Biographies : 27
-
BiographyBELLEGARDE, Heinrich von
Heinrich von Bellegarde was born on 29 August, 1756, the son of Saxony’s War Minister. He entered into Austria’s service in 1778 and served with distinction during the campaigns between 1793 and 1795. In 1796, following these campaigns, he was made Feldmarschallleutnant and chief of military staff to Archduke Charles. The following year, he negotiated […]
-
BiographyBENEDEK, Ludwig August Ritter von (1804 – 1881), Austrian generalLudwig August Ritter von Benedek (b. 14 July 1804 – d. 27 April 1881), also known as Lajos Benedek, was an Austrian general (Feldzeugmeister) of Hungarian descent, infamous for being the commander of the imperial army in 1866 in the Battle of Königgrätz against the Prussian Army.
-
BiographyBENNIGSEN, Levin, Count
A German officer who entered the Russian service in 1773, he attracted the attention of Catherine the Great and he forged himself a reputation during the Polish campaign. He was commander of the Russian forces in 1806 and 1807. Despite a good strategic sense and generally combative attitude, he was beaten at Eylau (8 February, […]
-
BiographyBERG, Burhardt Maximovic (Bernhardt Magnus)
BERG, Burhardt Maximovic (Bernhardt Magnus), (b. 19 May, 1764, Derpt – d. 31 July 1838, Vyborg) was born to a German noble family in the Derpt in the Lifland gubernia. At the age of ten, he was enlisted by his family as a sergeant in the Voronezh Infantry Regiment on 20 January 1774. The following […]
-
BiographyBERNADOTTE, Jean-Baptiste-Jules
The son of a lawyer from Pau, Bernadotte was an NCO in the pre-revolutionary French Army and commissioned in late 1791. He fought the First Coalition on the Rhine and in the Flanders, leading a brigade at Fleurus and becoming a divisonal general in October 1794, before taking part in the Italian campaigns of 1796-97. […]
-
BiographyBERTHIER, Louis-Alexandre"Si j'avais eu Berthier, je n'aurais pas eu ce malheur"; Napoleon on Saint Helena speaking to Las Cases about the defeat at Waterloo.
-
BiographyBESSIERES, Jean-Baptiste, Duc d’Istrie, Marshal
“If Bessières is a marshal, then everyone can be one.” Such were Marmont‘s words. Napoleon was perhaps fairer to him when, on St Helena he wrote “Bessières had a cold sort of bravery, and was calm admist the fighting. He had very good eyes, and was very experienced at cavalry manouvres, best suited to commanding […]
-
BiographyBIGNON, Louis-Pierre-Edouard, baron
(1771-1841), diplomat Bignon was born on 3 February, 1771 in La Mailleraye, a small commune in the Seine-Inférieure department. After serving in the armies of the Revolution, he approached Talleyrand for a diplomatic post, couching his request in verse (!) and giving his opinion on the ideal qualities of a good diplomat. Finding preferment, he […]
-
BiographyBIGOT DE PREAMENEU, Félix-Julien-Jean
Fact file Born in Redon, in 1750, died in Paris on 31 July, 1825 Up to 1789, a lawyer at the Parlement de Paris 1790, elected Judge of the fourth arrondissement in Paris In September 1791, Bigot de Préameneu was appointed one of the Députés de Paris in the first legislature May 1792, elected President […]
-
BiographyBlücher von Wahlstadt (Wahlstatt), Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leb(e)recht Fürst (1742-1819)
Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leb(e)recht Fürst Blücher von Wahlstadt (Wahlstatt) (1742-1819) The most successful and famous Prussian Army field commander of the period, Blücher was perhaps the most single-mindedly aggressive general employed by any belligerent. An uncomplicated, energic and outspoken leader, oblivious to personal danger, he has a place in German popular culture comparable with that of […]