Biographies

'C'est un homme d'intrigue, d'une grande immoralité, mais avec beaucoup d'esprit, et certes, le plus capable des ministres que j'aie eus', Napoleon to Caulaincourt during the retreat from Russia, 1812.

Born: Potsdam, 15 September 1760Died: Berlin, 20 February 1824 Joining the Prussian army in 1775, Tauentzien became royal Flügeladjutant 16 February 1793 serving the king directly (he had become Graf von Wittenberg in 1791 and received the “pour le mérite” medal in December 1792). He was also advantageously married when young to a sister of Haugwitz's […]

Generallieutenant Johann Adolf Freiherr von Thielemann (1765-1824)

Fact file Born Linz, 31 March, 1736, died Vienna, 28 May, 1818.Appointed by Kaunitz as court interpreter in Constantinople with rank of Secretary of the Chancery, 1757 Became a double agent for the Bourbons as member of the Secret du Roi Louis XV, 1766 Paid an annual pension of 13,000 livres by Louis XV from […]

Count Alexander Petrovich Tormasov was a prominent Russian cavalryman during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born into a noble Russian family on 22 August, 1752, and in February 1762 he started out as a page at the Imperial Court. At the age of 20 he enlisted in the Vyatka Infantry as Lieutenant. He became Captain […]

A painstaking administrator, Camille de Tournon enjoyed his most 'Romantic' years as Préfet of the départment of Tibre/Rome.

Factfile Born Paris 1726, died Paris 1806.Succeeded Gerbier as President of the Ordre des avocats (Order of Lawyers)1789 President of the Comité de constitution at the AssembléeDecember 1792 and January 1793 defended Louis XVI at his trial (with Malesherbes and Desèze)1793 pursued by the Comité de Sûreté Générale (Committee of General Security) after the execution of […]