# Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria (1810)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/1810-napoleon-marries-marie-louise-of-austria
Location: Paris

The imperial marriage sought dynastic legitimacy and produced an heir. Within the broader Consulate & Napoleonic Empire period, Napoleon consolidated many revolutionary reforms while concentrating power, building an empire and waging continental war. French institutions and armies reshaped Europe before military defeat restored the Bourbons. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Napoleon I (Emperor of the French). Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria mattered because succession and legitimacy shaped alliances, institutions and the direction of state policy. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria mattered because succession and legitimacy shaped alliances, institutions and the direction of state policy.

Ruler at the time: [Napoleon I](https://history-france.com/rulers/napoleon-i-1804)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Napoleon+marries+Marie+Louise+of+Austria&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Napoleon marries Marie Louise of Austria](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Napoleon+marries+Marie+Louise+of+Austria)
- [Vie-publique — French institutions and history](https://www.vie-publique.fr/)