André Masséna
Napoleon's most gifted commander, a marshal whose instinctive genius on the battlefield was matched only by his immense appetite for loot.
1758–1817 (age 59)·French Marshal·Birthday: May 6
Biography
André Masséna rose from the ranks with a natural talent for war that even Napoleon acknowledged with the nickname 'the dear child of victory.' A former merchant sailor and sergeant, the French Revolution gave him the chance to rise, and he seized it with a ferocious intelligence. He commanded with a cool, almost predatory instinct, saving the day for Napoleon at critical junctures like the brutal victory at Rivoli in 1797. His career was a paradox: a master of defensive campaigns who was also notoriously avaricious, pillaging the territories he was meant to secure. This flaw led to his disastrous command in Portugal during the Peninsular War. Despite this fall from grace, his earlier triumphs cemented his reputation as one of the few marshals who could think and fight independently of the Emperor's direct command.
#1 When André Was Born
The biggest hits of 1758
André's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1758Born
1763Started school
1771Became a teenager
1774Could drive
1776Could vote
1779Turned 21
1788Turned 30
1798Turned 40
1808Turned 50
1817Died at 59
Key Achievements
- He commanded the Army of Italy and won a decisive victory at the Battle of Rivoli in 1797, a key campaign in Napoleon's first Italian campaign.
- He successfully defended Switzerland against a Russian army in 1799 at the Second Battle of Zurich.
- He was one of the original 18 Marshals of the Empire created by Napoleon in 1804.
- He commanded the hard-fought defense of Genoa in 1800, a siege that tied down Austrian forces and contributed to Napoleon's victory at Marengo.
Did You Know?
He was known for his extraordinary stamina, often going days without sleep during campaigns.
Napoleon reportedly said of him, 'He was the best commander I ever had, but he loved money too much.'
Before his military career, he was a smuggler and a merchant sailor.
The title 'Duke of Rivoli' was created for him by Napoleon in 1808.
“A soldier marches on his stomach, and I make sure mine is full.”
