François Marie de Broglie, 1st Duke of Broglie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
François Marie de Broglie
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Portrait by Hyacinthe Rigaud
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| Born | 11 January 1671 Paris, France |
| Died | 22 May 1745 (aged 74) Broglie, Eure, France |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France |
| Service/ |
 French Army |
| Rank | Marshal of France |
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| Other work | French Ambassador to the Kingdom of Great Britain |
François Marie de Broglie (born January 11, 1671 – died May 22, 1745) was a very important French military leader. He became the first Duke of Broglie. He spent most of his life serving France as a soldier and a diplomat.
Contents
Life of a French Marshal
Early Life and Military Start
François-Marie de Broglie was born in Paris, France. He was the third son in his family. He joined the army when he was quite young. By the time he was 23, he was already a lieutenant-colonel. This meant he was a high-ranking officer in charge of a cavalry regiment. Cavalry are soldiers who fight on horseback.
Serving in Big Wars
François Marie de Broglie fought in many major wars for France.
War of the Spanish Succession
He fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. This was a big conflict that involved many European countries. He was at the Battle of Malplaquet, which was one of the bloodiest battles of that war. Later, he also fought in the Battle of Denain. By 1710, he was promoted to lieutenant-general.
Between Wars
Even when there was peace, he continued to work in the military. In 1719, he became the director-general of all cavalry and dragoons. Dragoons were soldiers who could fight both on horseback and on foot. He also worked as a diplomat. This means he represented France in other countries. For example, he was the French ambassador in England in 1724.
War of the Polish Succession
In 1733, he was called back to fight in the War of the Polish Succession in Italy. The next year, he received a very high honor: he was made a Marshal of France. This is one of the highest ranks a military officer can achieve in France.
He was a main commander for France in 1734. He fought in the Battle of Parma and the Battle of Guastalla. There's a famous story about him. One night, his camp was attacked by the enemy. He barely managed to escape!
Later Commands
In 1735, he led his troops well in a war of positions. However, he was soon replaced by another marshal. He then became the governor-general of Alsace. This was a region in eastern France. In 1740, Frederick the Great, a famous king, secretly visited him in Strasbourg.
War of the Austrian Succession
In 1742, during the War of the Austrian Succession, Broglie was put in charge of the French army in Germany. His army had a success at the Battle of Sahay. Because of this victory, he was given the title of duc de Broglie. This made him a peer of France, which was a very important noble title. He returned to France in 1743 and passed away two years later.
His Children
François Marie de Broglie had two notable sons:
