Jean-Andoche Junot

Jean Andoche Junot, Duke of Abrantès ( born October 23, 1771 in Bussy- le -Grand, Côte- d'Or, † July 29, 1813 in Montbard ) was a French general and adjutant to Napoleon.

Life

Junot studied law and was at the outbreak of the French Revolution soldier. At the siege of Toulon 1793 Napoleon Bonaparte made ​​him his adjutant. As such, he followed him to Italy in 1796, 1798 and 1799 to Egypt and Syria.

1800 was Junot commander of Paris, 1804 Colonel General des Hussards ( the Hussars ) and Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour. In 1805 they sent him as ambassador to Portugal, but he went from there to Germany, where he was able to excel in the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805.

Junot in 1806 was appointed governor of Paris and in 1807 he received the command of the troops formed in Salamanca for the occupation of Portugal. With these he reached with great difficulty Lisbon on 30 November, for which he received the title of Duke of Abrantès. On August 30, 1808, he was defeated by the British at the Battle of Vimeiro and had to close the capitulation of Cintra. The French then had to evacuate Portugal.

Because he had fallen out of favor with Napoleon, Junot was not appointed in contrast to the other long-time companion in arms of Napoleon to Marshal of France. Nevertheless, he was entrusted in 1812 for the Russian campaign in command of troops of Westphalia. Maybe it was the high losses that dropped into a mental illness Junot. He was taken to Montbard, where he died on 29 July 1813 after he crashed out of a window.

His wife Laure Junot wrote memoirs under the title Mémoires ( 18 volumes, 1831-1834 ).

61051
de