Andre Massena Biography and Timeline

Birth of Andre Massena

Birth of Andre Massena

Corporal

Appointed Corporal

Sargeant

Appointed Sargeant

Quartermaster

Appointed Quartermaster

Quartermaster

Appointed Adjutant NCO

Adjutant

Andre Massena Essling was appointed Adjutant-Major of the 2nd battalion of volunteers of the Var.

Role range: 1789-1792

Adjutant

Appointed Adjutant-Major of the 2nd battalion of volunteers of the Var

Role range: 1789-1792

Adjutant-Major

Andre Massena Essling, Duke was appointed adjutant-major of the second battalion of volunteers of the Var.

Role range: 1789-1792

Adjutant-Major

Appointed adjutant-major of the second battalion of volunteers of the Var

Role range: 1789-1792

General

Appointed General of Division

Battle of Lonato

Massenas 1st military victory

Battle of Loano

Andre Massena fought in the French victory at Loano as the Army of Italy broke Austrian and Sardinian positions on the Ligurian coast.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Montenotte

Massena played a leading role at Montenotte during the opening French victories of Bonaparte's first Italian campaign.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Dego

Massena fought at Dego as French forces continued separating the Austrian and Piedmontese armies in northern Italy.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Lodi

Massena fought at Lodi during the French advance across the Adda toward Milan.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Lonato

Massena fought around Lonato during Bonaparte's operations against the Austrian attempt to relieve Mantua.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Castiglione

Massena's division contributed to the French victory at Castiglione against Wurmser's Austrian army.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Bassano

Massena fought at Bassano as Bonaparte pursued Austrian forces during the campaign around Mantua.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Arcole

Massena fought at Arcole during the three-day battle that forced Austrian forces away from the Adige.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of Rivoli

Massena's troops marched hard and fought at Rivoli, helping defeat the final Austrian attempt to relieve Mantua.

Role range: 1795-1799

Battle of La Favorita

Massena fought at La Favorita after Rivoli as French forces completed the defeat of the Austrian relief effort around Mantua.

Role range: 1795-1799

First Division Command

Massena was appointed commander of the First Division during the reorganisation of the Army of Italy.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1797-1797

Army of England Appointment

Massena was assigned to the Army of England while French leaders considered operations against Britain.

Role range: 1795-1799

Occupation of Papal States

Massena commanded troops detailed to occupy the Papal States during French intervention in central Italy.

Role range: 1795-1799

Army Mutiny

Massena relinquished command after a mutiny among troops serving in the Papal States.

Role range: 1795-1799

Recall by Directory

The Directory recalled Massena after the mutiny that disrupted his command in the Papal States.

Role range: 1795-1799

Commander of Army of Helvetia

Massena was appointed commander of the Army of Helvetia as France prepared for renewed campaigning in Switzerland.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1798-1799

Arrival at Zurich

Massena arrived at Zurich to take up his Swiss command and was placed under Jourdan's higher operational authority.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1798-1799

Battle of Coire

Massena fought at Coire during operations against Coalition forces in the Swiss theatre.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1798-1799

Battle of Feldkirch

Massena fought at Feldkirch during the difficult spring campaign against Austrian forces near the eastern Swiss frontier.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1798-1799

Commander of Danube and Helvetia Armies

Massena became provisional commander in chief of the combined Armies of the Danube and Helvetia after Jourdan left command.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1799-1799

Second Battle of Zurich

Massena defeated Russian and Austrian forces at Zurich, helping force Suvorov's army into a difficult retreat through Switzerland.

Role range: 1795-1799 – 1799-1799

Commander in Chief

Appointed Commander of the army in Switzerland

Siege of Genoa

Defends Genoa

Role range: 1793-1800

Deputy

Appointed Deputy for the Seine in the Corps Legislatif

Role range: 1803-1807

Marshal

Appointed Marshal of the Empire

Marshal

Appointed Marshal of the Empire

Role range: 1800-1815

Peerage

Created Duke of Rivoli

Honours

Awarded with the Grand Eagle of the Legion of Honour

Peerage

Created Prince of Essling