Eugène de Beauharnais

Born in Paris in September 1781, Eugène Rose de Beauharnais entered Napoleon's orbit when his mother, Joséphine, remarried the rising general. He fought through the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, proving himself capable enough that Napoleon adopted him formally — though the imperial succession remained off-limits. In 1805 he was named Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, a role he held until 1814, simultaneously commanding the Army of Italy in the field. Historians single him out as one of the few Bonaparte relations who could actually do the job.