 thumb|franÃ§ois certain-canrobert franÃ§ois certain de canrobert, usually known as franÃ§ois certain-canrobert and later simply as marÃ©chal canrobert (27 june 1809, saint-cÃ©rÃ©, lot â 28 january 1895, paris), was a marshal of france. ==biography== his father, antoine certain de canrobert, knight of saint louis, was the scion of a relatively obscure family whose grandfather had been ennobled in 1738 (the senior branch of the family, extinct in 1918, used the surname "certain de la meschaussÃ©e"): he became a royalist Ã©migrÃ© and consequently his few properties were confiscated during the french revolution and he was even briefly imprisoned in the temple in 1801. his mother was born angÃ©lique de niocel, also from a family of recent nobility (her grandfather had been ennobled in 1775 and her brother married a niece of marshal joachim murat, brother-in-law of napoleon). the future marshal was educated at saint-cyr; he received a commission as sub-lieutenant in 1828, becoming lieutenant in 1832. sent to algeria in 1835, he served in the expedition to mascara, at the capture of tlemcen, and in 1837 was promoted to captain and then captain adjudant-major. in the same year he received the lÃ©gion d'honneur for courageous conduct. in 1839 he was employed in organizing a battalion of the french foreign legion for the carlist wars. in 1841 he was again serving in algeria. promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1846 and colonel of the 3rd regiment in 1847, he commanded the expedition against ahmed sghir in 1848, and defeated the arabs at the djerma pass. transferred to the zouaves (1848â50), he defeated the kabyles, and in 1849 displayed both courage and energy in reinforcing the blockaded garrison of bou saada, and in command of one of the attacking columns at zaatcha (december 1849). for his valour on the latter occasion he received the rank of general of brigade and the commandership of the legion of honour. he led the expedition against narah in 1850 and destroyed the arab stronghold. summoned to paris, he was made aide-de-camp to the president, louis-napolÃ©on bonaparte, and took part in the coup d'Ã©tat of december 2, 1851. in the crimean war he commanded a division at the battle of alma, where he was twice wounded. he held a dormant commission entitling him to command in case of saint-arnaud's death, and he thus succeeded to the chief command of the french army a few days after the battle. he was slightly wounded and had a horse killed under him at inkerman, when leadi
1809_births 1895_deaths Ecole_SpA(c)ciale_Militaire_de_Saint-Cyr_alumni French_military_personnel_of_the_Crimean_War French_military_personnel_of_the_Franco-Prussian_War Knights_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath Knights_of_the_Order_of_the_Most_Holy_Annunciation Marshals_of_France Officers_of_the_French_Foreign_Legion People_from_Lot_(department)