Claude François Bidal d'Asfeld
Encyclopedia
Claude François Bidal, marquis d'Asfeld (Paris, July 2, 1665 – Paris, March 7, 1743), was a French Marshal of France
.
He was the son of Pierre Bidal (1612-1690), a French merchant and banker who did business with Christina of Sweden
.
He received from her the title of Baron of Harsefeld
in Bremen
, then in Swedish hands, when he was French ambassador in Hamburg
.
When Christina abdicated her throne on June 5, 1654 in favour of her cousin Karl Gustavus
in order to practice openly her Catholicism, she went to live in France, in a beautiful estate at Vanves
, possession of Pierre Bidal.
The title Baron of Harsefeld was transformed to Asfeld in French and passed over from Pierre to Claude François.
Claude François became maréchal de camp in 1702, lieutenant general in 1704 and commander in the Order of Saint-Louis in 1707.
He played a major role in the War of Spanish Succession in Spain, under Berwick
.
He fought in the Battle of Almansa
(1707), the conquest of Tortosa
and Alicante
, the Siege of Barcelona
(1714) and the capitulation of Mallorca
(1715).
After the war, he was made Marquis d'Asfeld en Castille by King Philip V of Spain
and knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
.
He was director-general of the French fortifications in 1715, member of the War council, military commander first in the Guyenne
province (1719), later in Italy (1733).
When Berwick was killed in the War of the Polish Succession
by a cannon ball at the siege of Philippsburg
in 1734, Asfeld became commander-in-chief of the army of the Rhine.
He was made Marshal of France
in 1734.
In 1728, he bought the domain and title of Count d’Avaux.
He married in 1717 Jeanne Louise Joly de Fleury, who died seven months later of happiness
.
He remarried in 1718 with Anne Leclerc de Lesseville, who died in 1728 in childbirth. They had five children.
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
.
He was the son of Pierre Bidal (1612-1690), a French merchant and banker who did business with Christina of Sweden
Christina of Sweden
Christina , later adopted the name Christina Alexandra, was Queen regnant of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, and Duchess of Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia, from 1633 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora...
.
He received from her the title of Baron of Harsefeld
Harsefeld
Harsefeld is a municipality situated south-west of Hamburg...
in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, then in Swedish hands, when he was French ambassador in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
.
When Christina abdicated her throne on June 5, 1654 in favour of her cousin Karl Gustavus
Charles X Gustav of Sweden
Charles X Gustav also Carl Gustav, was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's death he also succeeded him as Pfalzgraf. He was married to Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who...
in order to practice openly her Catholicism, she went to live in France, in a beautiful estate at Vanves
Vanves
Vanves is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe and the tenth in France -History:...
, possession of Pierre Bidal.
The title Baron of Harsefeld was transformed to Asfeld in French and passed over from Pierre to Claude François.
Claude François became maréchal de camp in 1702, lieutenant general in 1704 and commander in the Order of Saint-Louis in 1707.
He played a major role in the War of Spanish Succession in Spain, under Berwick
James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick
James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, 1st Duke of Fitz-James, 1st Duke of Liria and Jérica was an Anglo-French military leader, illegitimate son of King James II of England by Arabella Churchill, sister of the 1st Duke of Marlborough...
.
He fought in the Battle of Almansa
Battle of Almansa
The Battle of Almansa, fought on 25 April 1707, was one of the most decisive engagements of the War of the Spanish Succession. At Almansa, the Franco–Spanish army under Berwick soundly defeated the allied forces of Portugal, England, and the United Provinces led by the Earl of Galway,...
(1707), the conquest of Tortosa
Tortosa
-External links:* *** * * *...
and Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, the Siege of Barcelona
Siege of Barcelona
The Siege of Barcelona was a battle at the end of the War of Spanish Succession , which pitted Archduke Charles of Austria The Siege of Barcelona was a battle at the end of the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714), which pitted Archduke Charles of Austria The Siege of Barcelona was a battle at...
(1714) and the capitulation of Mallorca
Mallorca
Majorca or Mallorca is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the Balearic Islands.The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca...
(1715).
After the war, he was made Marquis d'Asfeld en Castille by King Philip V of Spain
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
and knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
.
He was director-general of the French fortifications in 1715, member of the War council, military commander first in the Guyenne
Guyenne
Guyenne or Guienne , , ; Occitan Guiana ) is a vaguely defined historic region of south-western France. The Province of Guyenne, sometimes called the Province of Guyenne and Gascony, was a large province of pre-revolutionary France....
province (1719), later in Italy (1733).
When Berwick was killed in the War of the Polish Succession
War of the Polish Succession
The War of the Polish Succession was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests...
by a cannon ball at the siege of Philippsburg
Philippsburg
Philippsburg is a town in Germany, in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg.-History:Before 1632, Philippsburg was known as "Udenheim".The city was a possession of the Bishop of Speyer from 1371–1718...
in 1734, Asfeld became commander-in-chief of the army of the Rhine.
He was made Marshal of France
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
in 1734.
In 1728, he bought the domain and title of Count d’Avaux.
He married in 1717 Jeanne Louise Joly de Fleury, who died seven months later of happiness
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
.
He remarried in 1718 with Anne Leclerc de Lesseville, who died in 1728 in childbirth. They had five children.