R-96 MAÈCHAL DAVOUT

Louis Nicolas Davout was born in May 1770 and died in June 1823. He was an officer of the French army, its general and marshal of the Empire during the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815). He is widely regarded as one of the most gifted marshals of the Napoleonic era. The future French marshal joined the army even before the Revolution broke out, but - although he came from the minor nobility - he supported it very quickly. In 1794, he was appointed brigadier general - then he was only 24 years old! He took a very active part in the Italian campaign of 1796-1797 and fought in the Egyptian campaign. In 1804 he became the marshal of France - he was then 34 years old. In 1805 he was appointed commander of the Third Corps of the Grand Army, with which he participates in the Battle of Austerlitz. He achieved his greatest victory a year later, in 1806, at Auerstädt, by himself defeating the majority of Prussian troops. He successfully commanded his troops in the battles of Eckmühl and Wagram in 1809. He took part in the Russian campaign in 1812. In the years 1813-1814, he skillfully and effectively defended Hamburg, which he surrendered on the explicit order of Louis XVIII. In 1815, after 100 days of Napoleon, he was demoted, but in 1817 he was re-promoted, and two years later he entered the French Chamber of Peers.