Polish Aristocracy. Born Maria Laczinska at Brodne, Poland she married Count Anastazy Walewski, at age 18. The couple had one son. A year later, during the French occupation of Poland, she met Napoleon Bonapart. Encouraged by her peers to engage his interest, she became his mistress by which she sought to influence his eastern European policies. Apparently, however, their attachment became deep and sincere. In May 1810, she bore him a son, Alexandre-Florian-Joseph Colonna, Comte Walewski whom he acknowledged. Their relationship continued through Napoleon's divorce and remarriage to Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, and his exile to St Helena. In 1816, after the death of her first husband and Napoleon's defeat, she remarried to his former aide, Count Philippe-Antoine d'Ornano. She died in childbirth a year later and her heart was interred in the d'Ornano crypt in Père Lachaise cemetery, but her body was returned to Poland for burial at Saint Margaret's Church.
Polish Aristocracy. Born Maria Laczinska at Brodne, Poland she married Count Anastazy Walewski, at age 18. The couple had one son. A year later, during the French occupation of Poland, she met Napoleon Bonapart. Encouraged by her peers to engage his interest, she became his mistress by which she sought to influence his eastern European policies. Apparently, however, their attachment became deep and sincere. In May 1810, she bore him a son, Alexandre-Florian-Joseph Colonna, Comte Walewski whom he acknowledged. Their relationship continued through Napoleon's divorce and remarriage to Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, and his exile to St Helena. In 1816, after the death of her first husband and Napoleon's defeat, she remarried to his former aide, Count Philippe-Antoine d'Ornano. She died in childbirth a year later and her heart was interred in the d'Ornano crypt in Père Lachaise cemetery, but her body was returned to Poland for burial at Saint Margaret's Church.
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