Marc René, marquis de Montalembert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marc René, marquis de Montalembert
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Portrait of Marc-René, marquis de Montalembert by Quentin de La Tour (18th-century)
Versailles, Musée national du Château et des Trianons |
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| Born | 16 July 1714 |
| Died | 29 March 1800 (aged 85) Paris
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| Occupation | Military engineer Writer |
Marc René, marquis de Montalembert (born July 16, 1714 – died March 29, 1800) was a French military engineer and writer. He is famous for his new ideas about how to build strong forts and defenses.
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About Marc René de Montalembert
Marc René de Montalembert was born in Angoulême, France. He joined the French Army in 1732 when he was 18 years old. He fought in several wars, including the War of the Polish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession.
His Work on Fortifications
Before the Seven Years' War, Montalembert became very interested in building strong defenses, also known as fortifications. He was inspired by the work of another famous engineer, Vauban. Montalembert also started a factory called the Ruelle cannon foundry, which made cannons near his hometown.
During the Seven Years' War, he worked as a French commissioner with the Swedish army. He helped build defenses in places like Anklam and Stralsund. In 1761, he was promoted to a high military rank.
New Ideas for Forts
Montalembert's most important work was his new way of designing forts. People described his forts as "huge batteries." This means they were built to hold many cannons and fire a lot of shots at attackers.
Instead of complicated designs, Montalembert used a simpler plan. This plan allowed the defenders inside the fort to shoot at attackers from many different angles. This made it very hard for enemies to get close.
His ideas were inspired by engineers from Sweden and Prussia. Montalembert's methods helped create the "polygonal" style of fortification. This style became very important for designing large military camps in the 1800s.
Challenges and Publications
At first, many engineers in France did not like Montalembert's new ideas. They preferred the older methods of Vauban. Even though Montalembert built some successful forts at Île-d'Aix and Oleron, he was not allowed to share his methods publicly.
After 15 years of keeping his ideas secret, he finally published his main work, La Fortification perpendiculaire, in Paris between 1776 and 1778.
Later Life and Legacy
During the French Revolution, Montalembert gave up a pension he received. He was also in debt because of his cannon factory. For a short time, he lived in England, and his property was taken by the government. However, he soon returned to France and got his property back.
A famous military leader, Lazare Carnot, often asked Montalembert for advice on military matters. In 1792, Montalembert was promoted to general of division. He was even considered for a position at the Institut de France, but he stepped aside for General Bonaparte.
Montalembert's ideas changed how forts were built. He wanted to do for defense what Vauban had done for attack. He understood that the strength of a fort came from its ability to fire many cannons, not just its walls. Because of this, he is seen as the father of modern fortification.
Works
Besides his main book, La Fortification perpendiculaire, Montalembert wrote other important works:
- L'Art défensif supérieur à l'offensif (1793): This book defended his ideas against critics.
- Mémoire historique sur la fonte des canons (1758): This was about making cannons.
- Relation du siège de Saint-Jean-d'Acre (1789): This was about the siege of Acre.
He also wrote short stories, poems, and comedies. He even made 92 models of his fortification designs and offered them to the government.
Family
Montalembert's nephew, also named Marc-René (1777-1831), was the father of Charles Forbes René de Montalembert. Charles was a well-known French politician.
See also
In Spanish: Marc-René de Montalembert para niños
- Ruelle foundry
