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57-630: Guillaume Marie-Anne Brune, 1st Count Brune ( French pronunciation: [ɡijom maʁi an bʁyn] , 13 March 1764 – 2 August 1815) was a French military commander, Marshal of the Empire , and political figure who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars . Brune was born in Brives (now called Brive-la-Gaillarde) in the province of Limousin , the son of Étienne Brune,

114-503: A Marshal. Each Marshal held his own coat of arms, was entitled to special honours and several of them held top functions within the army. They wore distinctive uniforms and were entitled to carry a baton , which was a symbol of their authority. Throughout his reign from 1804 to 1815, Napoleon appointed a total of 26 Marshals, although their number never exceeded 20 at any one moment. The initial list of 1804 included 14 names of active generals and four names of retired generals, who were given

171-599: A command of troops fighting in War of the Fourth Coalition and occupied Swedish Pomerania , taking Stralsund and the Island of Rugen. Despite these victories, his staunch republicanism and a meeting with Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden raised Napoleon's suspicions. These suspicions were only made worse by Brune, who refused to talk to Napoleon about the matter, claiming simply that "It's a lie". Brune made his biggest blunder while drafting

228-533: A few received financial endowments from the Emperor, with two of them – Louis-Alexandre Berthier and André Masséna – receiving more than one million Francs each. Two Marshals – Joachim Murat and Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte – went on to become kings, with the latter being the direct ancestor of the current Swedish royal family . Most of the Marshals held significant commands during the Napoleonic Wars , winning some of

285-456: A fisherman and buried by local farmers, and was later recovered by his wife Angélique Nicole to be buried in the cemetery of Saint-Just-Sauvage . An inquiry compelled by his widow later made public that Brune's murder had been covered up by the royal authorities, and revealed that the mob responsible was led by baseless allegations that Brune was the one parading the Princess of Lamballes ' head on

342-696: A lawyer, and Jeanne Vielbains. He moved to Paris in 1785, studied law, and became a political journalist. He embraced the ideas of the French Revolution , and soon after its outbreak enlisted in the Parisian National Guard and joined the Cordeliers , eventually becoming a friend of Georges Danton . Brune fought in Bordeaux during the Federalist revolts , and at Hondschoote and Fleurus . In 1793, Brune

399-602: A pike around Paris during the September Massacres . In 1839, one year after Angélique's death, a monument to Marshal Brune was erected in his hometown of Brives. In 1793, Brune married Angélique Nicole Pierre, from Arpajon . They had no issue but adopted two daughters. Marshal of the Empire Marshal of the Empire ( French : Maréchal d'Empire ) was a civil dignity during the First French Empire . It

456-638: A purely civil dignity reserved to distinguished generals and not a military rank, a Marshal displayed four stars, while the top military rank of the time, the General of Division displayed three. Contrary to a well-established idea and to the representation on most paintings of the time, the Marshal's four stars were silvered, not gilded. A Marshal was required to wear a standard uniform, which was established through decree on 18 July 1804 and designed by painter Jean-Baptiste Isabey and designer Charles Percier . Nevertheless,

513-458: A result of battle wounds. During his five years as a Marshal of the Empire (1809–1814), Nicolas-Charles Oudinot received seven of a total of 34 battle wounds suffered throughout his career, but went on to live to the then venerable age of 81. Often formidable when serving under the direct command of Napoleon, the Marshals proved to be less effective when having to cooperate in the Emperor's absence. Some repeatedly acted in bad faith when placed under

570-523: A single person, but three decades after Bouvines, Louis IX of France set sail for the 1248 Crusade with two Marshals. As early as the 15th century, the Marshals no longer cared for the King's horses and stables, and were simply military leaders, a role that they would retain through to modern times. Although the position remained highly prestigious, their number grew throughout the centuries, with Louis XIV naming as many as 51 Marshals during his 72-year reign. In

627-458: A stable supervisor who took care of the king's horses. With the growing importance of the battle horse during the early Middle Age , the role came to acquire some prestige and began to be known as Marshal of France . Albéric Clément , who led King Philippe-Auguste 's vanguard during the victory over the English at Bouvines in 1214, was the first recorded incumbent. At first, the role was granted to

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684-523: A treaty between France and Sweden when he wrote "the French army" instead of "His Imperial Majesty's Army". Whether an intentional insult or act of incompetence, Napoleon was infuriated and Brune was removed from duty. He then spent the next years at his country estate in disgrace and was not re-employed until 1815. After Napoleon's abdication, Brune was awarded the Cross of Saint Louis by Louis XVIII , but rallied to

741-629: A young general, possibly bitter that he had not been nominated also observed that: "If Bessières is a Marshal, then anyone can be." Ironically, Marmont himself was made a Marshal of the Empire in 1809, though it was said he was awarded the distinction for his close friendship with Napoleon as opposed to any great generalship. Battle of Arcole , Battle of Rivoli , French invasion of Switzerland , Cisalpine Coup , Battle of Castricum , Battle of Monzambanno , Battle of Pollozzo , Siege of Stralsund , Hundred Days Chief of Rivoli Peer of France Peer of France Peer of France ( Bas-Rhin ), Staff of

798-712: Is famous for being the site of Napoleon 's first exile, from 1814 to 1815. Elba is the largest remaining stretch of land from the ancient tract that once connected the Italian peninsula to Corsica. The northern coast faces the Ligurian Sea, the eastern coast the Piombino Channel, the southern coast the Tyrrhenian Sea, and the Corsica Channel divides the western tip of the island from neighbouring Corsica. The island itself

855-547: Is made up of slices of rocks which once formed part of the ancient Tethyan seafloor. These rocks have been through at least two orogenies , the Alpine orogeny and the Apennine orogeny . The second of these two events was associated with subduction of the Tethyan oceanic crust underneath Italy and the obduction of parts of the ancient seafloor onto the continents. Later extension within

912-449: Is where the major centres can be found: Portoferraio, Campo nell'Elba. To the east is the oldest part of the island, formed over 3 million years ago. In the hilly area, dominated by Monte Calamita, are the deposits of iron that made Elba famous. Rivers rarely exceed 3 km (2 mi) in length, and it is common for the shorter ones to dry up during the summer. The largest rivers, sorted by length, are: Between Poggio and Marciana, at

969-621: The Congress of Vienna , Elba was given to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany . In 1860, it became part of the new unified Kingdom of Italy . During the Second World War , the island was liberated from German occupation by the French 1 Corps d'Armée supported by British forces including Royal Naval Commandos on 17 June 1944, in Opération Brassard . Faulty intelligence and strong defences made

1026-456: The Latin word for Elba. More recently, high-angle faults formed within the tectonic pile, allowing for the migration of iron -rich fluids through the crust. The deposits left behind by these fluids formed the island's rich seams of iron ore . The terrain is quite varied and is thus divided into several areas based on geomorphology . The mountainous and most recent part of the island can be found to

1083-629: The Peace of Luneville gave Elba to the Kingdom of Etruria , and it was transferred to France in 1802 by the Peace of Amiens . The French Emperor Napoleon was exiled to Elba , after his forced abdication following the Treaty of Fontainebleau , and conveyed to the island on HMS Undaunted by Captain Thomas Ussher ; he arrived at Portoferraio on 4 May 1814. He was allowed to keep a personal guard of 400 men and

1140-670: The Romans , who called the island Ilva. In the early medieval period , Elba was invaded by the Ostrogoths and the Lombards , and later it became a possession of the Republic of Pisa . After the battle of Meloria , the Republic of Genoa took possession of Elba, but it was regained by Pisa in 1292. The island was retained for two centuries by the Appiani family , Lords of Piombino , when they sold Pisa to

1197-512: The Waterloo Campaign Peer of France Peer of France Elba The island is part of the province of Livorno and is divided into seven municipalities, with a total population of about 30,000 inhabitants which increases considerably during the summer. The municipalities are Portoferraio (which is also the island's principal town), Campo nell'Elba , Capoliveri , Marciana , Marciana Marina , Porto Azzurro , and Rio . It

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1254-566: The house of Visconti of Milan in 1399. In 1544, the Barbary pirates from North Africa devastated Elba and the coasts of Tuscany. In 1546, part of the island was handed over to Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany , who fortified Portoferraio and renamed it "Cosmopoli", while the rest of the island was returned to the Appiani in 1577. In 1596, Philip II of Spain captured Porto Longone and had two fortresses built there. This part of Elba came into

1311-579: The "honorary" title of Marshal. Six other promotions ensued, with eight other generals elevated to the Marshalate. The title often ensured a highly privileged social status – four Marshals were created Counts of the Empire and 17 received either the title of Duke or Prince . With two exceptions – Jean-Baptiste Bessières and Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier – the Marshals led a sumptuous lifestyle and left behind significant, at times immense, fortunes. Several of them received significant annuities; in addition,

1368-748: The Anglo-Russian forces were defeated in the Battle of Castricum , and compelled, after a harsh retreat, to re-embark. He rendered further good service in Vendée and in the Italian Peninsula from 1799 to 1801, winning the 1800 Battle of Pozzolo . In 1802, Napoleon dispatched Brune to Constantinople as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire . During his two-year diplomatic service, he initiated relations between France and Persia . Following his coronation as Emperor of

1425-822: The Army of Moselle, Adjutant General Brigade Chief, Active in the Army of the Rhine , Brigadier General, Deputy and Command of the Right wing in the Army of Italy, Defense of Genoa, Colonel General of Consular Guard , Governor General of Camp Boulogne , Corp in Austria , and Prussia , II Corp in Spain , Chief of Forces in Spain, IV Corps (1813), Command of French Forces at the Pyrenees Frontier , Chief of Staff for

1482-566: The Empire and coincided with the proclamation of the First French Empire and was used as an opportunity for the new Emperor to strengthen the new regime. The list included 14 names of generals who had served in the armies of the Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars: seven of them were generals who had served directly under Napoleon during his campaigns in Italy and Egypt. Moreover, he

1539-696: The French in 1804, Napoleon made Brune a Marshal of the Empire ( Maréchal d'Empire ) while he was still in Constantinople. During the campaigns against Austria during the War of the Third Coalition , Marshal Brune commanded the army in Boulogne from 1805 to 1807 overseeing drilling and keeping a watchful eye on the British. In 1807 Brune was appointed Governor General for the Hanseatic Ports and in 1808, Brune held

1596-476: The Marshals often chose to wear either variants of the official uniform or costumes of totally different design. The ultimate distinctive sign of a Marshal was his baton. It was cylindrical, 50 centimetres long and 4 centimetres and a half in diameter, made of wood and covered in dark blue velvet, decorated with golden eagles or honey bees, both Imperial symbols. The creation of the new civil dignity allowed Napoleon to strengthen his newly created regime by rewarding

1653-454: The battle more difficult than expected. In 1954, BOAC Flight 781 crashed in the waters off the coast of Elba. In recent decades, thanks to its rich cultural heritage, cuisine and nature, the island has become an important international tourist destination. The island is connected to the mainland via the four ferry companies, Toremar , Moby Lines , Blunavy and Sardinia Ferries , all offering routes between Piombino and Portoferraio,

1710-486: The capital located in the north, Cavo , Rio Marina and Porto Azzurro, on the east coast of the island. There is an airport on the island, Marina di Campo Airport . It is served by Silver Air with flights to the Italian mainland. The island has a network of trails for road racers looking for more technical routes for their training, trails and dirt roads for bikers to have fun on, and accessible routes for families with children who need safe and relaxing routes. On

1767-603: The command of another Marshal, with conflicts sometimes leading to fatal military consequences. After Napoleon's downfall, most of them swore allegiance to the Bourbon Restoration and several went on to hold significant commands and positions. The most active Marshal's in the Napoleonic war, Napoleon Campaign: The French word Maréchal traces its origins back to the Carolingians , from the ancient German word marascahl ,

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1824-635: The direct power of Spain through the State of the Presidi , including Porto Longone . In 1736, the sovereignty of this part of Elba was claimed by the Kingdom of Naples but remained abandoned. The British landed on the island of Elba in 1796, after the occupation of Livorno by the French Republican troops, to protect the 4,000 French royalists who had found asylum in Portoferraio two years earlier. In 1801,

1881-728: The emperor's cause after his escape from exile in Elba . Leaving behind their past quarrels, Napoleon appointed Brune commander of the Army of the Var during the Hundred Days . Here he defended Southern France against the forces of the Austrian Empire and Kingdom of Sardinia , with the addition of the British Mediterranean Fleet and local Royalist guerrillas. Brune, while he held Liguria , slowly began to retreat, holding Toulon. Brune kept

1938-411: The following names, in an order which to this day remains unclear: Four additional names were mentioned on the list: these were former senior generals who had held commands of armies and had been elected senators of the Republic. Their status was honorary due to their age and they weren't set to be given field commands. Three new marshals were created in the aftermath of the Battle of Wagram . Among

1995-421: The foot of Mount Capanne, is a spring called Fonte Napoleone, known for its quality. The climate of the island is predominantly Mediterranean, except for Mount Capanne, where winters tend to be moderately cold. Precipitation is concentrated in autumn and comprises a normal rainfall. The island lies in the rain shadow of the large and mountainous island of Corsica, so precipitation totals are somewhat reduced from

2052-470: The fumes of the metal producing furnaces. Apollonius of Rhodes mentions it in his epic poem Argonautica , describing that the Argonauts rested here during their travels. He writes that signs of their visit were still visible in his day, including skin-coloured pebbles that they dried their hands on and large stones which they used at discus. Strabo (5.2.6) presents a slightly different account: "because

2109-735: The grand officers of the Empire, among which the highest-standing were the Marshals. In the Imperial court hierarchy, they came in the fifth rank, behind the Emperor and Empress, the Imperial family, the great dignitaries and the ministers. They were entitled to a special etiquette: whenever the Emperor would write to them, he would call them Mon Cousin ("Cousin"), when a third party would write to them, they would be called Monsieur le Maréchal ; and when spoken to, they would be called Monseigneur ("My Liege"). They were greeted with 13 cannon shots when at their headquarters and 11 when away. They were also entitled to their own personal coat of arms . Although

2166-511: The mainland (most of the island receives less than 750 mm (30 inches) annually). Snowfall in winter is rare in the lowlands and melts quickly. The table below shows the average temperatures for the islands by month. The island was originally inhabited by Ligures Ilvates and was called Ilva (Ἰλούα). It was well known from very ancient times for its iron resources and valued mines. The Greeks also called it Aethalia (Αἰθαλία or Αἰθάλεια) and Aethale (Αἰθάλη) from "smoky" (αἰθάλη), after

2223-423: The men who were offered the Marshalate, there was a mix of famous generals, who had commanded the armies of the Republic (Brune, Jourdan, Kellermann, Lefebvre, Masséna, Moncey), as well as more junior generals, whose command never exceeded division-sized forces (Mortier, Ney, Soult). It even included relatively obscure generals from Napoleon's Italian or Egyptian expeditions, who had recently secured their promotion to

2280-598: The mobs in Marseille and Provence under control. On 22 July 1815, after hearing of the defeat at Waterloo , Brune surrendered Toulon to the British. Fearing the Royalist mobs in Provence and aware of their hatred towards him, Brune asked Admiral Edward Pellew to sail him to Italy, but the request was rudely denied, with Pellew calling him "the prince of scamps" and a "blackguard". Brune then decided to travel to Paris over land with

2337-485: The most brilliant victories of the entire Napoleonic Wars. Three of them – Jean Lannes , Louis-Nicolas Davout and Louis-Gabriel Suchet were virtually never defeated in pitched battle, despite fighting in dozens of engagements. While they were not normally expected to lead from the front, they often exposed themselves to great dangers on the battlefields of Europe; three Marshals – Jean Lannes, Jean-Baptiste Bessières and Józef Poniatowski – were killed in action or died as

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2394-451: The most valuable of the generals who had served under his command during his campaigns in Italy and Egypt or soldiers who had held significant commands during the French Revolutionary Wars . Subsequently, other senior generals were promoted on six occasions, mainly following major battlefield victories. With hindsight, Napoleon's choices for the Marshalate were not always well inspired. The first promotion created eighteen new Marshals of

2451-413: The new Imperial regime. Overall, the first promotion included 14 names of generals. An initial list was drafted by State Secretary Henri Jacques Guillaume Clarke and later altered by the Emperor. Napoleon added in his own handwriting Murat 's name, which was conspicuously absent from Clarke's draft. This was possibly an omission, but there seems to be no evidence to that effect. The final list included

2508-567: The promise of Royalist protection, although none was provided. He managed to arrive safely with two aides-de-camp in Avignon, but was there shot and killed by an angry Royalist mob after being chased into a hotel, as a victim of the Second White Terror . The new Bourbon government soon fabricated the story that Brune had committed suicide. His body, thrown into the River Rhone , was retrieved by

2565-418: The road from Rio nell'Elba going to Porto Azzurro is the "Fonte di Coppi". Towards the end of his career, Fausto Coppi , the "campionissimo", came here to train on the roads of Elba. He still retained a celebrity status but was no longer at the peak of his career that ended with his death a few years later. The plaque on the fountain reads: "1960–2010, here the champion quenched his thirst, after fifty years on

2622-664: The run". The Elba football team represents the island. They were approved as a ConIFA member at the Annual General Meeting 2020. It is not affiliated with FIFA or UEFA , and therefore cannot compete for the FIFA World Cup or in the UEFA European Championship . It is, however, affiliated to ConIFA , and play in the ConIFA European Football Cup . Elba Island played their first game as

2679-572: The same road, leading to confusion among the army of Italy. He was subsequently removed from command. Brune commanded the French army that occupied Switzerland in 1798 and established the Helvetic Republic . In the following year, he was in command of the French troops in defence of Amsterdam against the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland under the Duke of York , in which he was completely successful –

2736-559: The scrapings, which the Argonauts formed when they used their strigils , became congealed, the pebbles on the shore remain variegated still to this day." The port which is now called Porto Ferraio, was known in ancient times as the portus Argous (Ἀργῶος λιμήν), because it was believed that the Argonauts landed there on their return voyage. The island was then settled by the Etruscans , who started mining iron at Elba, and later (after 480 BC) by

2793-426: The stretched inner part of the Apennine Mountains caused adiabatic melting and the intrusion of the Mount Capanne and the La Serra-Porto Azzuro granitoids. These igneous bodies brought with them skarn fluids which dissolved and replaced some of the carbonate units, precipitating iron -rich minerals in their place. One of the iron -rich minerals, ilvaite , was first identified on the island and takes its name from

2850-414: The title according to his own wishes and convictions and made at least a few controversial choices. Although not a military rank, a Marshal displayed four silver stars, while the top military rank, General of Division , displayed three stars. Furthermore, the Marshalate quickly became the prestigious sign of the supreme military attainment and it became customary that the most significant commands be given to

2907-421: The top military rank of General of Division, but had never held significant commands (Bessières, Davout, Lannes). Unsurprisingly, this created a certain degree of discontentment among the more senior commanders. André Masséna was noted for his sardonic remark, "There's fourteen of us..." , which he muttered when his friends came to congratulate him for his nomination. Auguste Frédéric Louis Viesse de Marmont , then

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2964-438: The west, the centre of which is dominated by Mount Capanne (at a height of 1,018 metres, or 3,340 feet), also called the "roof of the Tuscan Archipelago". The mountain is home to many animal species including the mouflon and wild boar , two species that flourish despite the continuous influx of tourists. The central part of the island is a mostly flat section with the width being reduced to just four kilometres (2.5 mi). It

3021-414: The years leading to the French Revolution , there were constantly 15–16 Marshals, but a law of 4 March 1791 reduced their number to six and a decree of 21 February 1793 abolished the dignity altogether. Eleven years later, Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor of the French and wanted to institute a military elite for the new French Empire . Article 48 of Title of the 19 May 1804 sénatus-consulte set up

3078-549: Was also careful to reward several general officers who had acquired considerable fame and political influence while commanding the armies of the Republic, as well as several highly-promising generals who had held significant divisional commands in the Army of the Rhine . The latter were well known for their largely Republican sentiments and had never served under Napoleon's command. By rewarding them for their military accomplishments, Napoleon sought to gain their loyalty and make sure that they would be supporters, rather than opponents of

3135-510: Was appointed brigadier general and took part in the fighting of the 13 Vendémiaire (5 October 1795) against royalist insurgents in Paris. In 1796, he served under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Italian campaign , and was promoted to général de division allegedly so as to avoid Napoleon having to concede the post to Bernadotte , who was at this time a political rival to Napoleon. Brune was noted as having been particularly incompetent; one anecdote has him attempting to march three divisions down

3192-456: Was established by Sénatus-consulte / Napoléon Bonaparte on 18 May 1804 and to a large extent reinstated the formerly abolished title of Marshal of France . According to the Sénatus-consulte , a Marshal was a grand officer of the Empire, entitled to a high-standing position at the court and to the presidency of an electoral college . Although in theory reserved "to the most distinguished generals", in practice Emperor Napoleon I granted

3249-441: Was nominally sovereign of Elba , a step down from Emperor of the French. However, the nearby sea was patrolled by the French and British navies to ensure he could not escape. During the months that he stayed on the island, Napoleon carried out a series of economic and social reforms to improve the quality of life. After staying for almost ten months, he managed to escape back to France on 26 February 1815 with about 1,000 men. At

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