Pascal-Olivier de Negroni de Cardi, Comte de Negroni (4 April 1829 – 22 October 1913) was a French general. He led the charge of

Cuirassier Cuirassiers (; ) were cavalry equipped with a cuirass, sword, and pistols. Cuirassiers first appeared in mid-to-late 16th century Europe as a result of armoured cavalry, such as men-at-arms and demi-lancers, discarding their lances and adoptin ...

s in the Battle of Reichshoffen during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.

Biography

Negroni was born in the Castle of San Colombano, also known as the Castello di San Colombano in

Rogliano Rogliano is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy. It's located in the Savuto Valley. It was mostly destroyed in a violent earthquake in 1638. The town is from Cosenza. Monuments and place ...

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Haute-Corse Haute-Corse (; co, Corsica suprana , or ; en, Upper Corsica) is (as of 2022) an administrative department of France, consisting of the northern part of the island of Corsica. The corresponding departmental territorial collectivity merged wi ...

department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

on the island of

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

. He joined the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

when he was 18 years old. On 6 August 1870, he led the legendary charge of cuirassiers (mounted

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

soldiers A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...

) in the second Battle of Reichshoffen (also known as "The Battle of Wörth") during the opening stages of the Franco Prussian War of 1870. Negroni was decorated on 20 August 1870 with Officer of the Legion of Honor. On 27 December 1884, he was promoted to Brigadier General of the Second Brigade of Cuirassiers and on 4 May 1889 he was named Commander of the

Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

. He served in the military until 1891, retiring after 44 years of military service."The Negroni family" - genealogical, demographic, and nobiliary study from its 11th-century origins to its 20th-century branches in Italy, France, and Puerto Rico; by Héctor Andrés Negroni; Published in 1998, H.A. Negroni (Madison, AL); LCCN: 98119631, Dewey: 929/.2, LC: CS71.N386 1998 In addition to his military accomplishments, Pascal Olivier has been credited with inventing the famous " Negroni Cocktail" (equal parts of Campari, Gin, and Sweet Vermouth, served in a short glass over ice and garnished with an orange wedge). Experts consider Camillo Negroni the inventor. However, Colonel

Hector Andres Negroni In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

and his brother Noel Xavier Negroni, members of the Negroni family recently researched the family archives and discovered there never was a Count Camillo Negroni. According to family documents, the true inventor of the "Negroni Cocktail" is Pascal Olivier de Negroni de Cardi, Comte de Negroni, their fourth cousin.The Negroni – La Dolce Vita in a Glass!

Military decoration

Negroni was awarded the Officier of the French Légion d'honneur.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Negroni, Pascal-Olivier De 1829 births 1913 deaths Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur French generals French military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War