MASSNA, ANDR, DUKE (DUC) DE RIVOLI, PRINCE D'ESSLING

born May 6, 1758, Nice, France died April 4, 1817, Paris leading French general of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Orphaned at an early age, Massna enlisted in the Royal Italian regiment in the French service in 1775. At the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, he was a sergeant at Antibes. He soon became a captain in the Revolutionary government's army of Italy at Nice, and in December 1793 he was made general of a division. During the next two years in campaigns against the Austrians in Italy, Massna displayed a genius for maneuvering his forces over difficult terrain. Becoming Napoleon's most trusted lieutenant during the Italian campaign of 179697, he won the Battle of Rivoli (Jan. 14, 1797), a key victory in the successful drive against Mantua. After Rome fell to the French in February 1798, Massna was sent as an assistant to the French commander there; a week after his arrival, his troops mutinied and forced his recall. Nevertheless, in March 1799 he was made commander of the French army in Switzerland. He defeated a large Russian army in the Second Battle of Zrich on September 25 and then prevented another Russian army from advancing into Italy. These victories saved France from the immediate threat of invasion. Shortly after Napoleon came to power in the coup d'etat of 18 Brumaire (Nov. 9, 1799), Massna was sent to command the badly demoralized army of Italy. He restored his troops' fighting spirit, and, by holding out against Austrian besiegers at Genoa from April 21 to June 4, he enabled Napoleon to maneuver into position behind the enemy and win the Battle of Marengo (June 14), forcing the Austrians to evacuate most of northern Italy. Although he was made a marshal in 1804, Massna had little respect for Napoleon's imperial regime. He reconquered Calabria from the British in 1806 and in 1808 was made duc de Rivoli. In 1809 he displayed stunning heroism in two important battles against the Austriansat Aspern-Essling (near Vienna) on May 2122 and at Wagram on July 56. Napoleon rewarded him with the title prince d'Essling in January 1810. Three months later Massna, in poor health, was given command of the French forces that were fighting the British in Portugal. The British commander, Arthur Wellesley, duke of Wellington, defeated him at Buaco, Port., on Sept. 27, 1810, and at Fuentes de Ooro, Spain, on May 5, 1811. Massna was then relieved of his command. He was in Paris in 1815 but took no part in the Hundred Days of Napoleon; instead he supported the restoration of King Louis XVIII to the French throne.