Lefebvre, François Joseph, Duc de Dantzig

MARSHAL (FRANCE)
BORN 25 Oct 1755, Rufach, Alsace - DIED 14 Sep 1820, Paris
GRAVE LOCATION Paris: Père Lachaise, Rue du Repos 16 (division 28)

François Joseph Lefebvre was the son of a hussard. He joined the French army when he was eighteen. By the time of the French Revolution he was a sargeant and he was involved in the protection of the royal family. He was made a brigadier general ans joined the forces of Genral Hoche. He took part in the Battle of Fleurus on June 24th, 1794. After Hoche died in 1797 he became the commander of the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse.

In 1799 Lefebvre supported Napoleon's coup d'état and Napoleon made him a senator (1800) and a marshall of the empire (1804). In 1806 he led the infantry of the Imperial Guard at Jena and in 1807 he took Danzig, earning him the title of Duc de Dantzig. In 1808 he fought in the Peninsula and in 1809 he led the Bavarian atmy at Wagram against the Austrians. He held further commands during the campaigns in Russia and Germany.

In 1814 he voted in favour of Napoleon's deposition and Louis XVIII made him Pair de France. During the 100 days he was on Napoleon's side and after Napoleon'n second defeat in 1815 he was denied his seat in the House of Peers. In 1819 his peerage was returned to him by Louis XVIII. His wife was a former washerwoman. Her unconventional manners made her the subject of Sardou's play "Madame Sans-Gêne".

Family
• Wife: Hubscher, Catherine (Madama Sans-Gêne) (1783-1820, Paris: Montmartre)

Related persons
• was defeated by Hofer, Andreas
• supported Napoleon I Bonaparte

Events
13/8/1809Andreas Hofer defeats the army of Lefebvre near the Isel [Hofer, Andreas]

Images

The grave of François Joseph Lefebvre at Père Lachaise, Paris.
Picture by Androom (19 Nov 2006)

 

Sources
Winkler Prins Encyclopedie (editie 1909), 1909
François Joseph Lefebvre - Wikipedia


Lefebvre, Jules

Published: 21 Oct 2007
Last update: 26 Jan 2022