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Purpose of this Blog is to become a tool and a place where artist that collect and paint flat figures can find interesting links and news about flats, painting techniques, history and various related articles.English speaking related sites are very few but hopefully this blog will provide the collector and the painter with interesting and valuable information about the Art of the Flat Figure and everything related to it.
During the next days I will post any related info I have collected for a long time about various aspects of Flats. Techniques, photos, links, historic articles, anything that is related. Wherever possible I will including the author of the original article. I apologise if sometimes the author's name is not included. It's not intentional but it is lost through time.

Wednesday 27 June 2007

Marshal Auguste-Frédéric-Louis Viesse de Marmont

By Panos Charalampakis


Marshal Auguste Frederic Louis Viesse de Marmont
Duke of Raguse (1809). (
The Châtillon-on-Seine (Coast-In Or), 1774 - Venice, 1852)

Born: July 20 1774
Died: March 3 1852
Place of Birth: Châtillon-sur-Seine
Cause of Death: Natural causes

Marmont, of minor nobility, comes out officer of artillery of the school of Châlons in 1792. Bonaparte notices it with the head office of Toulon. The two men, who received a similar education, sympathize. Bonaparte does of Marmont one of his aide-de-camps in 1796, for the campaign of Italy. In 1798, Marmont accompanies it in Egypt, where it becomes brigadier general after the catch of Malta. It follows its head to Paris to take part in the 18-Brumaire.To Marengo, June 14, 1800, it leads artillery. In reward, it is named major general, at 26 years. However, it misses list of the marshals in May 1804. That does not prevent it from fighting with heat with Ulm (October 20, 1805). In July 1806, he becomes general governor of Dalmatie. Marmont increases this duchy by associating there Raguse, which it takes to the Russians in 1807. In 1809, it controls the Army of Dalmatie which joint with the Army of Italy under the command of prince Eugene. He takes part in the battles in Italy and Croatia, of which that of Znaïm July 10, and 11 1809. Bonaparte grants the stick of marshal then to him on July 12 and creates it duke of Raguse.
The two following years, Marmont moves away from the battle fields to become governor of the Illyriennes provinces. But, in 1811, it succeeds Masséna with the command of the Army of Portugal. After some successes, its dissensions with Soult and the address of Wellington lead to the failure of the battle of Arapiles of July 22, 1812. Marmont is seriously wounded with the arm. In 1813, given of its wound, it takes part in the campaign of Germany. It controls VIème body and takes part in the battle of Lützen (May 2, 1813) and of Bautzen (May 20, and 21 1813). During the second phase of the campaign, it fights in Dresden (August 26-27, 1813). It is also present at the battle of Leipzig.
During the campaign of France, it fights in Brienne and Champaubert (February 10), in Montmirail (February 17, 1814) but it is beaten in Laon (March 9-10, 1814), which is worth reproaches of the Emperor to him. It is folded up towards Paris with its divisions. It takes part in the defense of Paris but capitulates on March 30. Marmont receives in the night from the 3 to April 4 an envoy of Alliés and signs the rendering of its troops, which defend the road of Fontainebleau where is the Emperor. Caulaincourt comes to find it. Together, they return visit to the tsar with the first abdication of the Emperor. Souham receives in its absence a fold of the Emperor who convenes them in Fontainebleau. Thrown into a panic, it chooses to make pass all the body, which defended the road of the palate, with the enemy rather than to face the anger of Napoleon, than it supposes with the fact of rendering. That decides the tsar to require abdication without conditions of the Emperor. Napoleon will not forgive this defection with his marshal. When it learns it, it murmurs: «Marmont carries me the last blow». Louis XVIII the even fact of France. Exiled in 1830 with Charles X, Marmont traverses Europe, with a passage in Vienna where he becomes tutor of the duke of Reichstadt, wire of Napoleon. Marmont, whose name is from now on honni Bonapartists, occupies the end of its life to write Memories where it tries to be justified.



Plate by Marcello Grimaldi
August Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont Duke of Ragusa, dressed with the uniform of Colonel General Commandant of the "Chasseurs", charge kept from 1805 to 1809. Considered from almost all a betrayer, because during the 1814 campaign of France he surrendered first one to the Allied, opening the way to Paris.


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