BESSIRES, JEAN-BAPTISTE, DUC (DUKE) D'ISTRIE

born Aug. 6, 1768, Prayssac, Fr. died May 1, 1813, Rippach, Saxony French soldier and, as one of Napoleon's marshals, commander of the imperial guard after 1804. His appointment as marshal signaled Napoleon's intention to develop the imperial guard. In 1792 Bessires joined Louis XVI's constitutional guard as a private. After serving in Catalonia as a captain, he was chosen to command Napoleon's escort in Italy in 1796. He fought bravely at Aboukir, Egypt, in 1798 and two years later commanded 800 men of the consular guard at the Battle of Marengo (June 14). In 1805, with 9,000 guards, he led the famous charge against the Russian guard cavalry at Austerlitz (December 2). In Spain Bessires's victory at Medina de Roseco (1808) enabled Napoleon's brother Joseph to reach Madrid and establish himself as king of Spain. Commanding the cavalry corps against Austria in 1809, Bessires led charges to cover the retreat in the Battle of Aspern-Essling (May 22) and to gain time at the Battle of Wagram (July 56), where he was severely wounded. Yet he was soon sent to end the British Walcheren expedition in Flanders. In 1809 he was created duke of Istria. Sent back to Spain in command of 50,000 men to hold the north, he was unable to bring more than a few of his cavalry to join Andr Massna for the Battle of Fuentes de Ooro (May 3, 1811). In 1812 Bessires led the guard cavalry to Russia and lost them almost without fighting. On the day before the Battle of Ltzen (May 2), he was killed in a clash at nearby Rippach while on reconnaissance.