Napoleon and Josephine's 1804 marriage certificate is to star in an auction of pieces from the collection of billionaire Christopher Forbes.
The sale will take place at Osenat Auction in Fontainebleau, France on March 5-6.
 Napoleon was required to undergo a religious ceremony as a condition of his coronation |
The couple officially married in 1796 in a civil ceremony. The certificate from this event is housed in the National Archives of France.
However, as a condition of the Pope attending Napoleon's coronation, the Catholic Church insisted that they undergo a religious ceremony.
They renewed their vowels secretly before the event.
Following the French revolution the Catholic Church was sapped of much of its power in France. Napoleon was instrumental in rebuilding its strength in the country, although it was firmly on his terms.
The lot is one of around 1,330 pieces relating to the Bonaparte family offered in the sale. Others include a series of letters written by the emperor to various key figures from 1806-1813.
There are also items belonging to his nephew, the emperor Napoleon III, and his great-nephew the Prince Imperial.
A certificate for the marriage of one of Napoleon's close friends (and featuring his signature as a witness) is to cross the block at Lion Heart Autographs in February.
Click here to check out our fascinating selection of autographs for sale.
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