MenuGeneral Antoine Marie Paris d'Illins
Born: March 9, 1746
Place of Birth: Paris, Paris, France
Died: November 18, 1809
Cause of Death: Killed in action
Place of Death: Ocaña, Spain
Pronunciation:
Born into a noble family, Antoine Marie Paris d'Illins first joined the military in 1761 at age fifteen. The next year he was promoted to lieutenant and then ten years later in 1771 he was finally promoted to capitaine. Paris d'Illins' next promotion came in 1780 when he became a lieutenant colonel in the dragoons and four years later in 1784 he received the honor of becoming a Knight of Saint Louis.
Paris d'Illins was serving at Metz when the French Revolution broke out. In February of 1792 he became the colonel of the 6th Hussars and then three months later he was promoted to maréchal de camp and employed in the Army of the Center. However, that August Paris d'Illins left the military, perhaps due to the dangers of being a noble in a high command. In 1801 he finally received his retirement pay at the rank of colonel.
In 1804 Paris d'Illins was authorized to serve as a volunteer in Marshal Davout's staff at the camp of Bruges. When the Grande Armée marched out to confront the Third Coalition in 1805, he took part in the campaign. In 1807 Paris d'Illins was officially recognized as resuming military service when he was named a général de brigade and then sent to command the cavalry of the camp of Pontivy. Next he was employed at the camp of Boulogne.
General Paris d'Illins was sent to the Spanish Peninsula in 1808 where he organized the cavalry of the Portuguese Legion. That October he took command of the cavalry of Marshal Mortier's V Corps and in December he commanded the fortress of Retiro at Madrid. Continuing to serve under Mortier, he participated in the Battle of Ocaña in November of 1809 where he was killed.
Bibliography
Updated July 2024
© Nathan D. Jensen