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Nicolas Davout

Louis-Nicolas Davout
Louis-Nicolas Davout.jpg
Louis-Nicolas Davout, Marshal of the Empire
Nickname(s) The Iron Marshal
Born (1770-05-10)10 May 1770
Annoux, France
Died 1 June 1823(1823-06-01) (aged 53)
Paris, France
Allegiance  Kingdom of France
France French Republic
France French Empire
Service/branch French Army
Years of service 1788–1815
Rank Général de division
Unit Commander of the Consular Guard Grenadiers (1801);
IIIrd Corps (1804–1807 and 1809);
Observation Corps of the Elbe (1810–1811);
Ist Corps (1812);
XIIIth Corps (1813–1814);
Army of the Loire (1815)
Commands held III Corps, XIII Corps
Battles/wars

French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars

Awards Insigne maréchal armée française.jpg Marshal of France
Legion Honneur GC ribbon.svg Legion of Honour (Grand Cross)
PRT Order of Christ - Grand Cross BAR.png Order of Christ (Grand Cross)
POL Order Orła Białego BAR.svg Order of the White Eagle (Grand Cross)
D-SAX Militaer St-Heinrich Orden BAR.svg Military Order of St. Henry (Grand Cross)
Ord.S.Stef.Ungh..png Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary (Grand Cross)
Ord.MariaTeresa-GC.png Military Order of Maria Theresa (Grand Cross)
Military Order of Max Joseph ribbon.svg Military Order of Max Joseph (Grand Cross)
Ordre de la Couronne de Fer Chevalier ribbon.svg Order of the Iron Crown (Chevalier)
Orderelefant ribbon.png Order of the Elephant
Prince of Eckmühl
Duke of Auerstaedt
Other work General inspector for cavalry (1801);
Colonel general of the Imperial Guard Grenadiers (from 1804);
Governor-general of the Duchy of Warsaw;
Minister of War (Hundred Days);
Mayor of Savigny-sur-Orge

French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars

Louis-Nicolas d'Avout (10 May 1770 – 1 June 1823), better known as Davout, 1st Duke of Auerstaedt, 1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a French general who was Marshal of the Empire during the Napoleonic era. His talent for war along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian earned him the title "The Iron Marshal". He is ranked along with Masséna and Lannes as one of Napoleon's finest commanders. His loyalty and obedience to Napoleon were absolute. During his lifetime, Davout's name was commonly spelled Davoust, which is how it appears on the Arc de Triomphe and in much of the correspondence between Napoleon and his generals (see external links below for examples).

Davout was born at Annoux (Yonne), the son of Jean-François d'Avout (1739–1779) and his wife (married in 1768) Françoise-Adélaïde Minard de Velars (1741–1810). He was educated at a military academy in Auxerre, before transferring to the École Militaire in Paris on 29 September 1785. He graduated on 19 February 1788 and was appointed a sous-lieutenant in the Royal-Champagne Cavalry Regiment in garrison at Hesdin. On the outbreak of the French Revolution, he embraced its principles. He was chef de bataillon in a volunteer corps in the campaign of 1792, and distinguished himself at the Battle of Neerwinden the following spring. He had just been promoted to general of brigade when he was removed from the active list because of his noble birth. He nevertheless served in the campaigns of 1794-1797 on the Rhine, and accompanied Desaix in the Egyptian Expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte.


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