In 1858, Empress Amélia of Brazil defends her father, Napoleon's adopted son.

• Handwritten letter from the Marquis of Lisbon to the French lawyer Dufaure, on behalf of Empress Amélia of Brazil.
• April 14, 1858, Paris.
• One sheet, three pages of writing.
• 21.4 cm x 27 cm.
• In French.
• Excellent condition.
• Unique piece.

“Eugène de Beauharnais, a European Prince” is the title of the major exhibition that will soon open at the Château du Bois-Préau, in the Paris region. Hundreds of objects that belonged to him and works of art that glorified him have been loaned from prestigious public and private collections throughout Europe, such as those of the King of Sweden, the Duke of Bavaria, and the Louvre and Versailles museums. All of these objects will be on display in memory of this ancestor of many princely and ruling families in northern Europe.

But who was Eugène de Beauharnais? Napoleon's stepson and the son of the famous Joséphine, Eugène entered Bonaparte's life at the age of 14. He became Bonaparte's son, who worked to shape Eugène and found in him the ideal material: seriousness, good will and modesty. Eugène admired his stepfather and asked for nothing. He only tried to follow his lessons and live up to his expectations.

There had been a real emotional closeness between them, ever since the Egyptian Campaign. They had shared the dangers of war, and also the ordeal of the family storm when Bonaparte learned of Joséphine's infidelities. His affection for Eugène helped to preserve the couple. From then on, Eugène followed his stepfather in his rise. He became a sort of prince, rising rapidly through the ranks, and at the age of 23 he was invested with a role for which nothing had destined him: the viceroyalty of Italy. He was also later placed in command of important army corps, as a marshal. Few people were as close to Napoleon as Eugène de Beauharnais.

Eugène remained loyal to Napoleon, even when the Emperor divorced his mother. He then offered to give up all his responsibilities, which Napoleon refused. However, there was an open controversy from 1827 onwards, which gave rise to a posthumous trial against Eugène: in February 1814, in Italy, he had not carried out Napoleon's first orders to retreat to France quickly enough. The prince may have hesitated to immediately carry out an order that seemed to him out of place and difficult to carry out at the time. Napoleon seemed to agree that Eugène was right a little later, but a trial took place in 1854.

This long, three-page letter, on headed paper from the “Imperial Legation of Brazil in France”, is written by the hand of the illustrious Marquis of Lisbon , also known as the Marquis of Tamandaré, on behalf of Empress Amélia of Brazil, wife of Dom Pedro I since 1829. The addressee is the great lawyer Dufaure, who defended Eugène de Beauharnais during the trial. The Empress thanked the lawyer, through the Marquis ’ letter, for having restored the name of her father which had been tarnished during this controversy.

“The Empress is happy to think that the honor and glory of the illustrious Prince are saved for eternity thanks to the eloquence of Mr. Dufaure and his brilliant defense.”

In addition to bearing witness to this important historical fact, the document brings together some of the greatest historical figures of that period, in France and Brazil, two countries that were already very close at the time: Napoleon, through Eugène de Beauharnais; Empress Amélie de Leuchtenberg, daughter of Eugène and 2nd wife of Dom Pedro I, who was so much talked about during the bicentennial of Brazilian independence; and of course the Marquis of Tamandaré, one of the greatest military men in the history of Brazil.