How George Washington And Napoleon Bonaparte Were Related

George Washington and Napoleon Bonaparte are two of the most famous leaders in world history, both men becoming foundational figures of their respective countries. While the reputation of both politicians might have wavered over the decades, the legacies of both Washington and Napoleon have unarguably shaped the Western world, for better and for worse.

Amazingly, despite the fact that these leaders were separated by the Atlantic Ocean, Washington and Bonaparte had a loose family connection. "Loose" is no exaggeration; the connection comes from George Washington's great-grandniece, who married a man named Achille Murat, a Floridian who fought in the Second Seminole war. Along with those distinctions, he also happened to have had a pretty prominent uncle: Napoleon Bonaparte (via Reader's Digest). According to History, Murat was a bit of an eccentric, having engaged in a few business schemes that went nowhere. He was known for his hatred of bathing. One can only assume he was also known for his smell.

Napoleon had connections to other presidents

Washington was not the only Founding Father with whom Napoleon had a connection. According to The Virginia Gazette, the relationship between France and the United States was heavily influenced by Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Jefferson in particular was a Francophile, and before his tenure as president was sent to France as a foreign minister, a role similar to an ambassador. James Monroe would succeed Jefferson in the role, where he became acquainted with the Bonaparte family; Monroe would later help negotiate the Louisiana Purchase, and had Napoleon himself over for dinner.

Napoleon was interested in meeting Jefferson, who he considered a knowledgeable, honorable man, and considered spending his later years on American soil. Though he met his fate in exile rather than in the New World, five of Napoleon's siblings managed to cross the Atlantic, and their social stature and connections meant it perhaps shouldn't be so surprising that familial dots could be connected between the Washingtons and the Bonapartes.