Jean-de-Dieu Soult

Prime Minister of France (1832–1834, 1834–1839, 1840–1847) and French Marshal (born 1769–1851)

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Lived 1769–1851, aged 82France

France PoliticiansPolitician

Wikipedia
43 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1769–1851
Aged 82
Awards
11
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-09

One of Napoleon's original eighteen Marshals, Soult delivered the decisive corps attack at Austerlitz and spent years locked in draws and retreats against Wellington in Spain — then outlasted the empire itself, serving as French prime minister three times and shifting allegiance from king to emperor to king to republic as each regime fell.

Biography

About

The son of a country notary in southern France, Soult enlisted in 1785 and rose fast through the revolutionary wars, making brigadier general after Fleurus in 1794 and defeating the Austrians at Linth River in 1799 as their commander died at the battle's start. Napoleon named him Marshal in 1804; his corps broke the Allied center at Austerlitz and earned him the title Duke of Dalmatia. From 1808 he commanded in the Peninsular War, winning early battles like Ocaña but fighting inconclusive clashes at Corunna and Albuera before Wellington's better-supplied coalition forced him out of Spain. He f…

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