Antoine Philippe de La Trémoille facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antoine Philippe de La Trémoille
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Portrait by Léon Cogniet
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| Nickname(s) | Talmont |
| Born | 27 September 1765 Paris, France |
| Died | 27 January 1794 (aged 28) Laval |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of France Véndéens |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | War in the Vendée
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| Relations |  La Trémoille |
Antoine Philippe de La Trémoïlle, Prince of Talmont (born September 27, 1765 – died January 27, 1794) was a French noble. He was a royalist, meaning he supported the king. He is known for fighting against the French Revolution.
Contents
Early Life of Prince Talmont
Antoine Philippe was the Prince of Talmont. He was the second son of a very important family. His father was the Duke of Thouars. Antoine lived in the Castle of Laval. He became a cavalry commander. This meant he led soldiers on horseback. He fought for the king's side during the French Revolution.
In 1785, he married Henriette-Louise-Françoise-Angélique d'Argouges.
Joining the Royalist Cause
Antoine Philippe was a very active person. In late 1791, he joined groups in Poitou that were against the Revolution. These groups were called the Poitou Confederation. Their plan failed, so he had to leave France. He went to England to protect his family's interests.
Life as an Émigré
After England, he went to the Rhine region. There, he joined other French nobles who had left France. These nobles were called émigrés. He even served in a special cavalry unit. He fought in a campaign with the army of the Count of Artois. The Count later became King Charles X of France.
Antoine Philippe was sent back to France. His mission was to start a new uprising in western France.
Attempts to Spark a Movement
When King Louis XVI was executed, Antoine hoped to start a movement in Paris. His plan did not work. He stayed near Paris with his brother. His brother was an abbot, a type of priest.
He soon learned about a royalist uprising. This movement was happening in Brittany and Maine. It started before the larger uprising in Vendée. On March 10, he got a fake passport. He traveled through Normandy, Maine, and Anjou. He wanted to find more people to join the royalist cause.
Royalist Uprising in France
On May 20, he was arrested. He was sent to a prison in Angers. The Committee of Public Safety knew he was there. This was a powerful group during the Revolution.
A Daring Escape
His brother, the abbot, planned a clever escape. He worked with a member of the National Convention. This was France's governing body. This member helped arrange for Antoine Philippe to be moved. The plan was to take him to Paris. Instead, he was handed over to the Vendéens. The Vendéens were royalist fighters.
During his transfer from Angers, his guards let him go. Peasants then helped him reach Saumur. The royalist Vendéens held Saumur in June 1793. Antoine Philippe later said he was simply "released" by the local government.
Leading the Royalist Army
His arrival in Saumur was a big event. He was made commander of the cavalry. This was for the Catholic and Royal Army. He also joined the army's main council.
Fighting in the Vendée War
Antoine Philippe showed great courage at the Battle of Nantes. This was a victory for the royalists on June 28, 1793. He helped rally discouraged soldiers. He was even wounded while leading a cavalry charge.
He took part in almost every battle early in the War in the Vendée. After the First Battle of Châtillon, the royalists faced many defeats. Antoine Philippe pushed for them to control the Loire River crossing. He also wanted them to enter Brittany.
During a difficult time, Antoine Philippe was sent to guard a post. He had 4,000 royalist soldiers with him. After the First Battle of Cholet, he focused on protecting the royalist path. This path was on the right bank of the Loire River.
The Great March North (Virée de Galerne)
In a meeting, Antoine Philippe disagreed with the plan to go back to Vendée. He thought it was better to go to Saint-Malo. He believed the English would send help there. His family had a lot of influence in the Laval area. So, the army marched in that direction.
Joining Forces
The first Chouans joined the Vendéens in Laval. Chouans were another group of royalist rebels. A large new group of soldiers was formed. It was called Petite-Vendée. Antoine Philippe helped sign for a large sum of money. He also fought in the successful Battle of Entrames.
He then led a group of soldiers from Laval to Vitré. He hoped to find more recruits there. He then rejoined the main royal army in Fougères. This army marched towards the Cotentin region. They then attacked Granville.
The Attack on Granville
Taking Granville depended on help from the English. An English expedition was supposed to arrive soon. But the Vendéens were pushed back during their attack on Granville. They became discouraged. They wanted to go back to Vendée. Some even rebelled against their leaders.
In this confusion, Antoine Philippe tried to leave by boat. He was with a few other leaders. They wanted to sail to Jersey. The Vendéens heard about this. They thought it was desertion. A cavalry unit was sent to stop him. They brought him back to the camp. Antoine Philippe explained he only wanted to get English help. He also wanted to save some women. Other stories about his escape attempt are different.
Later Battles
A few days later, Antoine Philippe showed his bravery again. This was at the Battle of Dol. He held his ground with a few men. Most of the royal army was fleeing. He stayed until Henri de La Rochejaquelein joined him.
Talmont followed the army to the siege of Angers. This attack was also a failure. At the Battle of Le Mans on December 14, he charged the enemy. After this defeat, the royal army lost many men. They could not retreat across the Loire River.
A Difficult Path
Antoine Philippe bravely continued fighting. He was with the rest of the Catholic and Royal Army. They could not cross the Loire River. He met with Henri de La Rochejaquelein. Henri had crossed the river with other generals. He came to find his troops.
However, Fleuriot was named the new chief general. Antoine Philippe was upset by this choice. He left the army. He felt he was free of his duties. He traveled through forests. He wanted to join Jean Chouan or reach the coast. He continued his journey towards Normandy.
Arrest and Execution
On December 31, 1793, Antoine Philippe was walking through fields. He was near Laval and Fougères. He was dressed like a peasant. He was with three other men. They met the national guard in a village. The guards found a lot of money and fancy items on them. They also had a passport made with a fake name.
General Beaufort had them sent to Fougères. No one knew who they were at first. But a young girl saw them pass. She cried out, "It's the prince of Talmont!" General Beaufort then questioned him.
Trial and Death
Antoine Philippe was moved to Rennes on January 2, 1794. He was questioned very carefully. He asked to be moved to Paris. He wrote a letter to the National Convention. He was put in a cell. He wrote to another general. The officials were very harsh to him. They were worried he might die in prison from illness. So, an order came to move him to Paris.
Instead, he was put on trial in Vitré. This was on January 26. He was very sick. He was questioned again but refused to sign anything. He wanted to be tried in Paris. He was immediately sentenced to death. The next day, he protested. He asked to go to Paris to share ideas for peace. But the commission sent him to Laval instead.
It is said that Jean Chouan tried to save him. But he got the wrong information. Antoine Philippe's group was heavily guarded. They arrived in Laval at night. His execution happened right away. His head was put on a pike. It was displayed over the gates of Laval castle. Two days later, his head was buried in the castle courtyard.
His only son later became a colonel in the army. He died in 1815.
Sources
- « Antoine-Philippe de La Trémoïlle », in Louis-Gabriel Michaud, Biographie universelle ancienne et moderne : histoire par ordre alphabétique de la vie publique et privée de tous les hommes avec la collaboration de plus de 300 savants et littérateurs français ou étrangers, 2e édition, 1843–1865
- « Antoine-Philippe de La Trémoïlle », in Alphonse-Victor Angot, Ferdinand Gaugain, Dictionnaire historique, topographique et biographique de la Mayenne, Goupil, 1900–1910
