Augustin Daniel Belliard
A steadfast cavalry commander whose loyalty to Napoleon saw him ride from the sands of Egypt to the mud of Waterloo and into a diplomatic afterlife.
1769–1832 (age 63)·French general·Birthday: March 23
Biography
Augustin Daniel Belliard commanded a cavalry corps at the Battle of Waterloo. Enlisting in the National Guard at the dawn of the French Revolution, he demonstrated a cool head and talent for command. Napoleon Bonaparte promoted him, and Belliard followed the Emperor to Egypt as a young general. Across the battlefields of Europe, he became a reliable leader of cavalry, trusted with critical reconnaissance and decisive charges. He served as chief of staff to Marshal Murat during the campaigns of 1805-1807 and governed Madrid during the Peninsular War. His fidelity survived Napoleon's first fall; he rallied to the Emperor during the Hundred Days. The Bourbon restoration sidelined him, but his experience was tapped for a diplomatic role as French ambassador to Belgium, where he served until his death in Brussels.
#1 When Augustin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1769
Augustin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1769Born
1774Started school
1782Became a teenager
1785Could drive
1787Could vote
1790Turned 21
1799Turned 30
1809Turned 40
1819Turned 50
1829Turned 60
1832Died at 63
Key Achievements
- Served as Chief of Staff to Marshal Joachim Murat during the War of the Third Coalition, including the battles of Austerlitz and Jena.
- Governed Madrid as its military commander during the French occupation in 1808.
- Commanded the III Cavalry Corps of the Army of the North at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
- Served as the French ambassador to Belgium from 1830 until his death in 1832.
Did You Know?
He was one of the first French generals to enter Cairo alongside Napoleon in 1798.
His name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (on the West pillar, column 13).
After Waterloo, he was briefly imprisoned by the returning Bourbon monarchy.
He died in Brussels and is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
“A soldier's duty is to obey, and to make his obedience useful.”
