Service To The Empire
In 1801 Napoleon sent him as ambassador to Portugal. Opinions differ as to his merits in this capacity; Napoleon never made such use of him again. Lannes purchased the seventeenth-century Château de Maisons, near Paris, in 1804 and had one of its state apartments redecorated for a visit from Napoleon.
On the establishment of the empire he was created a Marshal of France (1804), and commanded once more the advanced guard of a great French army in the campaign of Austerlitz. At Austerlitz he had the left of the Grande Armée. In the 1806-07 campaign he was at his best, commanding his corps with the greatest credit in the march through the Thuringian Forest, the action of Saalfeld (which is studied as a model today at the French Staff College) and the Battle of Jena. His leadership of the advanced guard at Friedland was even more prominent.
After this, Lannes was to be tested as a commander-in-chief, for Napoleon took him to Spain in 1808, and gave him a detached wing of the army, with which he won a victory over Castaños at Tudela on 22 November. In January 1809 he was sent to attempt the capture of Saragossa, and by 21 February, after one of the most stubborn defences in history, was in possession of the place. He said " this damned Bonaparte is going to get us all killed" after his last campaign in Spain. Napoleon then in 1808 created him Duc de Montebello, and in 1809, for the last time, gave him command of the advanced guard. He took part in the engagements around Eckmühl and the advance on Vienna. With his corps he led the French army across the Danube, and bore the brunt, with Masséna, of the terrible battle of Aspern-Essling. On 22 May he received a mortal wound. His eldest son was made a peer of France by Louis XVIII.
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Famous quotes containing the words service to, service and/or empire:
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