Julien Marie Cosmao-Kerjulien

Julien Marie Cosmao-Kerjulien (born November 27, 1761 in Châteaulin , † February 17, 1825 Brest ) was a French admiral .

Life

At the age of 15, Cosmao-Kerjulien joined the royal army in 1776. He got on the Aigrette and sailed to the Caribbean. When he returned to France two years later, he moved to Admiral Corentin de Leissegues on the Oiseau . In September 1778 he was transferred to the nymph and took part in the American War of Independence .

In the various battles Cosmao-Kerjulien was able to distinguish himself through bravery and therefore quickly made a career. With effect from April 1, 1793 he was given the Vaisseau - with the rank of captain ; a ship in the association of Rear Admiral Jean-Honoré de Trogoff . From this time at the latest, Cosmao-Kerjulien was known as “Va de bon cœur”.

Under Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve , Cosmao-Kerjulien fought valiantly at Cape Finisterre (July 22, 1805) and the Battle of Trafalgar (October 21, 1805).

With effect from May 29, 1806 Cosmao-Kerjulien was promoted to Rear Admiral and served in the Mediterranean until Napoleon's abdication on April 11, 1814 (→ Treaty of Fontainebleau ). He turned to King Charles X publicly , but during Napoleon's " rule of the hundred days " he went over to him again and was appointed Peer of France in thanks .

After the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815) Cosmao-Kerjulien resigned from all his offices and was retired on January 1, 1816. A pension was only awarded to him from January 1817. Julien Marie Cosmao-Kerjulien died on February 17, 1825 in Brest and found his final resting place there on the Cimetière St. Martin .

Trivia

The marine painter Auguste Mayer (1805–1890) from Brest created a portrait of Julien Marie Cosmao-Kerjulien around 1824.

Honors

• 1810 Baron de l'Émpire
• December 7, 1812 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor
• 5th July 1814 Ordre royal et militaire de Saint-Louis
• 1815 Peer of France
• His name can be found on the north pillar (10th column) of the triumphal arch on Place Charles-de-Gaulle ( Paris ).

literature

• Philip J. Haythornthwaite: Who was who in the Napoleonic Wars . Arms & Armor, London 1998, ISBN 1-85409-391-6 .
• Prosper J. Levot: Batailles navales de la France . Challamel, Paris 1867/68 (4 vol.).
• Georges Six: Dictionnaire biographiques des généraux & amiraux français de la Révolution et de l'Émpire. 1792-1814 . Saffroy, Paris 1999, ISBN 2-901541-06-2 (reprint of the Paris 1934 edition).
• Jean Tulard (Ed.): Dictionnaire Napoléon . Fayard, Paris 1995, ISBN 2-213-02286-0 .