Louis Antoine de Gontaut
Encyclopedia
Louis Antoine de Gontaut-Biron, duc de Biron (1700 – 1788) was Duke of Biron and a French military leader who served with distinction under Louis XV, and was made a Marshal of France
in 1757.
He was the fourth son of Charles-Armand de Gontaut, duc de Biron
, and Marie-Antoinette, Duchesse de Lauzun. He joined the army as an adolescent. He fought in Italy (attack on the Milan
castle, Tortona
and the Battle of San Pietro
). In the War of the Austrian Succession
, he participated in 1741 in the invasion of Moravia
and the Siege of Prague, where he was badly wounded. In 1745, during the Battle of Fontenoy
, he became a hero, when he took over the command of a regiment of Gardes Françaises
after its commander had been killed, and saved the difficult situation the regiment was in. He became Marshal of France at the beginning of the Seven Years' War
. Biron was very popular amongst his soldiers. It is said that some of his men risked their lives to save his, when in 1770 Biron was caught in a stampede
caused by fireworks. In 1753, he bought the Hôtel Biron
from Anne, Duchess of Maine
, which still can be visited today as it houses the Musée Rodin
. After his death, the title of Duc de Biron passed to his nephew Armand Louis de Gontaut
.
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 1757.
He was the fourth son of Charles-Armand de Gontaut, duc de Biron
Charles-Armand de Gontaut, duc de Biron
Charles Armand de Gontaut, duc de Biron , great-grandson of Armand de Gontout-Biron, was a French military leader who served with distinction under Louis XIV and Louis XV, and was made a Marshal of France by the latter....
, and Marie-Antoinette, Duchesse de Lauzun. He joined the army as an adolescent. He fought in Italy (attack on the Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
castle, Tortona
Tortona
Tortona is a comune of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines.-History:...
and the Battle of San Pietro
Battle of San Pietro
The Battle of San Pietro, also known as the Battle of Crocetta or the Battle of Parma was a battle fought on June 29, 1734, between troops of France and Sardinia on one side, and Habsburg Austrian troops on the other, as part of the War of Polish Succession, between the village of La Crocetta and...
). In the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, he participated in 1741 in the invasion of Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
and the Siege of Prague, where he was badly wounded. In 1745, during the Battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenoy
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
, he became a hero, when he took over the command of a regiment of Gardes Françaises
Gardes Françaises
The Gardes Françaises was one of the two non-ceremonial infantry regiments in the "Maison du Roi" of the French Army under the Ancien Régime. The other regiment was the Gardes Suisses, which made the Gardes Françaises the only one recruited from France.-History:The regiment was created in 1563 by...
after its commander had been killed, and saved the difficult situation the regiment was in. He became Marshal of France at the beginning of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. Biron was very popular amongst his soldiers. It is said that some of his men risked their lives to save his, when in 1770 Biron was caught in a stampede
Stampede
A stampede is an act of mass impulse among herd animals or a crowd of people in which the herd collectively begins running with no clear direction or purpose....
caused by fireworks. In 1753, he bought the Hôtel Biron
Hôtel Biron
The Hôtel Biron is an hôtel particulier in the rue de Varenne, Paris VIIème, that was built by Jacques Gabriel and his associate designer Jean Aubert, in 1728-31 Since 1919 it has housed the Musée Auguste Rodin....
from Anne, Duchess of Maine
Anne, Duchess of Maine
Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon , was the daughter of Henri Jules de Bourbon, prince de Condé and Anne Henriette of Bavaria. As a member of the reigning House of Bourbon, she was a princesse du sang. She was known as Louise-Bénédicte. She has no surviving descendants...
, which still can be visited today as it houses the Musée Rodin
Musée Rodin
The Musée Rodin in Paris, France, is a museum that was opened in 1919 in the Hôtel Biron and surrounding grounds. It displays works by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin....
. After his death, the title of Duc de Biron passed to his nephew Armand Louis de Gontaut
Armand Louis de Gontaut
Armand Louis de Gontaut, Duc de Lauzun, later duc de Biron, and usually referred to by historians of the French Revolution simply as Biron was a French soldier and politician, known for the part he played in the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars.-Early titles:Born in...
.