Marie Pierre Louis de Frotté (August 1, 1766 – February 18, 1800) was a French soldier and an opponent of the

Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

during the Revolutionary Wars. Louis de Frotté was born in

Alençon Alençon (, , ; ) is a commune in Normandy, France, and the capital of the Orne department. It is situated between Paris and Rennes (about west of Paris) and a little over north of Le Mans. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alen� ...

(

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

). He joined the Royal Army in 1781, and was in command of infantry units by 1789, when the French Revolution broke out. Frotté joined the émigrés, and served in the combined

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

n and

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

n army of the Duke of Brunswick, which aimed to restore the monarchy in France. Frotté fought at Valmy in 1792, and, after Brunswick's unsuccessful campaign, sailed to

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. There, he joined the vicomte de Bussy's regiment of émigrés, ''Les Chevaliers de la couronne'', venturing into

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

several times and linking up with Chouan royalists, who had risen up against the French Republic that had evolved from the Revolution. Frotté soon became a leader of the Chouan revolt, organizing the rebels into military units and forming a staff. By 1796, however, forces under General Hoche had scored several victories, defeating the Chouans and forcing de Frotté to flee abroad, after repulsing his assault on Tinchebray. Returning to England, he was enlisted by Charles, Count of Artois (

Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

's younger brother), in an attempt to start yet another rebellion in his native Normandy. This rebellion was fairly successful, but, after

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

seized power, the tide began to turn against Frotté, as most of his direct subordinates were killed. When, in early 1800, many rebel soldiers deserted, he began to negotiate with the government, eventually being invited by General Guidal to a meeting in Alençon. Frotté met with Guidal at the ''Hôtel du Cygne'' on 15 February 1800. During the meeting, he was arrested by Republican forces and, three days later, brought before a military tribunal, which sentenced him to death by firing squad. He was executed on February 18.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Frotte, Louis de Royalist insurgents during the French Revolution Order of Saint Louis recipients French counter-revolutionaries Military personnel from Alençon 1766 births 1800 deaths People executed by France by firing squad Executed French people