François Certain Canrobert
| François Certain Canrobert | |
|---|---|
François Certain-Canrobert
|
|
| Born |
27 June 1809 Saint-Céré, France |
| Died | 28 January 1895 (aged 85) Paris, France |
| Allegiance |
 Bourbon Restoration July Monarchy French Second Republic Second French Empire French Third Republic
|
| Service/branch | French Army |
| Years of service | 1828–1873 |
| Rank | Maréchal de France |
| Battles/wars |
Conquest of Algeria Crimean War Franco-Prussian War |
| Awards | Legion of Honour (Grand Croix) |
François Certain de Canrobert, usually known as François Certain-Canrobert and later simply as Maréchal Canrobert (27 June 1809 – 28 January 1895), was a marshal of France.
His father, Antoine Certain de Canrobert, Knight of Saint Louis, was the scion of a relatively obscure family whose grandfather had been ennobled in 1738 (the senior branch of the family, extinct in 1918, used the surname "Certain de La Meschaussée"): he became a Royalist émigré and consequently his few properties were confiscated during the French Revolution and he was even briefly imprisoned in the Temple in 1801. His mother was born Angélique de Niocel, also from a family of recent nobility (her grandfather had been ennobled in 1775 and her brother married a niece of Marshal Joachim Murat, brother-in-law of Napoleon).
The future Marshal was educated at Saint-Cyr; he received a commission as sub-lieutenant in 1828, becoming lieutenant in 1832.
Sent to Algeria in 1835, he served in the expedition to Mascara, at the capture of Tlemcen, and in 1837 was promoted to captain and then captain adjudant-major. In the same year he received the Légion d'honneur for courageous conduct. In 1839 he was employed in organizing a battalion of the French Foreign Legion for the Carlist Wars. In 1841 he was again serving in Algeria. Promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1846 and colonel of the 3rd regiment in 1847, he commanded the expedition against Ahmed Sghir in 1848, and defeated the Arabs at the Djerma Pass. Transferred to the Zouaves (1848–50), he defeated the Kabyles, and in 1849 displayed both courage and energy in reinforcing the blockaded garrison of Bou Saada, and in command of one of the attacking columns at Zaatcha (December 1849). For his valour on the latter occasion he received the rank of general of brigade and the commandership of the Legion of Honour. He led the expedition against Narah in 1850 and destroyed the Arab stronghold.
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