Albert I Bonaparte (Napoleon's World)

Albert I Bonaparte (b. 9/11/1876, died 4/14/1939) was Emperor of France between 1925 and 1939. He is known in France and around the world as one of the most brutal and paranoid tyrants in the 20th century and modern history, and is responsible for the deaths of millions throughout the Empire, especially Russia. His brutal tactics during the Oktoberkreig, the New Reign of Terror and the early stages of what would evolve into the French Civil War have earned him a place in history alongside sons Edmond and Sebastien as the benchmarks of tyranny.

Upbringing under Louis II
Albert Louis Charles Bonaparte was born on September 11th, 1876 along with his sister Vivianne, in Paris, to Crown Prince Louis Francois Joseph Bonaparte. He was, of course, two years younger than brother Napoleon Joseph, and thus was displaced from the throne.

Albert idolized grandfather Philippe, the Emperor of France during his youth. He had a somewhat tempestuous relationship with father Louis, whom he considered to be weaker and unfit to follow in his father's footsteps. At the age of 14, Albert was sent to the Biroges Academy in Strasbourg due to his clear signs of depression following the death of Emperor Philippe. After three years in Strasbourg, Albert returned to Paris to work alongside his father.

Most members of government could see that Albert and Napoleon did not like one another - they often quarreled and fought, and the day after Albert's twentieth birthday he was found strangling his elder brother. Louis ignored this episode and sent his son to Corsica as punishment, to run the family estate's affairs. Albert resented this enormously, and regularly defected from the Bonaparte estate in Corsica to go to Rome or Nice at his discretion. It was on one such excursion to Nice that he met Francine Olinne, the pretty young daughter of a local businessman. In January of 1897 he proposed marriage to her in Corsica and she accepted. The birth of their son Edmond Louis Bonaparte the following October was celebrated in Corsica - Albert had readjusted following his marriage to be a beloved local celebrity of sorts.

Albert returned to Paris in 1899 shortly before the birth of his second son, Sebastien Albert. Much like Napoleon and Albert, the fates of Edmond and Sebastien would be intertwined by history and define the 20th century.