# François Joseph Lefebvre

> Marshal of France (1755-1820)

**Wikidata**: [Q83808](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83808)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Joseph_Lefebvre)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/francois-joseph-lefebvre

## Summary

François Joseph Lefebvre (1755–1820) was a French military officer and politician who rose to become a Marshal of the Empire and Marshal of France. He served during both the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), and is among the names inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe.

## Biography

- **Born:** 1755
- **Died:** 1820
- **Nationality:** France
- **Known for:** Distinguished military leadership during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars; holding the distinction of Marshal of the Empire and Marshal of France
- **Field(s):** Military service, politics
- **Work period start:** 1773

## Contributions

Lefebvre's military career began in 1773 and spanned both the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). His service contributed to French military operations across multiple major European conflicts. His legacy is physically commemorated in Paris through the boulevard Lefebvre, a boulevard named in his honor, and through the inscription of his name on the Arc de Triomphe.

## FAQs

**What wars did François Joseph Lefebvre participate in?**
Lefebvre served as military personnel during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), a span of over two decades of near-continuous European conflict.

**What was Lefebvre's highest military rank?**
He held the distinction of both Marshal of the Empire, a military rank under Napoleon's regime, and Marshal of France, a military distinction in contemporary France.

**How is Lefebvre honored in France today?**
His name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe, and the boulevard Lefebvre in Paris, France, is named after him.

## Why They Matter

François Joseph Lefebvre represents the generation of military leaders who rose through the ranks during one of the most transformative periods in European history. Beginning his service in 1773, he navigated the collapse of the French monarchy, the revolutionary period, and the rise and fall of the Napoleonic Empire. His dual recognition as both Marshal of the Empire and Marshal of France underscores the continuity of his stature across successive French regimes. The inscription of his name on the Arc de Triomphe places him among the most commemorated military figures in French national memory, and the naming of a Parisian boulevard after him reflects the enduring recognition of his contributions to French military history.

## Notable For

- Marshal of the Empire — military rank under the First French Empire (established May 18, 1804)
- Marshal of France — military distinction in contemporary France
- Name inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe
- Recipient of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the fifth rank of the French Legion of Honour
- Recipient of the Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, the fourth rank of the French Legion of Honour
- Recipient of the Knight of the Legion of Honour, the first rank of the French Legion of Honour
- Recipient of the Order of the Iron Crown (Kingdom of Italy), an order of merit in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (1805–1814)
- Recipient of the Military Order of St. Henry, a Saxon order of knighthood (1736–1918)
- Recipient of the Pour la Vertu Militaire, established February 25, 1769 (Hesse-Kassel)
- Recipient of the Order of Charles III, a Spanish order established September 19, 1771
- Boulevard Lefebvre in Paris, France, named in his honor

## Body

### Early Military Career

François Joseph Lefebvre began his military service in 1773, decades before the upheavals that would define French and European history. His career as military personnel commenced under the ancien régime, providing him with foundational experience that would carry through the revolutionary and imperial eras.

### French Revolutionary Wars

Lefebvre served during the French Revolutionary Wars, a series of conflicts between 1792 and 1802 in which the French Republic fought against several European monarchies. This period saw his rise through the military ranks during a time of dramatic social and political transformation in France.

### Napoleonic Wars and the Empire

With the establishment of the First French Empire on May 18, 1804, Lefebvre's career continued into the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). He was elevated to Marshal of the Empire, a military rank within the imperial hierarchy. In addition to this imperial distinction, he also held the title of Marshal of France, a broader military distinction recognized in contemporary France.

### Political Role

Beyond his military career, Lefebvre is also identified as a politician, indicating involvement in governance or political affairs during or after his military service.

### Decorations and Honors

Lefebvre received an extensive array of decorations spanning multiple French and foreign orders:

**French Legion of Honour:**
He held three ranks within the French Legion of Honour: Knight (first rank), Grand Officer (fourth rank), and Grand Cross (fifth rank), demonstrating progressive recognition within France's premier order of merit.

**Foreign Orders:**
- Order of the Iron Crown (Kingdom of Italy) — an order of merit in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, which existed in three classes from 1805 to 1814
- Military Order of St. Henry — a Saxon order of knighthood established October 7, 1736, comprising four classes and lasting until 1918
- Pour la Vertu Militaire — a decoration established February 25, 1769, associated with Hesse-Kassel
- Order of Charles III — a Spanish order established September 19, 1771

### Legacy and Commemoration

Lefebvre's name is inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe, a monument that honors those who fought for France during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. In Paris, the boulevard Lefebvre stands as a lasting geographical tribute to his memory. He died in 1820, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the most consequential military campaigns of his era.

## References

1. BnF authorities
2. Integrated Authority File
3. International Standard Name Identifier
4. [Source](https://www.siv.archives-nationales.culture.gouv.fr/siv/POG/FRAN_POG_05/p-120kj60e2--1aghr0bavifwf)
5. [Source](https://francearchives.fr/fr/file/ad46ac22be9df6a4d1dae40326de46d8a5cbd19d/FRSHD_PUB_00000355.pdf)
6. SNAC
7. GeneaStar
8. Roglo
9. Find a Grave
10. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
11. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
12. CERL Thesaurus
13. Library of Congress Control Number
14. Virtual International Authority File
15. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
16. Dizionario di Storia