Marshal Massena, Duke of Rivioli, Prince of Essling

Massena was born in Nice in 1758, ran away to sea aged thirteen, enlisted in the army, retired fourteen years later and set up a profitable business smuggling contraband into Italy. For most people that would have been enough excitement for a lifetime, but not Massena as the Revolutionary Wars brought further opportunity for adventure.

Under Bonaparte, he performed exceptionally well at Rivoli and after the battle Napoleon greeted him as the “darling child of victory” and made him Duke of Rivioli. He went on to gain further glory by successfully defending France from invasion in 1799 while the main army was off in Egypt. Advancing into Italy he had a great time pursuing his two favourite hobbies – money and women, until finally forced to surrender Genoa after Napoleon left him in the lurch and headed off to Marengo.

In 1804, when Napoleon was being crowned emperor there were no seats allocated to the top fifty generals who had to stand in the nave. Massena tipped a priest off his chair and took it for himself then the other generals followed suit causing quite a commotion. Shortly after he was made marshal along with the other thirteen originally created by Napoleon. Typically, when a friend congratulated him, he was quite miffed and replied he was only “one of fourteen”. Clearly, he was expecting more. 

In 1806 his army swept into Naples to put Joseph on the throne and he resumed his life of womanising and plunder, also selling licences to trade with Britain. The emperor got wind of this and confiscated three million Francs from a secret bank account, Massena never got over it.

He had a big part in the victory at Aspern-Essling in 1809, and at Wagram, as a reward Napoleon made him Prince of Essling. Shortly after this whilst on a hunting trip, Napoleon (who was a better shot with a field-gun than a fowling-piece) managed to shoot out one of his eyes and then blamed Berthier for it – nice move. Massena forgave him about the eye but never over the three million Francs.

Massena was sent to command the Army of Portugal in 1810 and upon arrival the jaded marshal said to his staff “gentlemen I am here against my own wishes”. Interestingly Wellington was nervous of the appointment commenting “we are in the presence of one of the first soldiers in Europe”. Massena did the best he could in Spain, probably better than any other marshal could have but after the defeat at Fuentes de Orono he was dismissed. Napoleon’s rather harsh remark was “So, Prince of Essling, you are no longer Massena”.

Massena died in 1817 but did meet with Wellington at Soult’s house shortly before where the two of them discussed the finer points of strategy in the Peninsular War.

The figure is a vintage casting of FN/356 Marshal Massena in marshal’s uniform.