| Henri I | |
|---|---|
| |
| The Emperor posing in the uniform of the Grand Prince of Algeria, June 1910 | |
| Emperor of the French | |
| Reign | 30 January 1909 – 3 October 1931 (22 years, eight months, three days) |
| Coronation | 22 June 1909 Notre-Dame de Paris, France |
| Predecessor | Napoléon IV |
| Successor | Henri II |
| Born | 10 May 1860 Tuileries Palace, Paris, France |
| Died | 3 October 1931 (aged 71) Tuileries Palace, Paris, France |
| Burial | 7 October 1931 Mausolée des Bonapartes, Paris, France |
| Spouse | Marie Désirée of Spain |
| Issue | Louise Thyra, Princess Imperial Marie Teresa, Princess Imperial Henri II, Emperor of the French |
| Full name | |
| Louis Henri Napoléon Auguste Bonaparte | |
| House | Bonaparte |
| Father | Charles Louis, Prince Imperial |
| Mother | Thyra of Denmark |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Henri I (10 May 1860 – 3 October 1931), also known as Henri Bonaparte of France in various contemporary English-language publications, was Emperor of the French from 1909 to 1931, a reign of close to 23 years. Succeeding his elder brother Napoléon IV following his death during the great French Flu of 1908-09 (and with Crown Prince Henri having died several days earlier), Henri took it upon himself to outshine his elder brother in his majesty and power by increasing French prestige and strength worldwide. He was noted for several blunders, political and diplomatic, which cost him some renown in various countries around the world; however, later in his reign, he gained a sense of humility, and became a national rallying point during the Five Months' War of ????. He died at the age of 71 in 1931, the longest-lived Emperor of the French since his great-grandfather, Napoléon I. His legacy has been mixed, with scholars split on his handling of French foreign policy in particular. He was the second Emperor in a row – and the last – to not be the son of the previous Emperor.
Henri lived an early life heavily involved in French politics and military affairs, serving as a Major General in the ???? War (promoted afterward to Lieutenant General) and as a member of the Senate from 1903 to 1906. Never expected to accede to the throne, he spent much of his time studying military affairs, graduating "with highest marks" from the Académie impériale de Napoléon in Toulon in 1881. He showed skill in his command of the 33rd Division during the ???? War, for which he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor (later upgraded to Grand Master upon his accession). Though he was known before his reign by his birth name and title, Louis, Prince Imperial, he chose the regnal name of Henri, both to honor his deceased nephew and to distance himself from his elder cousin, Louis.
His reign was marked by a further expansion of the Army and Navy, the formation of the Imperial Flying Service in 1910 (reformed into the Imperial Flying Corps in 1920 and the Imperial Air Force in 1929), the popularization of radio as a medium of communication, and other great technological leaps. Henri played an important role, politically and militarily, in the Five Months' War in ????, where he oversaw troop deployments and frequently visited army headquarters, the front lines, and observed various battles. By the end of his reign, his image in the French (and foreign) public and media had improved considerably, and he died at the age of 71 in 1931, a largely beloved Emperor. He was succeeded by his son, Henri II.
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