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France- The Changes made in 'Honours'
Greetings all,
My surfing the web takes me back and forth, but this time I am amused by the [translated] commentary below found on site:
{Quote}
Marshals
The title of Marshal was a civilian honour, not a military one. Marshals occupied the fifth position in the imperial hierarchy behind the Emperor and the Empress, the imperial family, Grand Dignitaries and ministers.
Theoretically, the number of Marshals should not exceed sixteen at any one time. The rule was systematically enforced. Lannes died in 1809. Berthier, Murat and Jourdan abandoned their title in the same year and were followed one year later by Bernadotte. Bessières and Poniatowski disappeared in 1813.
I've never before read of anyone abandoning an honour, especially the 'Marshal' title.
I can only presume that an increased 'rank' in honours was to supercede the necessity of it?
*Jourdan- Was the latter due to the defeat of Talavera? Or that he served then under the de facto 'Spanish' King Joseph? Either way so as not to outrank 'French' army Marshals?
*Like Grouchy a hugely experienced officer and worthy of the rank, if not as enthusiastic as others. A scapegoat again led by the other French Marshals who harangued like dogs against him. The Peninsular did incalculable damage to the French and Napoleon personally, not at all aided by the infighting and 'dividing' of sentiments among them
regards
davew
My surfing the web takes me back and forth, but this time I am amused by the [translated] commentary below found on site:
{Quote}
Marshals
The title of Marshal was a civilian honour, not a military one. Marshals occupied the fifth position in the imperial hierarchy behind the Emperor and the Empress, the imperial family, Grand Dignitaries and ministers.
Theoretically, the number of Marshals should not exceed sixteen at any one time. The rule was systematically enforced. Lannes died in 1809. Berthier, Murat and Jourdan abandoned their title in the same year and were followed one year later by Bernadotte. Bessières and Poniatowski disappeared in 1813.
I've never before read of anyone abandoning an honour, especially the 'Marshal' title.
I can only presume that an increased 'rank' in honours was to supercede the necessity of it?
*Jourdan- Was the latter due to the defeat of Talavera? Or that he served then under the de facto 'Spanish' King Joseph? Either way so as not to outrank 'French' army Marshals?
*Like Grouchy a hugely experienced officer and worthy of the rank, if not as enthusiastic as others. A scapegoat again led by the other French Marshals who harangued like dogs against him. The Peninsular did incalculable damage to the French and Napoleon personally, not at all aided by the infighting and 'dividing' of sentiments among them
regards
davew