Bernard Pierre Magnan (7 December 1791 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

– 29 May 1865 in Paris) was a

Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

. Magnan started his career as an enlisted soldier of the 66th Line in 1809. Promoted to sergeant in 1810, the next year he entered the officers ranks and was successively promoted 2nd lieutenant, 1st lieutenant and captain. From 1810 to 1813 Magnan took part in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

. In January 1814 he was transferred to the Imperial Guard, with which he took part in the French campaign of 1814, being wounded at Craonne. On half pay during the

Bourbon Restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to: France under the House of Bourbon: * Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815) Spain under the Spanish Bourbons: * Ab ...

, he rejoined

Napoléon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led a series of mi ...

's Imperial Guard during the

Hundred Days The Hundred Days ( ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition (), marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII o ...

. After Waterloo and the Second Restoration, he transferred to the 6th regiment of the Royal Guard. In 1820 he was made a battalion commander in the 34th Line, in 1820 he became lieutenant-colonel in the 60th Line. In 1823 he took part in the Spanish campaign. Promoted to colonel of the 49th Line, he took part in the conquest of Algeria. Magnan joined general officers rank in 1835 when he was made maréchal du camp. From 1832 to 1839 Magnan served in

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

as part of a French force stationed their to saveguard the newly won Belgian independence. From 1839 to 1845 he was commander of the department du Nord. In 1845 he was promoted to général de division. In 1848 he commanded at Lyon until he was wounded during the insurrection. In July 1849 he was given command of the 4th military Division in

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

, the same year he became a deputy for the department of the Seine. In June 1851 he became commander of the army in Paris in which function he was one of the principal organizers of the coup d'État of 2 December 1851. The next year

Napoléon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

made him a senator and granted him the title of Marshal of France.

Honours

* : Baton of

Maréchal de France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) and for a period ...

* : Grand Croix of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

* :

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

* :

Saint Helena Medal The Saint Helena Medal () was the first French campaign medal. It was established in 1857 by a decree of emperor Napoleon III to recognise participation in the campaigns led by emperor Napoleon I. Emperor Napoléon I, creator of the Order of ...

* : Knight of the

Order of Saint Louis The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis () is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, notable as the fi ...

* : Grand Croix of the

Order of the Zähringer Lion The Order of the Zähringer Lion was instituted on 26 December 1812 by Karl, Grand Duke of Baden, in memory of the Dukes of Zähringen from whom he was descended. Classes It had five classes: *Grand Cross *Commander, First Class *Commander, ...

* : Commander of the Order of Leopold * : Grand Croix of the Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand * : Commander of the Order of Christ * : Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold * : Grand Croix of the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus () (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the world, tracing its lineage to AD 1098, a ...

* : Grand Cordon of the

Order of Glory The Order of Glory () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on November 8, 1943. It was awarded to soldiers and non-commissioned officers of the Red Army as well as to aviation ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnan, Bernard Pierre 1791 births 1865 deaths Military governors of Paris Marshals of France Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour French military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Military personnel from Paris French Freemasons Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis