Grey Wolf said:
I agree on the fact that people should speak more about Eugene de Beauharnais... He was the son of Josephine, Napoleon's first wife and had a very close relationship with his stepfather, who had made him viceroy of Italy.
Eugene is one of the few people who never betrayed Napoleon. He did desobeyed orders towards the end but because he thought he could save the Italian Kingdom for his stepfather. When the Austrians tried to have him betrayed Napoleon in exchange for the Italian crown, he refused.
Eugene also had other qualities : he was a good general, very brave (he proved it several times during the Russian Campaign) and had a great charisma. He was very liked by ennemies of his stepfather, notably Czar Alexander I of Russia.
When Napoleon lost his throne, Eugene was saved and protected by Maximilian I of Bavaria, the father of his Eugene's wife, Augusta Amelia. Eugene died in 1842, but his blood runs in many royal families (one of his daughter was married to Oscar I of Sweden and another was Empress consort of Brazil).
Such a pity Napoleon didn't choose Eugene as his heir... While not of his blood, Eugene would have been a great successor for Napoleon.
As for other people I'd like people to talk more about :
Nicolas Davout : One of Napoleon's Marshall. During the battle of Auersterdt, which happened at the same time as the battle of Iena, Davout's army corpse defeated the main Prussian army ALONE. Davout is also said to have never lost one battle during the Napoleonic Wars.
François Athanase Charette de La Contrie : French Noble who was one of the main leaders of the Royalist Army during the Vendean Wars, a counter-revolutionnary movement in Vendée from 1793 to 1796. Though he had made his career in the French Navy, he proved to be an incredible general on land. Napoleon said of him that he was a genius.
Charette was captured by the French Republicans in 1796 and sentenced to death by fring squad. He commanded his own execution.
Charette also responded to a letter of the future Louis-Philippe I : "Vous direz au fils de Philippe Egalité qu'il aille se faire foutre" which can be translated in English by "Tell Philippe Egalité's son that he can go to hell".
Rodrigo Borgia/Pope Alexander VI : Probably the worst pope in the history of the Papacy.
Robert III d'Artois : He is the main figure of the books of
The Accursed Kings written by French author Maurice Druon. He really existed and was a French noble who had an important role during the period going from Philippe IV's death to the beginning of the Hundred Years' Wars, though his role in the events leading to the said War is probably exagerated in the books as they are romanced.
People don't talk much about him although the books is very well known in France (I don't know for the rest of the world, sorry).
Robert was claimant to the county of Artois againt his aunt Mahaut. He played an important during the reigns of Louis X, Charles IV and later Philippe VI before being disgraced after he brought false evidences to inherit the county of Artois. He then served under Edward III of England when the latter claimed the crown of France and died in Britanny, during the siege of Vannes in 1342.
Hudson Lowe : Napoleon's jailor at Saint Helena. Probably one of the worsts men that ever existed.
Charles de Lorraine : Cousin of Louis V, last Carolingian kings of France. While he was the designated successor, the nobles elected the Duke of the Franks Hugues Capet in his place.
Giannino Baglioni : An italian merchant who claimed he was John I of France, the son of the late Louis X and Clemence of Hungary who only lived five days. He died in jale at Naples, while he was trying to be crowned king of France. The theory that he was really John I of France is explored throughout the books
The Accursed Kings of Maurice Druon, most notably in the Epilogue of
Le lys et le lion, the sixth tome.
Karl Wilhem Naundorff : A german merchant who claimed to be Louis XVII of France. He still has descendants who are claiming the throne of France.
Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte : Napoleon III's only son. Claimant to the throne of France under the name Napoleon IV. He died in the Zoulou Wars, after having been wounded 17 times by spears.