Albert Louis Valentin Taviel

Albert Louis Valentin Taviel (born June 13, 1767 in Saint-Omer , Pas-de-Calais department , † November 17, 1831 in Paris ) was a French general of the artillery .

Live and act

Taviel was a son of Albert-Gabriel Taviel and his wife Agnes-Charlotte Ballart d'Invilliers; General Louis Henri Ballard d'Invilliers (1705–1798) was his maternal grandfather.

At the request of his family, Taviel came on September 1, 1783 as a cadet at the École d'Artillerie in the fortress of Metz . He was soon able to distinguish himself and in the following year became a lieutenant (September 1, 1784) and a captain on August 22, 1791.

On February 3, 1795, Taviel married at Paris Claire-Sophie Hennet de Lambresson, a daughter of Colonel Jean-Thomas Hennet, and had two daughters with her. Through his father-in-law he made the acquaintance of Napoleon Bonaparte , whom he later supported in his coup d'état (November 9, 1799).

After further promotions, Taviel came to the staff of Marshal Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult and took under his command u. a. participated in the fighting at Mehrnbach (October 30, 1805), Dürnstein (November 11, 1805) and Austerlitz (December 2, 1805).

When Napoleon planned his invasion of Spain , Taviel was also accepted into the expeditionary army. He took part in the siege of Figueres and Castell de Sant Ferran (April / August 1811) a. a. next to Generals Louis-Auguste Marchand and Henri-Marie Lenoury .

After the Battle of Paris (March 30, 1814) and Napoleon's abdication , Taviel was already looking for proximity to the House of Bourbon . After the Treaty of Fontainebleau (April 11, 1814) Taviel was entrusted with the management of the artillery school of Metz. When Napoleon left the island of Elba and his rule of the Hundred Days began, Taviel immediately rejoined the emperor.

After the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815) Taviel changed sides again and supported King Louis XVIII. He continued to head the artillery school in Metz and was entrusted with administrative tasks in the War Ministry .

On January 1, 1825, General Taviel officially retired. He settled with his family in Paris ( 9th arrondissement ) and withdrew into private life. When the monarchy was reconstituted after the July Revolution of 1830 , Taviel remained a supporter of the Bourbons, but was no longer available for any tasks. He died in Paris on November 17, 1831 and found his final resting place on the Cimetière de Montmartre (Division 21).

Honors

• December 11, 1803 Knight of the Legion of Honor
• June 14, 1804 Officer of the Legion of Honor
• March 13, 1811 baron de l'Émpire
• November 23, 1813 Commander of the Legion of Honor
• Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor
• His name can be found on the western pillar (31st column) of the triumphal arch on Place Charles de Gaulle (Paris)

literature

• David G. Chandler : The campaigns of Napoleon . Weidenfeld, London 1993, ISBN 0-297-81367-6 (unchanged reprint of the London 1966 edition)
• Philip J. Haythornthwaite: Who was who in the Napoleonic Wars . Arms & Armor, London 1998, ISBN 1-85409-391-6 .
• Charles Mullié: Biography of the célébrités militaires des armées de terre et de mer de 1789 à 1850, vol. 1 . Poignavant, Paris 1852.
• Georges Six: Dictionnaire biographique des généraux et amriaux français de la Révolution et de l'Émpire. 1792-1814, Vol. 2 . Saffroy, Paris 1999, ISBN 2-901541-06-2 (unchanged reprint of the Paris 1934 edition)
• Digby Smith : The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars data book . Greenhill, London 1998, ISBN 1-85367-276-9 .

Web links

• Albert Louis Valentin Taviel at arcdetriomphe.info (English)