"Cuirassier equipment at the Musée de l'Armée (questions)" Topic

10 Posts

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Cuirassier	30 May 2018 11:40 a.m. PST
Need help with some questions, my friends. Thanks in advance. 1- This casque/helmet belonged to a Colonel of the 3rd French Cuirassiers. Does anyone know to whom this helmet belonged to? ------------------------------------------ 2- This cuirasse belonged to a superior officer of Cuirassiers ("Cuirasse d'officier supérieur, régiment de cuirassiers, vers 1812"). Does anyone know to whom this cuirasse belonged to? 3- This helmet and cuirasse belonged to the same officer? 4- These two pieces belong to the same set?
JimDuncanUK	30 May 2018 1:49 p.m. PST
Have you tried asking the museum?
deadhead	30 May 2018 2:32 p.m. PST
Le Breton tells us Colonel of 3e Cuirassiers. See this recent thread; TMP link
Cuirassier	30 May 2018 5:02 p.m. PST
Thanks, deadhead. So… The helmet and cuirasse had the same owner. I would like to know the name of the colonel. In 1812, the 3rd Cuirassiers was commanded by Colonel Charles Eugene Lalaing D'Audenarde. Born: 13th November 1779 Baron of the Empire: 15 October 1809 Colonel: 7 September 1811 (appointed commander of the 3rd Cuirassiers) General de Brigade: 5 December 1812 Died: 4 March 1859 The 3rd Cuirassiers had four commanders during the Napoleonic Era: - Between 1803 and december of 1806: Colonel Claude Antoine Hippolyte de Préval. - Between december of 1806 and august of 1811: Colonel Jean-Louis Richter (wounded at the Battle of Aspern-Essling). - Between september of 1811 and december of 1812: Colonel Charles Eugène Lalaing D'Audenarde. - Between january of 1813 and june of 1815: Colonel Jean-Guillaume Lacroix (mortally wounded at Waterloo). ------------------------------------------ Thanks for the feedback, Jim.
Le Breton	30 May 2018 10:20 p.m. PST
Here is an épée d'un officier supérior du 3e cuirassiers – I imagine it to be from the same origin as the casque and cuirass. By style, this armor is late period (1810-1815), which means colonels Richter, Lalaing d'Audenarde or de Lacroix. The colonel baron Richter had the opportunity to order such an armor from late 1809 until his promotion to general in August 1811. But as a Swiss-born Protestant from a bourgeois family, he might have been hesitant to make such a lavish expenditure. The comte de Lalaing, vicomted'Audenarde (titles inherited in 1806 upon the death of his father) was promoted colonel à la suite du 3e cuirassiers in January 1809 while serving as écuyer de l'impératrice Joséphine, and was made a baron de l'Empire in October. It would have been a perfect time to order high-end custom armor. From a rich noble faily, he could easily have afforded the expense. He became colonel titulaire of the regiment in September 1811 and was promoted a général de brigade de cuirassiers in December 1812. In December 1813 he was appointed major of the Red Lancers of the Imperial Guard and would have put aside his armor. He maaried Julienne-Nathalie Dupuy (1794-1849, fille du comte Dupuy), but the union bore no children, making a donation of relics to the Army Museum quite likely. Colonel de Lacroix was promoted from major of the regiment in January 1813, in the midst of campaigning. He could only have ordered such up-scale armor during the 1st restoration, and would have worn it during the Cent Jours. As he was mortally wounded at Waterloo, it is unlikely that his armor made it to a museum in perfect condition. So, I am thinking the armor was that of the comte de Lalaing.
deadhead	31 May 2018 1:26 a.m. PST
Takes an expert……… What we call straight from the horse's mouth!
4th Cuirassier	31 May 2018 2:52 a.m. PST
@ Le Breton What a fantastic answer. Reasoning is spot on although how you knew Audenarde had no kids I cannot fathom!
Le Breton	31 May 2018 6:34 a.m. PST
Genealogy study for the comtes de Lalaing : PDF link (same in the Pierfit database)
Marcel1809	31 May 2018 11:58 a.m. PST
i wanted to say, 1812 that must be d'Audenarde, but Le Breton has beaten me to it with a much more extensive answer, let me just ad that the family of Lalaing d'Aydenarde stems from ancien fFlemish (actually hainaut) nobility and was indeed very rich and well connected so it makes perfect sense. Great cuirass by the way, makse me wish to go back to the musée de l'armée.
Cuirassier	15 Jun 2018 7:42 p.m. PST
Thanks once more, Le Breton.