Jacques Cathelineau
| Jacques Cathelineau | |
|---|---|
Jacques Cathelineau (1759-1793), généralissime vendéen, by Girodet
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| Nickname(s) | the Saint of Anjou |
| Born |
5 January 1759 Le Pin-en-Mauges, Kingdom of France |
| Died | 14 July 1793 (aged 34) Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, French First Republic |
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of France
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| Years of service | 1793 |
| Rank | Generalissimo |
| Commands held | Catholic and Royal Army |
| Battles/wars | |
Jacques Cathelineau (5 January 1759 – 14 July 1793) was a French Vendéan insurrection leader during the French Revolution. He was known among his followers as the Saint of Anjou.
He was a well known peddler in Anjou. When the Kingdom of France was abolished and the French First Republic was established, the revolutionaries committed atrocities against the civilians of the Vendee during the Reign of Terror. Cathelineau rallied an army of peasants loyal to the monarchy and the Church and waged an uprising against the revolutionaries, capturing several villages and castles, leading more volunteers to follow him.
As the War in the Vendée grew in success, Cathelineau joined forces with other counterrevolutionary leaders and was made generalissimo of the Catholic and Royal Army. He inspired his troops by fighting alongside them on the front lines, which proved to be his downfall. In the summer of 1793, while he and his men were storming the city of Nantes, Cathelineau was shot down by a sniper and died soon afterwards. Without his leadership the royalists were defeated and soon they broke up into different factions. After the Bourbon Restoration, in honor of the heroism and sacrifices of Cathelineau, his family was given noble status.
Born at Le Pin-en-Mauges, in the lands now forming the département of Maine-et-Loire, he became well known in Anjou, a region over which he travelled as a peddler and alleged dealer in contraband goods. He was a devout Catholic, and supported the Church's traditional role in French society. His great physical strength, charisma, and piety enabled him to command the respect of his fellow Vendeans.
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