Claude Louis, Comte de Saint-Germain

Claude Louis, Comte de Saint-Germain
Claude Louis de Saint Germain.

Claude Louis, Comte de Saint-Germain (1707-1778), French general, was born on the 15th of April 1707, at the Château of Vertamboz.

Educated at Jesuit schools, he intended to enter the priesthood, but at the last minute obtained from Louis XV an appointment as sub-lieutenant. He left France, according to the gossip of the time, because of a duel; served under the Elector Palatine; fought for Hungary against the Turks, and on the outbreak of the war of the Austrian Succession (1740) joined the army of the elector of Bavaria (who later became emperor under the name of Charles VII), displaying such bravery that he was promoted to the grade of lieutenant field-marshal.

He left Bavaria on the death of Charles VII, and after brief service under Frederick the Great joined Marshal Saxe in the Netherlands and was created a field-marshal of the French army. He distinguished himself especially at Lauffeld, Rocoux and Maastricht. On the outbreak of the Seven Years' War (1756) he was appointed lieutenant-general, and although he showed greater ability than any of his fellow-commanders and was admired by his soldiers, he fell a victim to court intrigues, professional jealousy and hostile criticism. He resigned his commission in 1760 and accepted an appointment as field-marshal from Frederick V of Denmark, being charged in 1762 with the reorganization of the Danish army.

On the death of Frederick in 1766 he returned to France, bought a small estate in Alsace near Lauterbach, and devoted his time to religion and farming. A financial crisis swept away the funds that he had saved from his Danish service and rendered him dependent on the bounty of the French ministry of war. Saint-Germain was presented at court by the reformers Turgot and Malesherbes, and was appointed minister of war by Louis XVI on the 25th of October 1775. He sought to lessen the number of officers and to establish order and regularity in the service. His efforts to introduce Prussian discipline in the French army brought on such opposition that he resigned in September 1777. He accepted quarters from the king and a pension of 40,000 livres, and died in his apartment at the Arsenal of Paris on the 15th of January 1778.

References

Political offices
Preceded by
Louis Nicolas Victor de Félix d'Ollières, comte du Muy
Secretary of State for War
1775-1777
Succeeded by
Alexandre Marie Léonor de Saint-Mauris de Montbarrey

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Claude-Louis, Comte De Saint-Germain — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saint Germain. Claude Louis de Saint Germain. Claude Louis Robert, co …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Claude-Louis, comte de Saint-Germain — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saint Germain. Claude Louis de Saint Germain. Claude Louis Robert, co …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Claude-louis, comte de saint-germain — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saint Germain. Claude Louis de Saint Germain. Claude Louis Robert, co …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Claude-Louis, comte de Saint-Germain — (* 15. April 1707 im Schloss von Vertamboz; † 15. Januar 1778 in Paris) war ein französischer General und Kriegsminister, der auch in außerfranzösischen Diensten war. Claude Louis de Saint Germain. Saint Germain besuchte Jesuitenschulen und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Saint-germain — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Saint Germain est le nom de nombreuses localités dans les pays francophones. Ces localités tirent leur nom de l un ou l autre des saints ayant porté ce… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Saint-Germain — may refer to:people * Saint Germain of Paris (496 576), bishop of Paris who founded Saint Germain des Prés * Germaine Cousin (1579 1601), French saint * Claude Louis, Comte de Saint Germain (1707 1778), French general * Count of St Germain (… …   Wikipedia

  • Saint-Germain — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Saint Germain est le nom de nombreuses localités dans les pays francophones. Ces localités tirent leur nom de l un ou l autre des saints ayant porté ce… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Saint-Germain, Claude-Louis, comte de — ▪ French general (count of) born April 15, 1707, Château de Vertamboz, Fr. died Jan. 15, 1778, Paris       French general who sought reforms in the French armies.       Saint Germain entered the army but left France, apparently because of a duel …   Universalium

  • Saint-Germain en Laye — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saint Germain. 48°53′50″N 2°05′30″E / …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Saint-germain-en-laye — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Saint Germain. 48°53′50″N 2°05′30″E / …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”