Charles Cousin-Montauban, Comte de Palikao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Cousin-Montauban, Comte de Palikao
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| Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 9 August 1870 – 4 September 1870 |
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| Monarch | Napoleon III |
| Preceded by | Émile Ollivier |
| Succeeded by | Louis Jules Trochu (as President of the Government of National Defense) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 June 1796 Paris, French First Republic |
| Died | 8 January 1878 (aged 81) Paris, French Third Republic |
| Political party | None |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  France |
| Branch/service |  French Army |
| Years of service | 1817–1870 |
| Rank | General |
| Battles/wars | French conquest of Algeria Crimean War Second Opium War Franco-Prussian War |
Charles Cousin-Montauban (1796–1878) was an important French general and a statesman. He is best known for leading French troops in China and for being the Prime Minister of France during a difficult time.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Charles Cousin-Montauban was born in Paris, France, in 1796. He joined the army as a cavalry officer. Cavalry are soldiers who fight on horseback.
He served for many years in Algeria, a country in North Africa. This was during the time when France was taking control of Algeria. In 1847, he helped capture Abdel Kadir, a leader who fought against French rule.
From 1855 to 1857, Montauban was in charge of a military division in western Algeria. In 1855, he also fought in the Crimean War. This was a big war fought between Russia and an alliance of countries including France.
Adventures in China
In 1859, Montauban was chosen to lead the French troops in an expedition to China. This was part of the Second Opium War, where British and French forces fought against China.
His leadership during these operations was sometimes criticized. However, in 1862, Napoleon III, who was the Emperor of France, gave him a special title. He became the Comte de Palikao. This title came from the Battle of Palikao, a victory during the China expedition. He was also made a senator, which is a high-ranking political position.
There were rumors that he became very rich by taking treasures from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. However, there was no real proof for these claims.
Leading France in Wartime
In 1865, Montauban was put in charge of an army corps in Lyon, France. He worked very hard to train his soldiers and showed great skill in managing military affairs.
In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War began. This was a major conflict between France and Prussia (a powerful German state). Montauban was not given a command on the battlefield at first.
However, after France suffered some early defeats, the government changed. The empress-regent, who was ruling while the emperor was away, asked Montauban to take on a very important role. On August 10, 1870, he became the Minister of War and the President of the Council. This meant he was in charge of the country's military and government.
Montauban quickly worked to improve France's military. He claimed that in just 24 days, he managed to:
- Increase the size of Marshal MacMahon's army to 140,000 soldiers.
- Create three new army corps (large military units).
- Form 33 new regiments (smaller military units).
- Organize 100,000 gardes mobiles (reserve soldiers).
- Make the defenses of the capital city, Paris, much stronger.
He came up with a plan to send the French army to help lift the siege of Metz. However, this plan needed the army to move very quickly and precisely, which they were not able to do. The plan failed, leading to the major French defeat at Sedan.
After the emperor surrendered, Montauban was offered the chance to become a dictator. But he refused to abandon the empire. He suggested creating a council for national defense, with himself as the leader. Before a decision could be made, a large crowd invaded the government building. Montauban then fled to Belgium.
In 1871, he spoke before a special parliamentary committee. He also wrote a book about his time as Minister of War. Charles Cousin-Montauban passed away in Versailles in 1878.
See also
- Cousin-Montauban ministry
Images for kids
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Charles Cousin-Montauban, Comte de Palikao.
