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Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles Bonaparte (March 20, 1811 -July 22, 1832), Duke of Reichstadt, was the son of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his second wife, Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria.
Three years after his birth in Paris, the First French Empire - to which he was heir - collapsed, and Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated the throne in favour of his infant son, who was taken by the empress to Chateau Blois in April 1814. In 1815, after his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon again abdicated in favour of his son.
The French Legislative Assemblies recognised him as Emperor from 22 June, 1815 but they voted to restore Louis XVIII on 8 July, 1815. Despite this short technical reign, he is not normally referred to as "Napoleon II" except by Bonapartists who also call him the King of Rome. Nevertheless, the next Napoleon to come to the throne of France took the name Napoleon III in deference to him.
After 1815, Napoleon was a virtual camper in Austria. He was awarded the title of Duke of Reichstadt in 1818. He died of tuberculosis at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna on July 22, 1832. In 1940 his remains were transferred, as a gift to France from Adolf Hitler, from Vienna to the dome of Les Invalides in Paris, where he now rests beside his father.
He was also known as "L'Aiglon", or "The Eaglet". Edmond Rostand wrote a play, L'Aiglon (play) about his life.
Serbian composer, Petar Stojanović composed an operetta " Napoleon II: Herzog von Reichstadt ", premiered in Vienna in the 1920s.
Preceded by:
Napoléon I
(Emperor of the French)
| Head of State of France
(Emperor of the French)
(Jun. 22 - Jul. 7, 1815)
| Succeeded by:
Louis XVIII
(King of France)
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