General François Charles Jean Pierre Marie d'Avranges d'Haugeranville

Cavalry commander and nephew of Marshal Berthier


Born: October 6, 1782

Place of Birth: Versailles, Yvelines, France

Died: August 27, 1817

Place of Death: Paris, France

Arc de Triomphe: DAVRANGE on the north pillar

Pronunciation:



The son of General d'Avranges d'Haugeranville and nephew of Marshal Berthier, François Charles Jean Pierre Marie d'Avranges d'Haugeranville followed in his father's footsteps in a military career. He joined the 5th Hussars in October of 1796 at age fourteen and served in the Army of the Rhine. In January of 1800 d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant in the 5th Hussars and he served in the Army of the Reserve. Next he joined the 12th Hussars and served in the Army of Italy. At the end of December of 1800 d'Avranges d'Haugeranville took part in a reconnaissance in advance of Bassano where he was wounded by a shot to the left hand. The following May he was named a lieutenant in the Chasseurs à Cheval of the Consular Guard, but then in 1802 he joined a dragoon regiment. In 1803 d'Avranges d'Haugeranville served as an aide-de-camp to his uncle Léopold Berthier and he served in the Army of Hanover in 1803 and 1804.

In 1805 d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was promoted to capitaine in the 16th Dragoons and when the Grande Armée marched east that year he served with them and fought at Ulm and Austerlitz. The next year he was promoted to chef d'escadrons in the 1st Dragoons and he served at the Battle of Jena in Prussia. In January of 1807 d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was named major of the 4th Dragoons and the next month he served at Eylau. That May he was named an aide-de-camp to Marshal Murat and in June he served at the Battle of Friedland. Less than two weeks after that battle, d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was promoted to colonel of the 6th Cuirassiers and assigned to General d'Espagne's division. In March of 1808 he was recognized as a Baron of the Empire and then in October he was recognized as a Knight of the Order of Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria.

In 1809 d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was serving with the Army of Germany and he took part in the Danube campaign. That May he fought at the Battle of Aspern-Essling where he was wounded by a shot of grapeshot to the left arm. Six weeks later d'Avranges d'Haugeranville fought at the Battle of Wagram where he was again wounded, this time by a shot to the left leg. In 1811 he was named a major in the Chasseurs à Cheval of the Guard and in 1812 he served in Russia and fought at the Battle of Borodino. After surviving the retreat, d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was promoted to général de brigade in February of 1813. He took part in the campaigns in Saxony that year, commanding a brigade of cavalry. That October d'Avranges d'Haugeranville fought at the Battle of Leipzig where his right leg was broken by a ball and he was then taken prisoner. Most likely due to his wound, he was released on parole in December and he returned to France where he was put on leave to recover.

After Napoleon's abdication and the restoration of the Bourbons in 1814, d'Avranges d'Haugeranville was named a lieutenant of the guards of corps of the king and a Knight of Saint Louis. When in 1815 Napoleon escaped from exile and resumed power, d'Avranges d'Haugeranville did not rally to Napoleon but instead followed the king to Ghent where he was made available to the king's Minister of War. He was officially appointed as commander of the military household of the king until the end of the Hundred Days.


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Updated August 2017

© Nathan D. Jensen