Maximilien Sébastien Foy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maximilien Sébastien Foy
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Portrait by Horace Vernet
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| Born | 3 February 1775 Ham, Somme |
| Died | 28 November 1825 (aged 50) |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France.svg){kind=small} Kingdom of France French Republic French Empire Kingdom of France French Empire |
| Battles/wars | Flanders 1791 |
| Awards | Legion of Honor |
Maximilien Sébastien Foy (born February 3, 1775 – died November 28, 1825) was a French general, a political leader, and a writer. He fought in many important wars for France, including the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Later in life, he became a member of the French parliament.
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Early Military Career
Maximilien Sébastien Foy was born in Ham, Somme, France. He went to military school in La Fere. In 1792, he became a sub-lieutenant in the artillery, which means he was a junior officer in charge of cannons.
He fought in important battles like Valmy and Jemappes. In 1793, he quickly became a company commander. He served under famous generals such as Dumouriez, Pichegru, Moreau, and Masséna. He also took part in the First Battle of Zurich.
Serving the Empire
In 1803, Foy became a colonel in the 5th regiment of horse artillery. He did not want to be an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) to Napoleon when Napoleon became emperor. This was because of his political beliefs.
However, he still served in Napoleon's army. He fought in the successful 1805 Ulm Campaign in Germany. In 1806, he led the artillery in Friuli, a region in Italy. In 1807, he was sent to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) to help the Turkish army learn European fighting methods. This plan failed because the Turkish leader, Selim III, died.
Fighting in Portugal
When Foy returned to France, an army was getting ready to invade Portugal. He joined the artillery under General Jean-Andoche Junot. During the French occupation of Portugal, he was in charge of inspecting forts.
He was badly hurt at the Battle of Vimeiro. After the Convention of Cintra, a peace agreement, he went back to France. He then went to Spain with the same army. In November 1808, he became a general of brigade. He fought under Marshal Nicolas Soult at the Battle of Corunna.
In 1809, he led a brigade under Soult in another invasion of Portugal. He was sent to ask the Bishop of Porto to open the city gates. But the people of Porto captured him and put him in prison. He managed to escape. At the Second Battle of Porto, he quickly noticed that Arthur Wellesley's British army was crossing the river by surprise. Foy led his soldiers to try and stop them, but he was wounded again.
Foy was wounded a third time at the Battle of Bussaco during the third French invasion of Portugal. In 1810, he skillfully led 600 men to retreat from 6,000 Spanish soldiers across a mountain range. In 1811, Marshal André Masséna chose Foy to tell Napoleon how bad the French army's situation was near the Lines of Torres Vedras. This was a very dangerous mission, but he succeeded. For this brave act, he was promoted to general of division.
Battles in Spain
In July 1812, Foy fought in the Battle of Salamanca. After the French army was defeated, he helped cover their retreat. When Wellington's army left the siege of Burgos and moved back, Foy's troops followed them. They managed to capture some prisoners and cannons.
When news came of Napoleon's army having problems in Russia, Wellington started attacking again. Foy was sent with his division to keep different groups of soldiers in check near Vittoria. He was not at the Battle of Vittoria itself. After the battle, he gathered about 20,000 soldiers and had some success fighting Spanish troops. He reached Tolosa around the same time as General Thomas Graham. After a tough fight in Tolosa, Foy retreated and eventually crossed the Bidassoa River back into France.
Foy commanded a division in Marshal Soult's army during the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813. After Soult's defeat at Sorauren, Foy managed to save his division by retreating over the Roncesvalles Pass.
End of Military Career
Foy showed great bravery in the Battle of the Nive on December 9, 1813, and the Battle of St. Pierre d'Irrube on December 13. In the fierce Battle of Orthez on February 27, 1814, he was left on the battlefield, thought to be dead. Before this, he had been made a count and a Commander of the Légion d'honneur, a very high award.
In March 1815, he became an inspector general. When Napoleon returned to power during the Hundred Days, Foy supported him. Foy commanded an infantry division in the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. At Waterloo, he received his fifteenth wound, which ended his military career.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1819, Maximilien Sébastien Foy was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, which was part of the French parliament. He served there until his death in November 1825. He was known for his powerful speeches and quickly became the main leader of the opposition party. Before he died, he started writing a history of the Peninsular War.
Images for kids
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Maximilien Sébastien Foy
See also
In Spanish: Maximilien Sébastien Foy para niños
