Barthélemy Catherine Joubert
A brilliant young general hailed as a potential successor to Napoleon, cut down at the peak of his promise on an Italian battlefield.
1769–1799 (age 30)·French general·Birthday: April 14
Biography
Barthélemy Catherine Joubert's life was a comet streaking across the turbulent sky of the French Revolution. Enlisting as a private, his intellect and coolness under fire propelled him through the ranks with astonishing speed. By his mid-twenties, he was a general, commanding armies in the Alps and Italy with a strategic mind that drew comparisons to the rising star, Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon himself saw Joubert as both a protégé and a potential rival, even suggesting he could become the Republic's political leader. That potential was tragically unrealized. In 1799, at just thirty years old, Joubert was placed in command of the Army of Italy. At the Battle of Novi, while leading a desperate charge to rally his troops, he was struck by multiple bullets and died on the field, his promise left forever unfulfilled.
#1 When Barthélemy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1769
Barthélemy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1769Born
1774Started school
1782Became a teenager
1785Could drive
1787Could vote
1790Turned 21
1799Turned 30
Key Achievements
- Rapidly rose from a private soldier to a General of Division in the French Revolutionary Army by the age of 28.
- Successfully commanded French forces in several key campaigns in the Italian Peninsula against Austrian and Sardinian troops.
- Was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Italy in 1799, a testament to his high standing.
- His death at the Battle of Novi was a significant blow to French military leadership and morale.
Did You Know?
He initially studied law before abandoning his books to join the army at the outbreak of the Revolution.
Napoleon Bonaparte considered him a friend and once said Joubert was 'born to command armies.'
After his death, his body was returned to France and buried in a fort at Bourg-en-Bresse, which was later renamed Fort Joubert in his honor.
His widow later married Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult, one of Napoleon's most famous commanders.
“A soldier's duty is to advance; the Republic provides the cause.”
