Charles Chanoine
Encyclopedia
Charles Sulpice Jules Chanoine (December 18, 1835, Dijon
, Côte-d'Or
– January 9, 1915) was a French military officer who played an important role in the Far East
, and later became Minister of War.
Early in his career, he served as chief of the French troops in China
during the Second Opium War
(1856-1860). Later, from 1867 to 1868, he was posted to Japan
as the commander of the First French Military Mission to Japan
, sent to that country by Napoleon III at the request of the 14th shogun
Iemochi Tokugawa. Among the officers under his command in Japan was Jules Brunet
, who would play a key role in the conflict between the Shogun and the restoration forces of the Meiji Emperor during the Boshin War
.
Due to the involvement of the Mission in supporting the Shogun, Chanoine had to leave Japan with the majority of the other French advisors in October 1868, per orders of the new emperor Meiji. Those who chose to remain, led by Jules Brunet, sent letters of resignation from the French army before joining the forces of the Shogun. This was done apparently with Chanoine's tacit agreement, as he covered up their departure for a period of several days.
As Henri Brisson
's third Minister of War in 1898, Chanoine, like his predecessors, Generals Cavaignac
and Zurlinden, attempted to prevent a review of the Dreyfus
case, against the wishes of the cabinet, which had already decided to support review. The indecision within the government caused by Chanoine's actions, as well as the chaos on the streets caused by the anti-Dreyfusards, led to the fall of the government.
During his Ministry, Chanoine named Jules Brunet
, his former aide in Japan thirty years earlier, to the position of Chief of Staff of the French army ("Chef d'Etat Major").
Chanoine had a son, Lt. Julien Chanoine, who played a role in the French conquest of Chad
, in the Voulet-Chanoine Mission
.
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
, Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
– January 9, 1915) was a French military officer who played an important role in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, and later became Minister of War.
Early in his career, he served as chief of the French troops in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
during the Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
(1856-1860). Later, from 1867 to 1868, he was posted to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as the commander of the First French Military Mission to Japan
French Military Mission to Japan (1867)
The French Military Mission to Japan of 1867-68 was the first foreign military training mission to Japan. The mission was formed by Napoléon III, following a request of the Japanese Shogunate in the person of its emissary to Europe, Shibata Takenaka .Shibata was already negotiating the final...
, sent to that country by Napoleon III at the request of the 14th shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
Iemochi Tokugawa. Among the officers under his command in Japan was Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet was a French officer who played an active role in Mexico and Japan, and later became a General and Chief of Staff of the French Minister of War in 1898...
, who would play a key role in the conflict between the Shogun and the restoration forces of the Meiji Emperor during the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
.
Due to the involvement of the Mission in supporting the Shogun, Chanoine had to leave Japan with the majority of the other French advisors in October 1868, per orders of the new emperor Meiji. Those who chose to remain, led by Jules Brunet, sent letters of resignation from the French army before joining the forces of the Shogun. This was done apparently with Chanoine's tacit agreement, as he covered up their departure for a period of several days.
Henri Brisson
Eugène Henri Brisson was a French statesman, Prime Minister of France for a period in 1885-1886 and again in 1898.-Biography:He was born at Bourges , and followed his father’s profession of advocate. Having made his mark in opposition during the last days of the empire, he was appointed...
's third Minister of War in 1898, Chanoine, like his predecessors, Generals Cavaignac
Jacques Marie Eugène Godefroy Cavaignac
Jacques Marie Eugène Godefroy Cavaignac , known as Godefroy Cavaignac, French politician, was born in Paris. He was the son of Louis Eugène Cavaignac...
and Zurlinden, attempted to prevent a review of the Dreyfus
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
case, against the wishes of the cabinet, which had already decided to support review. The indecision within the government caused by Chanoine's actions, as well as the chaos on the streets caused by the anti-Dreyfusards, led to the fall of the government.
During his Ministry, Chanoine named Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet was a French officer who played an active role in Mexico and Japan, and later became a General and Chief of Staff of the French Minister of War in 1898...
, his former aide in Japan thirty years earlier, to the position of Chief of Staff of the French army ("Chef d'Etat Major").
Chanoine had a son, Lt. Julien Chanoine, who played a role in the French conquest of Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, in the Voulet-Chanoine Mission
Voulet-Chanoine Mission
The Voulet–Chanoine Mission or Central African Mission was a French military expedition sent out from Senegal in 1898 to conquer the Chad Basin and unify all French territories in West Africa...
.
External links
- I at membres.lycos.fr
- General Chanoine at www.military-photos.com