Marshal's Personality Description Bessières: His face was agreeable, elegant, especially in the uniform of the guides of the guard, which he commanded for a long time. He had eyes à la Montmorency, which gave a great softness to his gaze. The life of Bessières is so beautiful, his memory so pure, his glory so lofty. There is only one cry to celebrate his intrepid bravery, his unsuspected probity, his generous humanity, his charming gentleness. Attractive man, brave soldier, excellent husband and father, proud servant of a dominating master, sure friend, Bessières was all of these, and however one tries to judge him, one can only do so by listing qualities and merits. The abandonment of the great man in the hour of reverses did not even lift a cloud over his fame, as has happened to so many others, and it seems that his glorious and premature death was a thoughtfulness of destiny, anxious to avoid him until the occasion of a weakness. Be that as it may, the dominant feature of this superb character is kindness, that kindness which is the only excuse for the triumphant horrors of war; and if history inscribes on its bronze tablets the bellicose exploits of Marshal Bessières, It is the noblest and most enviable of all glories. Macdonald: The great virtue which, of Macdonald's life, stands before respectful posterity, is righteousness.His character has nothing oblique about it; his conscience is unaware of the skilful transactions which make it possible to circumvent an oath without however foregoing it. A word given, according to him, no longer belongs to the giver, and one cannot dispose of it without the consent of the beneficiary. Macdonald therefore always practiced fidelity in its most honorable and lofty form. We see him faithful to his friend Moreau, compromised by a terrible accusation; loyal to the powerful Napoleon, who holds him in disgrace; faithful to defeated Napoleon, who showered him with friendships; then the Emperor releases him from his faith, which he brings to the re-established Bourbon; and Louis XVIII, who did not return his words, found him immutably faithful in fortune as in reverse. And, if it may be so expressed, the elevation, the loyalty, the uprightness of his feelings and his unshakable and audacious valor, in his noble and lofty gait, in his remarkably high bearing of the head, in the firmness male, and often ready to become proud, of his frank, calm and confident gaze. Masséna: He willingly carried his opinions and the way of translating them to the extreme. This is how, having become a warm partisan of the Revolution, he for a long time shunned Bonaparte consul and Napoleon emperor. He did not restrain himself from doing so, and relied rather on victory than on diplomacy to make people forget his opposition and his witticisms; for apart from his merits, which were real, he was a happy man in the war, so much so that his soldiers had surnamed him the Cherished Child of Victory. But everything in his character was contrast and reversals: it was thus that the fierce democrat saw himself with enough pleasure changed into the Duke of Rivoli and the Prince of Essling. Many of those who knew him, and were in a position to judge him wisely, agree to pay little heed to his probity. General de Marbot in particular, in his Memoirs, represents him as a man intoxicated with glory, in a hurry to enjoy and with scandalous greed. Even allowing for the exaggerations that may have been provoked by the jealousies and rivalries of his contemporaries, it seems certain that his conquests were not without immense profits for his purse. At least we must recognize that if he plundered his enemies, he began by vanquishing them: which after all is not his worst excuse.
31:25 Even marshal lannes one of the best commanders of napoleon was traumatized to how fierce the resistance was and the battles that developed in the country, marshal ney that performed well in russia would not have luck also
Other comments from Napoleon: Bessières: From the letter by which Napoleon announced to the Duchess of Istria the death of her husband: Your husband died in action. The loss you suffer, you and your children, is undoubtedly great; mine is even bigger. The Duke of Istria died a most beautiful death and without suffering. He leaves a spotless reputation: it is the greatest glory he could bequeath to his children. My protection is granted to them. They will also inherit the affection I had for their father. Find in all these considerations reasons for consolation to lighten your sorrows and never doubt my feelings for you. After signing the previous letter, the Emperor said to Baron Fain; his secretary: "I need a victory to compensate for such a misfortune. Bessières was an honest man. This word includes all praise. Macdonald: After Wagram, Napoleon said to Macdonald: It's to you and to the artillery of my guard that I owe part of this day... Now it's life and death between us. When the Duke of Taranto came to report to the Emperor on his fruitless negotiations with the Tsar in 1814, a moving scene took place. "I am no longer rich enough," said Napoleon, "to reward your last services." I see now how I was deceived on your account; I also see the designs of those who warned me against you. But since I cannot reward you as I would like, I want at least a memory to remind you that I have not forgotten what you have done for me. Masséna: From a letter from Bonaparte, during the campaign of 1796: You count for six thousand more men in your command, and then your brave count double your real forces. "Massena was of rare courage and remarkable tenacity. His talent increased through the excess of danger. Vanquished, he was always ready to begin again, as if he had been victorious. He was a very superior man, who, by a very special privilege, possessed in the midst of the fire one of the qualities most essential to an army general: moral equilibrium, which seemed to be born to him in the midst of danger... A boldness, a look that I saw only in him. He was greedy for glory and did not suffer being defrauded of the praise he believed he had deserved.
if you watch the series of napoleon in italy you will see how great massena was. he did almost everything right.
Here an interesting thing about Marshal Macdonald in 1825 he visited Scotland for the first time to learn about his roots
"The greatest name of my military empire." Napoleon on Marshal Masséna.
Massena is a legend!
Marshal's Personality Description
Bessières: His face was agreeable, elegant, especially in the uniform of the guides of the guard, which he commanded for a long time. He had eyes à la Montmorency, which gave a great softness to his gaze. The life of Bessières is so beautiful, his memory so pure, his glory so lofty.
There is only one cry to celebrate his intrepid bravery, his unsuspected probity, his generous humanity, his charming gentleness. Attractive man, brave soldier, excellent husband and father, proud servant of a dominating master, sure friend, Bessières was all of these, and however one tries to judge him, one can only do so by listing qualities and merits.
The abandonment of the great man in the hour of reverses did not even lift a cloud over his fame, as has happened to so many others, and it seems that his glorious and premature death was a thoughtfulness of destiny, anxious to avoid him until the occasion of a weakness.
Be that as it may, the dominant feature of this superb character is kindness, that kindness which is the only excuse for the triumphant horrors of war; and if history inscribes on its bronze tablets the bellicose exploits of Marshal Bessières, It is the noblest and most enviable of all glories.
Macdonald: The great virtue which, of Macdonald's life, stands before respectful posterity, is righteousness.His character has nothing oblique about it; his conscience is unaware of the skilful transactions which make it possible to circumvent an oath without however foregoing it. A word given, according to him, no longer belongs to the giver, and one cannot dispose of it without the consent of the beneficiary. Macdonald therefore always practiced fidelity in its most honorable and lofty form.
We see him faithful to his friend Moreau, compromised by a terrible accusation; loyal to the powerful Napoleon, who holds him in disgrace; faithful to defeated Napoleon, who showered him with friendships; then the Emperor releases him from his faith, which he brings to the re-established Bourbon; and Louis XVIII, who did not return his words, found him immutably faithful in fortune as in reverse.
And, if it may be so expressed, the elevation, the loyalty, the uprightness of his feelings and his unshakable and audacious valor, in his noble and lofty gait, in his remarkably high bearing of the head, in the firmness male, and often ready to become proud, of his frank, calm and confident gaze.
Masséna: He willingly carried his opinions and the way of translating them to the extreme. This is how, having become a warm partisan of the Revolution, he for a long time shunned Bonaparte consul and Napoleon emperor. He did not restrain himself from doing so, and relied rather on victory than on diplomacy to make people forget his opposition and his witticisms; for apart from his merits, which were real, he was a happy man in the war, so much so that his soldiers had surnamed him the Cherished Child of Victory. But everything in his character was contrast and reversals: it was thus that the fierce democrat saw himself with enough pleasure changed into the Duke of Rivoli and the Prince of Essling.
Many of those who knew him, and were in a position to judge him wisely, agree to pay little heed to his probity. General de Marbot in particular, in his Memoirs, represents him as a man intoxicated with glory, in a hurry to enjoy and with scandalous greed. Even allowing for the exaggerations that may have been provoked by the jealousies and rivalries of his contemporaries, it seems certain that his conquests were not without immense profits for his purse. At least we must recognize that if he plundered his enemies, he began by vanquishing them: which after all is not his worst excuse.
Great Marshals. Im still sad about what happened to Massena.
31:25 Even marshal lannes one of the best commanders of napoleon was traumatized to how fierce the resistance was and the battles that developed in the country, marshal ney that performed well in russia would not have luck also
Other comments from Napoleon:
Bessières:
From the letter by which Napoleon announced to the Duchess of Istria the death of her husband:
Your husband died in action. The loss you suffer, you and your children, is undoubtedly great; mine is even bigger. The Duke of Istria died a most beautiful death and without suffering. He leaves a spotless reputation: it is the greatest glory he could bequeath to his children. My protection is granted to them. They will also inherit the affection I had for their father. Find in all these considerations reasons for consolation to lighten your sorrows and never doubt my feelings for you.
After signing the previous letter, the Emperor said to Baron Fain; his secretary: "I need a victory to compensate for such a misfortune. Bessières was an honest man. This word includes all praise.
Macdonald:
After Wagram, Napoleon said to Macdonald:
It's to you and to the artillery of my guard that I owe part of this day... Now it's life and death between us.
When the Duke of Taranto came to report to the Emperor on his fruitless negotiations with the Tsar in 1814, a moving scene took place.
"I am no longer rich enough," said Napoleon, "to reward your last services." I see now how I was deceived on your account; I also see the designs of those who warned me against you. But since I cannot reward you as I would like, I want at least a memory to remind you that I have not forgotten what you have done for me.
Masséna:
From a letter from Bonaparte, during the campaign of 1796:
You count for six thousand more men in your command, and then your brave count double your real forces.
"Massena was of rare courage and remarkable tenacity. His talent increased through the excess of danger. Vanquished, he was always ready to begin again, as if he had been victorious. He was a very superior man, who, by a very special privilege, possessed in the midst of the fire one of the qualities most essential to an army general: moral equilibrium, which seemed to be born to him in the midst of danger... A boldness, a look that I saw only in him. He was greedy for glory and did not suffer being defrauded of the praise he believed he had deserved.
6:43 they're not actual items. They're replicas lol. And can we expect you to watch Napoleon in Italy from the same channel?
What are the odds of getting shot in the face by Napoleon? Like they said, Napoleon was useless with a weapon lol
lol
Mais non !!!! these are copies -- the historical artifacts live in museums.