François Xavier de Schwarz
Encyclopedia
François Xavier de Schwarz (8 January 1762 - 1826) was an officer in the French
light cavalry
during the Revolutionary era
and brigadier general
in the Imperial
Grande Armée.
Born in Hernwiess, Grand Duchy of Baden
, the son of a baron
of the Holy Roman Empire
, Schwarz entered French service in 1776. He served as an officer of the 2nd regiment of hussar
s in the Wars of the First and Second Coalitions
, participating in every major campaign. In 1799 he landed in Ireland
with a contingent of troops and was captured on 12 October.
Under the Empire, Schwarz was made an Officer of the Légion d'honneur
in 1804 and Commander in 1805 for his role in the Battle of Austerlitz
. In 1807, commanding a brigade in Spain
, Schwarz was sorely checked at the Battles of the Bruch, losing an Imperial Eagle
to the Spanish partisans. In 1810 he fell into the hands of the British Army
and was held in captivity until the end of the war.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
light cavalry
Light cavalry
Light cavalry refers to lightly armed and lightly armored troops mounted on horses, as opposed to heavy cavalry, where the riders are heavily armored...
during the Revolutionary era
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in the Imperial
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
Grande Armée.
Born in Hernwiess, Grand Duchy of Baden
Grand Duchy of Baden
The Grand Duchy of Baden was a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the east bank of the Rhine. It existed between 1806 and 1918.-History:...
, the son of a baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, Schwarz entered French service in 1776. He served as an officer of the 2nd regiment of hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
s in the Wars of the First and Second Coalitions
War of the Second Coalition
The "Second Coalition" was the second attempt by European monarchs, led by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Russian Empire, to contain or eliminate Revolutionary France. They formed a new alliance and attempted to roll back France's previous military conquests...
, participating in every major campaign. In 1799 he landed in Ireland
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
with a contingent of troops and was captured on 12 October.
Under the Empire, Schwarz was made an Officer of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1804 and Commander in 1805 for his role in the Battle of Austerlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
. In 1807, commanding a brigade in Spain
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, Schwarz was sorely checked at the Battles of the Bruch, losing an Imperial Eagle
Imperial Eagle
An Imperial Eagle is a heraldic eagle used by an empire, notably:*the military standard of the Roman Empire, see Aquila .*the Byzantine imperial eagle*the German Reichsadler...
to the Spanish partisans. In 1810 he fell into the hands of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and was held in captivity until the end of the war.