Claude François Bidal d'Asfeld facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claude François Bidal d'Asfeld
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Portrait by Henri Frédéric Schopin, 1835
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| Born | 2 July 1665 Paris, France |
| Died | 7 March 1743 (aged 77) Paris, France |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France |
| Service/ |
 French Army |
| Rank | Marshal of France |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |  Order of Saint Louis Order of the Golden Fleece |
Claude François Bidal, Marquis d'Asfeld (born in Paris, France, on July 2, 1665 – died in Paris, France, on March 7, 1743) was a very important French military leader. He became a Marshal of France, which is the highest rank in the French army.
His father, Pierre Bidal, was a successful merchant and banker. He even worked with Christina of Sweden, who was a queen. She gave Pierre Bidal the title of Baron of Harsefeld. This was in a place called Bremen, which was controlled by Sweden at the time.
Later, Queen Christina gave up her throne. She moved to France and lived on an estate owned by Pierre Bidal. The title "Baron of Harsefeld" was changed to "Asfeld" in French. Claude François inherited this title from his father.
Contents
Rising Through the Ranks
Claude François Bidal d'Asfeld quickly moved up in the French army. In 1702, he became a maréchal de camp, which was a high military rank. Just two years later, in 1704, he was promoted to lieutenant general.
By 1707, he was recognized for his bravery and leadership. He was made a commander in the Order of Saint-Louis. This was a special award given to French military officers.
Key Role in the War of the Spanish Succession
Claude François d'Asfeld played a very important part in the War of the Spanish Succession. This was a big war that lasted for many years. He served under another famous general, Duke of Berwick, in Spain.
He fought in several major battles and sieges:
- He was part of the Battle of Almansa in 1707.
- He helped conquer the cities of Tortosa and Alicante.
- He was involved in the long and difficult Siege of Barcelona in 1714.
- He also helped secure the surrender of Mallorca in 1715.
After the war ended, King Philip V of Spain honored him. He was made the Marquis d'Asfeld in Castile, a region in Spain. He also received another important award, the Order of the Golden Fleece.
After the War
After the War of the Spanish Succession, Claude François d'Asfeld continued his important work. In 1715, he became the director-general of French fortifications. This meant he was in charge of designing and building strong defenses for France.
He also became a member of the War Council. This group helped make big decisions about the army. He served as a military commander in different regions. First, he was in the Guyenne province in 1719. Later, he commanded troops in Italy in 1733.
In 1734, a sad event happened during the War of the Polish Succession. Duke of Berwick, his former commander, was killed. Asfeld then took over as the commander-in-chief of the army of the Rhine. Because of his great leadership, he was made a Marshal of France in 1734. This was the highest military honor in France.
In 1728, he bought the title of Count d’Avaux.
Family Life
Claude François d'Asfeld was married twice. In 1717, he married Jeanne Louise Joly de Fleury. Sadly, she passed away just seven months later from smallpox.
He remarried in 1718 to Anne Leclerc de Lesseville. She died in 1728 while giving birth. They had five children together.
See also
In Spanish: Claude François Bidal d'Asfeld para niños
