Claude-Victor Perrin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marshal of the Empire
Claude-Victor Perrin
Duke of Belluno
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Portrait by Antoine-Jean Gros, 1812
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| Minister of War | |
| In office 14 December 1821 – 19 October 1823 |
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| Preceded by | Victor de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg |
| Succeeded by | Ange Hyacinthe Maxence de Damas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 December 1764 Lamarche, France |
| Died | 1 March 1841 (aged 76) Paris, France |
| Resting place | Père Lachaise Cemetery |
| Awards | Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France Kingdom of France First French Republic First French Empire Bourbon Restoration |
| Branch/service | Army |
| Years of service | 1781–1830 |
| Rank | Marshal of the Empire |
| Commands | X Corps I Corps IX Corps II Corps |
| Battles/wars | French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars |
Claude-Victor Perrin, also known as the Duke of Belluno, was an important French military leader. He lived from 1764 to 1841. He fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. In 1807, Emperor Napoleon I made him a Marshal of the Empire, which was a very high military rank.
Contents
Early Life and Military Start
Victor was born in Lamarche, France, on December 7, 1764. His parents were Charles Perrin and Marie Anne Floriot. In 1781, when he was 16, he joined an artillery group in Grenoble. He started as a drummer. After serving for ten years, he left the army.
In 1791, Victor married Jeanne Josephine Muguet. They had four children together. Later, in 1803, he married Julie Vosch van Avesaet. They had one daughter.
Fighting in the French Revolutionary Wars
Victor rejoined the military in 1792. He became a grenadier in his hometown's National Guard. Soon after, he joined the 1st Drôme Battalion. By September 1792, he was made a chief of battalion.
Early Victories
Victor was sent to the Army of Italy. He showed great skill at the Battle of Coaraze. In late 1793, he played a key role in the Siege of Toulon. He helped capture Fort Mont Faron. He was also seriously wounded during the capture of Fort de l'Eguillette.
Because of his brave actions at Toulon, Victor was promoted. He became a brigade general. He then fought in the War of the Pyrenees from 1794 to 1795. He helped in the sieges of Collioure and Roses. He also fought well at the Battle of the Black Mountain.
Campaigns with Napoleon
In 1795, Victor returned to the Army of Italy. He fought bravely at the Battle of Loano. He served very well in the Italian campaign of 1796. This was under General Napoleon Bonaparte. He helped capture Cosseria Castle. He also fought in battles like Dego and Rovereto.
In January 1797, Victor was promoted again. He became a general of division. He captured Imola and Ancona in the Papal States. His troops also helped stop the Veronese Easter uprising in April 1797.
War of the Second Coalition
Victor returned to France in 1798. He was put in charge of the 2nd military division in Nantes. But he was soon back with the Army of Italy. He fought in the Italian campaign of 1799. He was present at the defeats of Trebbia and Genola.
The next year, he led his division at Montebello. He also distinguished himself at the Battle of Marengo. In July 1800, he became the general-in-chief of the Army of Batavia. He held this command until 1802. In 1805, he was appointed Ambassador to Denmark.
Napoleonic Wars and High Ranks
When war broke out with Prussia, Victor became Chief of Staff. He served under Marshal Jean Lannes. He fought in the battles of Saalfeld and Jena in October 1806. He was wounded at Jena. He then took control of Spandau. He also fought at the Battle of Pultusk.
Becoming a Marshal
In March 1807, Victor led sieges against Kolberg and Danzig. He was captured by enemy fighters. But he was soon exchanged for a Prussian general. He then went to the Siege of Graudenz.
After Marshal Jean Bernadotte was wounded, Victor took command of the 1st Army Corps. In June 1807, he broke through the Russian army's center. This happened at the Battle of Friedland. For this great victory, Napoleon made him a Marshal of the Empire on July 13. This was a huge honor.
Fighting in Spain
After a peace treaty, Victor became governor of Berlin. In September 1808, he was given the title Duke of Belluno. Soon after, he went to fight in the Peninsular War in Spain. He defeated the Spanish general Joaquín Blake y Joyes at the Battle of Espinosa. He also took part in the Battle of Somosierra.
Victor won another victory at Uclès in January 1809. As commander of the 1st Army Corps, he fought in several battles. He inflicted a major defeat on the Spanish army at Medellín. He also won the Battle of Alcabon. However, his forces were pushed back at Battle of Talavera by British and Spanish armies.
After a French victory at the Battle of Ocaña, Victor entered Cordoba and Seville. He then began the Siege of Cádiz. His troops could not capture the city because it was supplied by sea. The siege lasted 30 months before being given up. During this time, he fought at the Battle of Chiclana.
Russian Campaign and Later Wars
In 1812, Victor was called back to France. He was to lead the 9th Army Corps in the invasion of Russia. He commanded 30,000 men. His job was to protect the army's supply lines. His corps was later moved to Smolensk. There, he served as the rearguard for the retreating forces. His most important service was protecting the army at the crossing of the Berezina River.
In March 1813, he became commander of the 2nd Army Corps. He fought in many battles over the next months. These included Dresden, Leipzig, Wachau, and Battle of Hanau.
During the French campaign of 1814, Victor fought alongside Napoleon. His troops were outnumbered but fought well. He took part in the battles of Brienne and La Rothière. His troops also defeated a Russian corps at the Battle of Mormant.
At the Battle of Montereau, Victor arrived too late. This made Napoleon angry, and he gave Victor's command to another general. However, Victor was soon put in charge of two divisions of the Young Guard. He was wounded at the Battle of Craonne in March. This injury made him use crutches for three months.
Life After Napoleon
When Napoleon was defeated in April 1814, Victor changed his loyalty. He supported the restored House of Bourbon. King Louis XVIII made him a Chevalier de Saint-Louis. In December 1814, he was given command of the 2nd military division.
In 1815, Napoleon returned from exile. Victor went with the king to Ghent. After Napoleon's final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Victor returned to Paris. He was made a peer of France. He also became a major-general of the Royal Guard.
In October, he led a group that looked into officers who had joined Napoleon during his return. As a member of the Chamber of Peers, he voted for a severe punishment for Marshal Michel Ney. Victor deeply regretted this vote later in his life. He considered the day of Ney's punishment a day of sorrow for the rest of his life.
In 1821, Victor became Minister of War. He held this job for two years. He helped prepare for the 1823 French invasion of Spain. After the July Revolution in 1830, he refused to support the new king. He was removed from the Chamber of Peers. He then retired from public life.
Claude-Victor Perrin died in Paris on March 1, 1841. He was buried at the Père-Lachaise Cemetery.
Military Skills
Victor was a good military leader. He was very good at organizing his troops and planning battles. In Spain, he defeated Spanish armies with clever tactics. He even fought a tough battle against the famous British general Wellington at Talavera. However, he was sometimes careful and didn't like taking big risks in overall strategy. But he was good at learning new ways of fighting. At the Beresina River in 1812, he used smart defenses that showed he had learned from other generals.
See also
In Spanish: Claude-Victor Perrin para niños
