Michel Ney

Michel Ney , 1769-1815, marshal of France. Called "the bravest of the brave" by Napoleon I, Ney, a cooper's son from Saarlouis, rapidly rose to glory in the French Revolution. He distinguished himself in the campaigns of 1794 and 1795, commanded the army of the Rhine briefly in 1799, seized Elchingen (1805), and conquered Tyrol. His assistance was decisive in Napoleon's victory at Friedland. Ney's greatest feat was his defense of the rear in the retreat from Moscow in 1812. He was created Duke of Elchingen and prince of Moskowa by Napoleon. Later, Ney was one of the generals who urged Napoleon to abdicate after Leipzig. Ney was raised (1814) to the peerage by Louis XVIII. On Napoleon's return from exile in Elba, Ney promised the king that he would stop Napoleon on his march to Paris, but instead he joined Napoleon and commanded in the Waterloo campaign . He was condemned for treason by the house of peers and shot.

Bibliography: See biography by J. T. Foster (1968).

Ney, Michel (1769–1815) French general, one of the most brilliant of Napoleon I's commanders. Ney fought in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars, notably at Friedland (1807) and in the retreat from Moscow (1812). He urged Napoleon to abdicate in 1814 and accepted the Bourbon restoration, but rejoined Napoleon during the Hundred Days and fought gallantly in the Waterloo campaign. He was subsequently executed as a traitor.

Ney, Michel, Duc d'Elchingen (1769–1815) Marshal of France. The most famous and popular of NAPOLEON's generals, he served Napoleon in the brilliant campaigns of 1794 and 1795, commanded the army of the Rhine (1799), and conquered the Tyrol. His support was decisive in Napoleon's victory at Friedland (14 June 1807). In the retreat from Moscow (1812) he commanded the defence of the grande armée against the Russians and was created Prince of Moscow by Napoleon in 1813. After the Battle of LEIPZIG he urged Napoleon to abdicate (1814). He agreed to take the oath of allegiance to the restored monarchy, but, when sent to check Napoleon's advance (1815) during the HUNDRED DAYS, he joined him instead, fighting heroically at WATERLOO, after which he was tried for treason and shot.