoms, leaving a lasting legacy of intrigue,
1:30.5	power struggles, and personal sacrifice. Pauline Bonaparte was born on the 20th of October, 1780,
1:39.3	in Corsica, an island off the coast of France. She was one of the eight children of Latitia and Carlo Bonaparte that survived to adulthood.
1:50.2	She was 11 years younger than Napoleon.
1:53.9	He would later reflect that he and Pauline had been the spoiled children of the family.
1:59.9	True to the sentiment, responsibility was never
2:02.7	Pauline's strong suit. She received no formal education and showed little interest in
2:09.3	intellectual pursuits. Instead, she was drawn to a life of luxury and indulgence.
2:15.7	A notorious flirt, she took great pride in her beauty, especially her pale complexion
2:20.8	and the elegance of her hands and feet.
	...

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