Louis-Nicolas Davout was one of France's most accomplished military commanders, winning plaudits during many significant battles of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

He was born Louis-Nicolas d'Avout on May 10, 1770, in Annoux, Yonne. His father, a nobleman, died when young Louis-Nicolas was 8, and the boy went off to military schools, in Auxerre and Paris. He later joined the army, in the cavalry regiment of Royal-Champagne.

He served in the cavalry for a time, at the Battle of Neerwinden during the War of the First Coalition and earned a promotion to general of brigade. He later fought in Egypt, in the Battle of the Pyramids.

He had changed his name from d'Avout to Davout, and that was the name by which he was called when we was named one of the 18 original Marshals of the French Empire. He was the youngest of those so named.

Heading up the Ⅲ Corps, Davout led his men to a number of significant achievements. He commanded the right wing during Napoleon Bonaparte's masterful victory at Austerlitz (Davout's men having marched for 48 hours just to get to the battle). At Auerstäadt, his men, outnumbered 2-to-1, fought back a number of fierce attacks and then counterattacked, forcing the enemy from the field. In recognition of this victory, Bonaparte stipulated that Davout and his soldiers be the first to enter the Prussian capital, Berlin, in October 1806.

His reputation as a disciplinarian led to Davout's being called the Iron Marshal. He made a practice of forbidding his men from pillaging enemy settlements.

Davout and his men played a vital part in the battles at Eylau and Friedland, which convinced Russia to leave the War of the Fourth Coalition. Bonaparte named him governor-general of the Duchy of Warsaw, resulting from the Treaty of Tilsit.

In 1809, Davout again distinguished himself, at Eckmühl and Wagram. Bonaparte entrusted him with the organization of a large part of the Grand Armée that invaded Russia in 1812. He commanded the 70,000 men of the Ⅰ Corps and then joined the main army, serving through its trials and travails. He commanded the rearguard during the retreat from Moscow and, near the end, was replaced by Michel Ney.

Returning to friendly territory, Davout took over command of the city of Hamburg and its surrounding area, defending it through a long siege and offering up its surrender only after being implored to do so by King Louis XVIII, who replaced Bonaparte as leader of France.

Davout retired to private life but offered his services to Bonaparte when the emperor returned, during the Hundred Days. Named Minister of War, Davout set about reorganizing the army and stayed in Paris; thus, he was not available for Bonaparte's final battle, at Waterloo.

Davout, head of the army after Bonaparte's second abdication, implored the former emperor to leave Paris. Bonaparte reluctantly agreed and left the following day.

When Louis XVIII again took the throne, he refused to recognize Davout as marshal of by his various titles. This changed in 1817, when the king reversed his initial decision. Two years later, Davout joined the Chamber of Peers.

Again forced out of Paris, the former marshal won election as mayor of Savigny-sur-Orge in 1822. He served in that capacity into the following year. He died on June 1, 1823.

Davout had been married twice: the first time in 1791 to Adelaide Séguenot (divorced 1794) and the second in 1801 to time to Aimée LeClerc, sister-in-law to Bonaparte's sister Pauline. Davout and Aimé had eight children, four of whom survived into adulthood.