Lot Essay
Maurice Mathieu was born into an old Protestant family from Rouergue on 20 Feburary 1768 in Saint Affique and died in Paris on 1 March 1833.
He joined the army in 1783 as a cadet in a Swiss regiment in Meuron. He then transferred to the Luxemburger legion serving as a second lieutenant in East India. In 1789 he returned to France and was appointed lieutenant in the Royal Dragoons where one of his uncles already held the post of Colonel. During the French revolution he became a captain and took part in the Rhine campaigns. He then transferred to Italy where he distinguished himself commanding 2,500 men winning a battle near Terracine against an army corps of 10,000 Italians. The next day Terracine was taken by storm and Mathieu was appointed general of brigade.
In 1799 he took command of the 11th military division in Bordeaux. Between 1800-1807 he commanded divisions in the Prussian and Polish campaigns and then joined the Spanish army under the command of General Moncey. In 1810 he transferred back to the Franch army and served under Marshal Ney who proceeded to appoint Mathieu Governor of Barcelona.
In 1815 he took command of the 10th military division in Toulouse and retired after the second restoration to his estates in Horedowe.
In 1817 he came out of retirement to take command of the 19th division in Lyon and in 1819 he was appointed Peer of France.
It is unclear when he married his wife, Clary, but it is known that she was the sister of the wife of Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain. Napoleon bestowed Mathieu with the title Comte, probably about the time he was married and then later in 1817 he was given the title de la Redorte.
He joined the army in 1783 as a cadet in a Swiss regiment in Meuron. He then transferred to the Luxemburger legion serving as a second lieutenant in East India. In 1789 he returned to France and was appointed lieutenant in the Royal Dragoons where one of his uncles already held the post of Colonel. During the French revolution he became a captain and took part in the Rhine campaigns. He then transferred to Italy where he distinguished himself commanding 2,500 men winning a battle near Terracine against an army corps of 10,000 Italians. The next day Terracine was taken by storm and Mathieu was appointed general of brigade.
In 1799 he took command of the 11th military division in Bordeaux. Between 1800-1807 he commanded divisions in the Prussian and Polish campaigns and then joined the Spanish army under the command of General Moncey. In 1810 he transferred back to the Franch army and served under Marshal Ney who proceeded to appoint Mathieu Governor of Barcelona.
In 1815 he took command of the 10th military division in Toulouse and retired after the second restoration to his estates in Horedowe.
In 1817 he came out of retirement to take command of the 19th division in Lyon and in 1819 he was appointed Peer of France.
It is unclear when he married his wife, Clary, but it is known that she was the sister of the wife of Joseph Bonaparte, King of Naples and Spain. Napoleon bestowed Mathieu with the title Comte, probably about the time he was married and then later in 1817 he was given the title de la Redorte.