Jean-Antoine Marbot ( , ; 7 December 1754 – 19 April 1800), also known to contemporaries as Antoine Marbot, was a French
general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
and
politician
A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...
. He belongs to a family that has distinguished itself particularly in the career of arms, giving three generals to
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in less than 50 years.
Biography
Ancien Régime
Jean-Antoine Marbot was born into a family of military nobility in
Altillac, in the ancient province of
Quercy
Quercy (; , locally ) is a former province of France located in the country's southwest, bounded on the north by Limousin, on the west by Périgord and Agenais, on the south by Gascony and Languedoc, and on the east by Rouergue and Auverg ...
in southwestern France.
His career began in the
Military household of the king of France in
Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of ÃŽle-de-France, ÃŽle-de-France region in Franc ...
, where he joined the cavalry unit of the royal
''Gardes du Corps'' of King
Louis XV
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...
, with the rank of
second lieutenant. In 1781 he was promoted to the rank of
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of the dragoons and became ''
aide-de-camp'' to ''Lieutenant-Général'' de Schomberg, inspector general of the
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
, in 1782.
Legislative Assembly
Following of the ideas of
Enlightenment
Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to:
Age of Enlightenment
* Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...
, he retired from military service at the beginning of the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
and returned to his properties in
Altillac. He was elected administrator of the department of
Corrèze
Corrèze (; ) is a département in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on the bo ...
in 1790 and then deputy of this department to the
Legislative Assembly on 3 September 1791 with 206 votes out of 361, where he sat in the majority.
On 5 April 1792, he presented a report on the finances of the state in front of the assembly, and proposed a national loan plan, the purpose of which was to reduce the number of ''
assignat
An assignat () was a monetary instrument, an order to pay, used during the time of the French Revolution, and the French Revolutionary Wars.
France
Assignats were paper money (fiat currency) authorized by the Constituent Assembly in France f ...
s'' in circulation to 12 million, so that acquirers of national property would have to pay in metallic values.
War of the Pyrenées

He reentered military service during the
War of the Pyrenées against
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
with the rank of
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of the mountain chasseurs. On 30 August 1793, he was promoted to the rank of
brigadier general and fought with the
Army of the Eastern Pyrenées, distinguishing himself during the capture of
Spanish Cerdanya under the orders of General
Dagobert de Fontenille. He then joined the
Army of the Western Pyrenées from 1794 to 1795, where he was promoted to the rank of
divisional general
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
. He won numerous victories against the enemy forces, particularly on 12 August 1794 at
Sainte-Engrâce and
Olloqui, on 4 September 1794 at
Lescun
Lescun () is a village and a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.
It is at an elevation of approximately in a grand cirque.
Lescun is situated on the GR 10 long-distance footpath traversing the Pyrenees ...
, on 24–25 November 1794 at
Orthez
Orthez (; ; , ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sai ...
, and on 12 May 1796 during the attack on enemy positions between Glossua and
Elgoibar, where he made many prisoners.
On 9 June 1795 he was dismissed for political motives by ''
représentants en mission'', special envoys of the
National Convention
The National Convention () was the constituent assembly of the Kingdom of France for one day and the French First Republic for its first three years during the French Revolution, following the two-year National Constituent Assembly and the ...
, before being definitively reinstated on 13 June of the same year.
Council of Ancients

On 15 October 1795, he was elected Deputy of
Corrèze
Corrèze (; ) is a département in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on the bo ...
to the
Council of Ancients
The Council of Ancients or Council of Elders () was a house of the French bicameral legislature under the Constitution of the Year III, during the period commonly known as the Directory (French: ''Directoire''), from 22 August 1795 until 9 Nov ...
, the upper house of French legislature during the
French First Republic
In the history of France, the First Republic (), sometimes referred to in historiography as Revolutionary France, and officially the French Republic (), was founded on 21 September 1792 during the French Revolution. The First Republic lasted un ...
, with 121 votes out of 236.
He became opposed to the ''
Club de Clichy
The Clichy Club () was a Political faction, political group active during the French Revolution from 1794 to 1797.
History
During the French Revolution, the Clichy Club formed in 1794 following the fall of Maximilien Robespierre, 9 Thermidor an ...
'', which he accused of conspiring against the interest of the Republic and he subsequently approved the
coup of 18 Fructidor
The Coup of 18 Fructidor, Year V (4 September 1797 in the French Republican Calendar), was a seizure of power in France by members of the French Directory, Directory, then forming the government of the First French Republic, with support from th ...
(4 September 1797), led by Generals
Napoleon Bonaparte
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 Military career ...
and
Pierre Augereau
Charles Pierre François Augereau, duc de Castiglione (; 21 October 1757 – 12 June 1816) was a French military commander and a Marshal of the Empire who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. After serving in the ...
, the latter having been his ''protégé'' during the War of the Pyrenées.
On 6 September 1797, he was elected
president of the Council of Ancients. On 11 January 1798, he passed a proposal aiming to contain the uprising that was being ignited by ''
émigrés'' in the county of
Avignon
Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...
, in the south of France. Re-elected president of the Council of Ancients on 19 June 1798, he delivered a commemorative speech during the celebrations of the
14th of July, and favoured decisive actions against the
coalition powers at war with France. On 18 April 1799, he supported a bill for the conscription of two hundred thousand men for the army, opposing the system adopted by the Minister of the Interior,
François de Neufchâteau.
Military governor of Paris
He was appointed
military governor of Paris by the Minister of War, General
Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte
Charles XIV John (; 26 January 1763 – 8 March 1844) was King of Sweden and King of Norway, Norway from 1818 until his death in 1844 and the first monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty. In Norway, he is known as Charles III John () and before he be ...
on 5 July 1799, replacing General
Barthélemy Joubert at the head of the 17th Military Division stationed 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 ...
.
After General
Napoleon Bonaparte
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 Military career ...
's return from the
Egyptian campaign, he opposed the planned ''
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup
, is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...
'', which was to overthrow the government of the
Directory and replace it with a more autocratic
Consulate
A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a ...
. Its authors, led by Director
Emmanuel Sieyès
Immanuel or Emmanuel (, "God swith us"; Koine Greek: ) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the House of David.
The Gospel of Matthew ( Matthew 1:22 –23) interprets this as a prophecy of ...
, and eventually joined by General Bonaparte, knew that they needed the support of the armed forces in Paris to pursue their scheme. Fearing its current commander's attachment to
republican ideals, they offered him a new position in the leadership of the
Army of Italy, which he accepted. After his resignation, the more favourable General
François Lefebvre succeeded him as military governor of Paris.
Italian campaign
Shortly before the
coup of 18 Brumaire
The Coup of 18 Brumaire () brought Napoleon Bonaparte to power as First Consul of the French First Republic. In the view of most historians, it ended the French Revolution and would soon lead to the coronation of Napoleon as Emperor of the Fr ...
(9 November 1799), he was sent as
divisional general
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...
to the
Army of Italy, which was then under the command of General
Jean-Étienne Championnet. After his death, he obtained the command of the Army of Italy until the arrival of General
André Masséna
André Masséna, prince d'Essling, duc de Rivoli (; born Andrea Massena; 6 May 1758 – 4 April 1817), was a French military commander of the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original eighteen Marshal of the ...
.
He commanded one of the divisions of the French forces fighting in
Liguria
Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
, and was stationed in the city of
Savona
Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
. The heights of the city were the subject of numerous battles, especially on 6 and 13 April 1800, as the
Austrian troops were trying to make their way to the city of
Genoa
Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
. He soon fell ill and had to be transported to Genoa to receive medical treatment. He died on 19 April 1800, during the Austrian
siege of Genoa as a result of his wounds and of typhus. He was accompanied by his son, then Second-lieutenant and later General
Marcellin Marbot, who also took part in the siege and described his father's last moments in his famous Memoirs.
Family
On 3 October 1776, he married Marie-Louise Certain du Puy (1756–1826),
with whom he had four sons:
*
Antoine Adolphe Marcelin, known as Adolphe (1781–1844): ''
maréchal de camp
''Maréchal de camp'' (sometimes incorrectly translated as field marshal) was a general officer rank used by the French Army until 1848.
The rank originated from the older rank of sergeant major general ( French: ''sergent-major général'') ...
'' (brigadier general) during the
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...
.
*
Jean-Baptiste Antoine Marcelin, known as Marcellin (1782–1854): ''
lieutenant-général'' (divisional general) during the
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...
, famous for his Memoirs depicting the
Napoleonic age of warfare.
[Archives nationales (]French Ministry of Culture
The Ministry of Culture () is the ministry (government department), ministry of the Government of France in charge of List of museums in France, national museums and the . Its goal is to maintain the French identity through the promotion and pro ...
).
* Jean François Théodore Xavier, known as Théodore (1785–1803): Died at the ''
Prytanée national militaire'' from a hydrocution.
* Jean Jacques Édouard Félix, known as Félix (1787–1805): Died at the
''École Spéciale Impériale Militaire'' from a septic infection after a duel.
His wife was related to
François Certain de Canrobert,
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) ...
during the
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire, officially the French Empire, was the government of France from 1852 to 1870. It was established on 2 December 1852 by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, president of France under the French Second Republic, who proclaimed hi ...
.
Tribute

General Jean-Antoine Marbot is among the
660 personalities to whom Emperor
Napoleon
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 Military career ...
paid tribute for fighting and dying for France during the
Napoleonic Wars
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
.
His name is inscribed on the
western pillar, 34th column of the ''
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, often called simply the Arc de Triomphe, is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Plac ...
'' 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 ...
.
See also
*
French generals of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
*
Generals of the ''Armée des Pyrénées occidentales''
*
Commanders of the ''Armée d'Italie''
*
Presidents of the Council of Ancients
*
Presidents of the Senate of France
*
Marbot family
*
Military governors of Paris
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
*
Names inscribed on the ''Arc de Triomphe'' in Paris
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
Citations
External links
List of Ministers and Presidents of French Assemblies from 1700 to 1870
, -
, -
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marbot, Jean-Antoine
1754 births
1800 deaths
Jean-Antoine
French generals
Cavalry commanders
Presidents of the Senate (France)
Military governors of Paris
Members of the Legislative Assembly (France)
Members of the Council of Ancients
Names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe
Senators of Corrèze
French Republican military leaders of the French Revolutionary Wars
18th-century French politicians
French commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
Politicians from Nouvelle-Aquitaine
18th-century French military personnel
Deaths from typhus
18th-century French people
People of the War of the First Coalition