Marie-François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga
Encyclopedia
Marie-François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga (October 7, 1766 Haute-Garonne, France - January 23, 1849, Leschelles
, near Guise
, Aisne
) was a French général de division
of Italian descent. Two of his brothers
were also generals. His name is inscribed on the south side of the Arc de Triomphe
.
in 1791, enrolling as a private dragoon in the 15e régiment and becoming aide-de-camp to general Dagobert
. He was then made adjutant-general to the armée de Sambre-et-Meuse and commanded the light-infantry demi-brigade
, which was nicknamed l'incomparable.
Also serving on the French invasion of Egypt, he became aide de camp to Napoléon Bonaparte
in 1800, général de brigade after Marengo, and finally commander of the Légion d'honneur
in 1804. Sent as an ambassador to Pope Pius VII
, he organised the Pope's trip to France for Napoleon's coronation as emperor.
He became général de division and governor of the Tuileries, and grand aigle (Grand croix) of the Légion d'honneur
, all on 8 February 1806, for his contribution to the victory at Austerlitz
, and the following month was summoned to the Kingdom of Italy
's ministry of war and the fleet (remaining at its head until 1810).
He was made a knight of ordre de la Couronne de fer (Order of the Iron Crown) in 1807, comte de l'Empire (with a "dotation" of 23,000 francs on the "domaines" of Hanover
), and was then employed in Spain. There he defeated an attempted English landing at Luredo, beat 4 Spanish generals, seized Bilbao
, was named governor of Biscay
in 1811, completely routed Mina
's band and contributed to the raising of the siege of Burgos
.
In 1813 he once again became Napoleon's aide-de-camp, and when the Emperor left his army he entrusted Caffarelli with commanding the remaining troops in Paris, the government of the imperial palace and organising the guard for empress Marie Louise
. In 1814, he accompanied Marie-Louise and her son as far as Vienna
. On his return to France, he begged to be allowed to retire, but Louis XVIII replied to his requests by sending him the insignia of the Order of Saint Louis
and naming him military governor of the 13e division militaire.
In January 1815, the duc de Bourbon sent him to Rennes
to do all the good and prevent all the evil that he could. On 22 April he resumed his role as aide-de-camp, and on 2 June took command of the 1e division militaire.
He followed the army behind the Loire and was dismissed. Made a Pair de France in 1831, in 1840 he headed the legal commission looking into having Napoleon's mortal remains transferred back to France. Out of place in this era of grand political debates, General Caffarelli died om 1849 after a long illness, leaving a widow (daughter of comte Louis Charles d'Hervilly
), two daughters and a son (who the French government summoned to join the conseil d'État for the prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine
).
Leschelles
Leschelle is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France....
, near Guise
Guise
Guise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
, Aisne
Aisne
Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
) was a French général de division
Divisional General
Divisional General is a rank used in many armies to denote a rank of general, corresponding to command of a division. For convenience Divisional General is almost always translated into English as Major-General, the equivalent rank used by the UK, USA, etc., although this translation is, strictly...
of Italian descent. Two of his brothers
Caffarelli
Gaetano Majorano was an Italian castrato and opera singer, who took his stage name Caffarelli from Domenico Caffaro, his patron. Like Farinelli, Caffarelli was a student of Nicola Porpora.-Early life and training:...
were also generals. His name is inscribed on the south side of the Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
.
Life
First serving with the army on Sardinia from 1783, he returned to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1791, enrolling as a private dragoon in the 15e régiment and becoming aide-de-camp to general Dagobert
Luc Siméon Auguste Dagobert
Luc Siméon Auguste Dagobert de Fontenille was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars.-Ancien Regime:...
. He was then made adjutant-general to the armée de Sambre-et-Meuse and commanded the light-infantry demi-brigade
Demi-brigade
Not to be confused with 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign LegionThe Demi-brigade was a military formation first used by the French Army during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Demi-brigade amalgamated the various infantry organizations of the French Revolutionary infantry into a single unit...
, which was nicknamed l'incomparable.
Also serving on the French invasion of Egypt, he became aide de camp to Napoléon Bonaparte
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
in 1800, général de brigade after Marengo, and finally commander of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1804. Sent as an ambassador to Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
, he organised the Pope's trip to France for Napoleon's coronation as emperor.
He became général de division and governor of the Tuileries, and grand aigle (Grand croix) of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, all on 8 February 1806, for his contribution to the victory at Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
, and the following month was summoned to the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state founded in Northern Italy by Napoleon, fully influenced by revolutionary France, that ended with his defeat and fall.-Constitutional statutes:...
's ministry of war and the fleet (remaining at its head until 1810).
He was made a knight of ordre de la Couronne de fer (Order of the Iron Crown) in 1807, comte de l'Empire (with a "dotation" of 23,000 francs on the "domaines" of Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
), and was then employed in Spain. There he defeated an attempted English landing at Luredo, beat 4 Spanish generals, seized Bilbao
Bilbao
Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain...
, was named governor of Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
in 1811, completely routed Mina
Francisco Espoz y Mina
Francisco Espoz y Mina was a Spanish guerrilla leader and general.He was born at Idocin in Navarre. His father, Juan Esteban Espoz y Mina, and his mother, Maria Teresa Hundain y Ardaiz, belonged to the class of yeomen. Mina remained working on the small family inheritance until 1808...
's band and contributed to the raising of the siege of Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
.
In 1813 he once again became Napoleon's aide-de-camp, and when the Emperor left his army he entrusted Caffarelli with commanding the remaining troops in Paris, the government of the imperial palace and organising the guard for empress Marie Louise
Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma
Marie Louise of Austria was the second wife of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French and later Duchess of Parma...
. In 1814, he accompanied Marie-Louise and her son as far as Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. On his return to France, he begged to be allowed to retire, but Louis XVIII replied to his requests by sending him the insignia of the Order of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
and naming him military governor of the 13e division militaire.
In January 1815, the duc de Bourbon sent him to Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
to do all the good and prevent all the evil that he could. On 22 April he resumed his role as aide-de-camp, and on 2 June took command of the 1e division militaire.
He followed the army behind the Loire and was dismissed. Made a Pair de France in 1831, in 1840 he headed the legal commission looking into having Napoleon's mortal remains transferred back to France. Out of place in this era of grand political debates, General Caffarelli died om 1849 after a long illness, leaving a widow (daughter of comte Louis Charles d'Hervilly
Louis Charles d'Hervilly
Comte Louis Charles d'Hervilly was a French nobleman and émigré. He was involved in the abortive landing at Quiberon. His daughter married the general Marie-François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga.- Bibliography :...
), two daughters and a son (who the French government summoned to join the conseil d'État for the prefecture of Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
).
Sources
- "Marie François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga", in Marie-Nicolas Bouillet et Alexis Chassang (dir.), Dictionnaire universel d'histoire et de géographie, 1878
- "Marie François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga", in Charles Mullié, Biographie des célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, 1852
External links
- Marie-François Auguste de Caffarelli du Falga on The Louverture Project