May 13, 1763 (Brive-la-Gaillarde) - August 2, 1815 (Avignon)
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- Brune, Guillaume-Marie-Anne
A printer and journalist in Paris at the start of the Revolution, a friend of Danton, Brune was adjutant-major in the 21 battalion of Seine-et Oise volunteers in October 1791. Thanks to his political support, his military career was meteoric. After a stay at Dumouriez's staff in the Northern Army, he was chief of staff of Sepher, responsible for suppressing the "federalist" revolt, and triumphed over Wimpfen at Pacy-sur-Eure. Back in the Northern Army, Brigadier General in August 1793, he was in Hondschoote. On 13-Vendémiaire, he was, with Bonaparte and Barras, responsible for repressing the royalist insurrection.
He follows Bonaparte in Italy, is in Arcole and Rivoli. General of division in November 1797, he commanded the armies of Italy and then of Helvetia before taking the head of the French forces in Batavia and driving back an Anglo-Russian army landed in Helder at the Battle of Bergen (19 September 1799). One of the main collaborators of the First Consul, Brune was a State Councilor (December 25, 1799). Bonaparte entrusts him with the year of the West to put an end to the insurrection. The Vendée and Chouan leaders agree to lay down their arms. In August 1800, rune replaced Masséna at the head of the army of Italy. He seizes Verona, Vicenza, signs the armistice of Treviso. Remaining a Republican, Brune made the First Consul uncomfortable, who sent him away by appointing him ambassador to Constantinople from 1802 to 1804.
Named Marshal of the Empire, May 19, 1804, general head of the army of the camp of Boulogne, governor of the Hanseatic towns in December 1806, commander of the observation corps of the Grande Armée, Brune continued to worry the Emperor because of his opinions. Having mentioned, in an agreement with Sweden, the French army instead of the army of His Imperial and Royal Majesty, he was disgraced and remained unemployed until 1814. It is understandable, under these conditions, that Brune rallied to the Bourbons on his return. But his sympathies always went out to the Republic and it was without hesitation that he accepted the command of the military division of Marseilles that Napoleon offered him during the Hundred Days, Brune had the tricolor flag flown over Toulon until the end of July 1815. This act of bravado caused him to be massacred by the royalists during his visit to Avignon. The name of Marshal Brune is inscribed on the Arc Triomphe de l'Étoile.