Being the older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte wasn't an easy job. Joseph wanted to be a writer, but instead had to rule Naples and then Spain. When Napoleon was defeated, Joseph set sail for the United States, where he eventually settled in ...New Jersey!
But life in the Garden State was not all fun and games. Joseph Bonaparte dealt with some who sought revenge against his name, the wife who would not immigrate with him, and even the Jersey Devil! Read all about Bonaparte's American life at mental_floss. Link
Bonaparte may have been dethroned, but he was still royalty. He built up the estate to reflect his social standing.
He constructed a vast mansion for himself, with a large wine cellar, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, elaborate crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces and grand staircases. His library held the largest collection of books in the country at the time (eight thousand volumes versus the sixty-five hundred volumes of the Library of Congress).
The land surrounding the mansion was elaborately landscaped and featured ten miles of carriage paths, rare trees and plants, gazebos, gardens, fountains and an artificial lake stocked with imported European swans.
But life in the Garden State was not all fun and games. Joseph Bonaparte dealt with some who sought revenge against his name, the wife who would not immigrate with him, and even the Jersey Devil! Read all about Bonaparte's American life at mental_floss. Link
In Spain he was nicknamed "Pepe Botella" (Bottle Joe) because of his passion for alcohol.
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