Guillaume Marie Anne Brune was Marshal of France. He was born in 1763. The son of a lawyer at Brive-la-Gaillarde, in 1793 he joined the army, and afterwards distinguished himself at Arcola and Verona as general of brigade in the Italian army. In 1799 he compelled the British and Russians to evacuate the north of Holland. In 1800 he pacified La Vendee, and, replacing Massena as commander of the Italian army, led his troops over the Mincio, conquered the Austrians, passed the Adige, took possession of Vicenza and Roveredo, and hastened the conclusion of peace.
In 1802 to 1804 he was ambassador at Constantinople (Istanbul), and the latter year was made a marshal. Losing the favour of Napoleon, he remained without employment for some years, but on the return of Napoleon from Elba he received an important command in the south of France, which he was soon after compelled to surrender at the second restoration. He then set out for Paris, but was attacked and brutally killed by the populace at Avignon. Research Guillaume Brune
Guillaume Dubois French cardinal. He was born in 1656 at Brives-la-Gaillarde and died in 1723.The son of an apothecary, when he was only thirteen he took the tonsure, being known as the 'Little Abbe.' In 1687 he became tutor to the Duke of Chartres, afterwards Duke of Orleans and regent,, and in 1701 Chartres, then Duke of Orleans, made him his secretary, and when he became regent of France in 1715 made him his chief minister. Dubois maintained his influence by pandering to the vices of his pupil. He became privy-councillor and overseer of the duke's household, and minister for foreign affairs under the regency.
As the best means of thwarting the schemes of Philip V of Spain and his supporters in France in 1716, Guillaume Dubois, on November the 28th, signed a defensive alliance between France and England. Accepted by Holland on January the 4th 1717, this was known as the Triple Alliance. Guillaume Dubois then supported England in opposing the Spanish attempt to conquer Sardinia and Sicily, and in demanding the dismissal of Giclio Alberoni, which he effected, after a short war with Spain, in December 1720.
The archbishopric of Cambrai having become vacant, Guillaume Dubois ventured to request it of the regent, although he was not even a priest. The regent was astonished at his boldness; but he obtained the post, having in one morning received all the clerical orders, and, a few days after, the archbishopric. By his consummate address he obtained a cardinal's hat, and in 1721 was appointed prime-minister.
Guillaume Dubois was an avaricious, lying, licentious creature, yet clever and industrious, and able to make himself very agreeable where it suited his interest. Research Guillaume Dubois
Abbreviations
Research Guillaume Brune
