Louis Nicolas Davout - Biography

French soldier, born in Annoux, EC France. He was educated with Napoleon at the military school of Brienne. As general, he accompanied Napoleon to the East, and mainly secured the victory at Aboukir (1799). A marshal of the empire (1804), he fought at Austerlitz (1805), Auerstädt (1806), Eckmühl (1809), Wagram (1809), and in the Russian campaign (1812–13), and was created Duke of Auerstädt (1808) and Prince of Eckmühl (1811). On Napoleon's return from Elba in 1815, he was appointed war minister; and after Waterloo he received the command of the remnant of the French army under the walls of Paris. In 1819 he was made a peer of France.

Louis Nicolas d'Avout (May 10, 1770 – June 1, 1823), better known as Davout, Duc d'Auerstaedt, prince d'Eckmühl, was a Marshal of France during the Napoleonic Era.

Biography

Davout was born at Annoux (Yonne), and joined the French army as a sub-lieutenant in 1788.

On his return he took part in the Battle of Marengo under Napoleon, who had great confidence in his abilities, made him a general of division soon after Marengo, and around 1801 gave him a command in the consular guard. At the accession of Napoleon as emperor, Davout was one of the generals who were created marshals of France. As commander of the III corps of the Grande Armée, Davout rendered the greatest services. In the Jena campaign Davout with a single corps fought and won the brilliant victory of Auerstädt against the main Prussian army (more than 63,000 men; Davout had only 28,000). At Auerstädt, Davout won a battle he could not win".

He took part, and added to his renown, in the campaign of Eylau and Friedland. In the war of 1809, Davout took part in the actions which culminated in the Battle of Eckmühl, and also distinguished himself in the Battle of Wagram. He was entrusted by Napoleon with the task of organizing the "corps of observation of the Elbe," which was in reality the gigantic army with which the emperor invaded Russia in 1812. In this Davout commanded the I corps, over 70,000 strong, and defeated the Russians at Mohilev before he joined the main army, with which he continued throughout the campaign and the retreat from Moscow.In 1813 he commanded the Hamburg military district, and defended Hamburg, a city ill fortified and provisioned, and full of disaffection, through a long siege, only surrendering the place on the direct order of King Louis XVIII after the fall of Napoleon in 1814.

Davout's military character has been interpreted as cruel, and he had to defend himself against many attacks upon his conduct at Hamburg. One example of this is that Davout forbade his troops from plundering enemy villages, a policy he would enforce by the use of the death penalty. On the first restoration he retired into private life, openly displaying his hostility to the Bourbons, and when Napoleon returned from Elba, Davout rejoined him.

Appointed minister of war, he reorganized the French army as far as the limited time available permitted, and he was so indispensable to the war department that Napoleon kept him at Paris during the Waterloo campaign. To what degree his skill and bravery would have altered the fortunes of the campaign of 1815 can only be surmised, but it has been made a ground of criticism against Napoleon that he did not avail himself in the field of the services of the best general he then possessed. Davout directed the gallant, but hopeless, defence of Paris after Waterloo, and was deprived of his marshalate and his titles at the second restoration. After a time the hostility of the Bourbons towards Davout died away, and he was reconciled to the monarchy.

Personal life

Davout was known as a very methodic person in both military and personal affairs. Because of his stubborn personality and poor social skills, he had many enemies and antagonists within the army's officer corps, most importantly and strongly Bernadotte, Murat, with whom he clashed strongly during the 1812 campaign, Berthier and Thiébault, who later smeared Davout in his memoirs.

He was also noted for his loyalty to his long-time wife Aimée Davout (née Leclerc), whom he married in 1801 and who remained with him until his death.

Preceded by: Office created

Duke of Auerstaedt 1808-1823

Succeeded by: Napoléon Louis Davout

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.