Auguste Michel Étienne Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély, later 2nd Count Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély (30 July 1794,
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
– 1 February 1870
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...
) was a
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
, soldier and politician.
Biography
Auguste was the illegitimate son of
Michel-Louis-Étienne, Count Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély, and of his mistress Marie-Louise Chenié, who died shortly after his birth, he was recognised by his father some months later and adopted by the latter's wife in 1795.
Regnaud served as a lieutenant in a regiment of hussars during the campaign of Saxe in 1813. He fought at the
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig (french: Bataille de Leipsick; german: Völkerschlacht bei Leipzig, ); sv, Slaget vid Leipzig), also known as the Battle of the Nations (french: Bataille des Nations; russian: Битва народов, translit=Bitva ...
, after which he became a member of Emperor
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
's personal military staff.
As he had served as a personal ''officier d'ordonnance'' to the Emperor at
Waterloo, he was dismissed from the army by the Restoration government with the rank of lieutenant. In 1825, he went to
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
, fought in the
war of independence
This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence.
List
See also
* Lists of active separatist movements
* List of civil wars
* List of ...
and was in charge of the instruction of a cavalry corps in the new Greek army. In 1828, he took part in the
Morea expedition
The Morea expedition (french: link=no, Expédition de Morée) is the name given to the land intervention of the French Army in the PeloponneseMorea is the name of the Peloponnese region in Greece, which was mainly used from the medieval per ...
of the French army as an interpreter. He was promoted to the rank of captain in 1829.
During the
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy (french: Monarchie de Juillet), officially the Kingdom of France (french: Royaume de France), was a liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 26 July 1830, with the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 23 ...
, Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély served as a colonel in the expedition to
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
. He was promoted to ''général de brigade'' in 1841 and to ''général de division'' in 1849. In 1848, he was elected deputy and sat on the right. In 1851, he served for a fortnight as minister of war. In 1852, he backed
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte and, as a reward, he was made a senator for life. Under the
Second Empire Second Empire may refer to:
* Second British Empire, used by some historians to describe the British Empire after 1783
* Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396)
* Second French Empire (1852–1870)
** Second Empire architecture, an architectural styl ...
, he went through the
Crimean and Italian campaigns, and ultimately was created
Marshal of France
Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
in 1859 for bravery at the
Battle of Magenta
The Battle of Magenta was fought on 4 June 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, resulting in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai.
It took place near the town of Mage ...
.
Family
Marshal Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély married Anne-Angélique Ruby, who bore him no children. He adopted her daughter from a previous marriage, Flore-Angélique Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély.
Since his father never married his mother (who died some months after the redaction of a marriage contract), Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély had not been able to succeed to his title of count. Notwithstanding, Napoléon III granted him the title again in November 1864, with the special permission to pass it at his death to the husband of his adoptive daughter, Edmond Davillier. The latter took the surname "Davillier-Regnaud de Saint-Jean-d'Angély" and was confirmed in the succession of the title of count at the death of his father-in-law. However, it became extinct at his own death in 1908 since he had only a daughter from his marriage with the Marshal's stepdaughter.
Marshal Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély died in
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...
in 1870 and was buried in the
''Hôtel des Invalides'' in Paris.
Notes
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regnaud de Saint-Jean dAngely, Auguste
1794 births
1870 deaths
Politicians from Paris
Counts of France
Bonapartists
French Ministers of War
Members of the 1848 Constituent Assembly
Members of the National Legislative Assembly of the French Second Republic
French Senators of the Second Empire
Marshals of France
French military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
French philhellenes in the Greek War of Independence
French military personnel of the Crimean War
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath