Jean Lannes

Jean Lannes, 1st Duke of Montebello, Prince of Siewierz (10 April 1769 – 31 May 1809), was a French military commander and a Marshal of the Empire who served during both the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of Napoleon’s most daring and talented generals, and is regarded by many as one of history’s greatest military commanders. Napoleon once commented on Lannes: “I found him a pygmy and left him a giant”. A personal friend of the emperor, he was allowed to address him with the familiar tu, as opposed to the formal vous.