Jean Lannes


Lannes, Jean

 

Born Apr. 11, 1769, in Lectoure, Gascony; died May 31, 1809, in Vienna. Marshal of France (1804); duke of Montebello (1808). Son of a groom.

In 1792, Lannes voluntarily joined the revolutionary army and for his bravery was promoted to officer. He was discharged in 1795 by the Thermidorian Convention and volunteered for the Italian Army of Napoleon Bonaparte, who promoted him to brigadier general for distinction in combat. He became commander of the consular guard on Brumaire 18, 1799. Lannes commanded the vanguard of the Italian Army in 1800 and defeated the Austrian troops at Montebello. Later he commanded the left wing in the Battle of Austerlitz of 1805 and the center in the Battle of Jena. In 1808–09, Lannes was commander of the French troops in Spain and directed the siege and storm of Zaragoza. As head of the vanguard in the war between Austria and France in 1809 he was gravely wounded on May 22 in the battle of Asparn and died soon after.