Wondering who the namesake of this Rue du Général de Marbot was? Let’s find out together. The Rue du Général de Marbot commemorates Jean-Baptiste Antoine Marcelin Marbot. He was a French general. He was also known as Marcellin Marbot.
Marcellin Marbot was born in 1782. His birthplace was Altillac in the province of Quercy. His family had a strong military tradition. In less than fifty years, the family produced three generals for France.
Marbot’s father was General Jean-Antoine Marbot. His father had been an aide to Lieutenant-Général de Schomberg. Schomberg was an inspector general of cavalry.
Marcellin Marbot’s career began at the Sorèze Military College. Later, he volunteered for the 1st Hussards Regiment in 1799. His early service saw him fighting in Italy. He participated in the Battle of Marengo. He also fought in the Siege of Genoa. Sadly, his father died during this siege.
Marbot became aide-de-camp to General Pierre Augereau in 1803. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1804. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Austerlitz. He was then promoted to captain in 1807. At the Battle of Eylau, he was badly wounded.
Marbot served in the Peninsular War. He served under Marshals Jean Lannes and André Masséna. He showed great skill as a leader of light cavalry. In 1812, he participated in the Russian campaign. He was promoted to colonel that year.
During the Battle of Leipzig, Marbot’s regiment almost captured Tsar Alexander I of Russia. They also nearly captured King Frederick William III of Prussia.
After Napoleon’s defeat in 1815, Marbot was exiled. He returned to France in 1819.
During the July Monarchy, King Louis Philippe I gave him important military positions. He became a Maréchal de Camp. He participated in the Siege of Antwerp in 1832. From 1835 to 1840, Marbot served in Algerian expeditions. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Général in 1836.
Marbot married Angélique Marie Caroline Personne-Desbrières in 1811. They had two sons. One son, Adolphe Charles Alfred, became a painter and historian. Another son, Charles Nicolas Marcelin, had a daughter. This daughter later published Marbot’s memoirs.
Marbot’s memoirs offer a vivid picture of the Napoleonic era. They are known as “The Memoirs of General Baron de Marbot”. Arthur Conan Doyle praised them highly.
Several authors have referenced Marbot and his memoirs in their works. These authors include Andrew Lang, Theodore Roosevelt and Virginia Woolf.
Marbot received several awards. These include the Order of the Legion of Honour and the Order of Saint Louis. He was wounded thirteen times during his service.
Jean-Baptiste Antoine Marcelin Marbot died in Paris in 1854. He was 72 years old. He is buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery. His legacy lives on in this street name and in his widely read memoirs.