Patrice de MacMahon

Third President of the French Republic (1808–1893)

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Lived 1808–1893, aged 85France

France PoliticiansPolitician

Wikipedia
71 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1808–1893
Aged 85
Awards
23
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-21

The French general who lost the war that ended an empire, crushed the Paris Commune, then spent six years as president awkwardly holding the office warm for a monarchy that never came.

Biography

About

Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon was elevated to Marshal of France by Napoleon III, but led the main French army to disaster in the Franco-Prussian War. Trapped at Sedan in September 1870 through confused strategic planning, he was wounded and surrendered along with the Emperor, collapsing the regime and opening the door to the Third Republic. After convalescing, he commanded the Versailles army that crushed the Paris Commune in May 1871. Drafted as president by royalists in 1873, the devout Catholic conservative was meant to bridge the restoration — but the Bourbon pretender's extremism…

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