Michel Ney was one of the Marshals of the Empire – a prestigious sign of supreme military attainment – under Napoleon. Called the “bravest of the brave”, he was one of Napoleon’s most popular officers, the very picture of a dashing cavalry commander. After Napoleon’s final exile, he was executed by the French court.
Here are ten facts about the courageous man.
Dan talks to Adam Zamoyski, a historian who has recently written a new biography of Napoleon.
1. Ney was bilingual, with both French and German roots
He was born in the town of Sarrelouis along the French-German border, a French enclave in a largely German region. It was annexed by Prussia according to the Treaty of Paris of 1815. Ney’s lawyer attempted to use this to prevent his execution, stating that since he was now Prussian, he could not be tried by a French court. However Ney refused this line of defence, apparently declaring:
“Je suis Français et je resterai Français!”
(I am French and I shall remain French). This impassioned patriotism was rewarded with a guilty verdict and subsequent execution.
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