Casimir de Rochechouart, 11th Duke of Mortemart

Despite belonging to one of the old noble families of France, he backed the First French Empire, joining the gendarmes d'ordonnance (commanded by the count of Ségur) in September 1803.

He moved to the 1st Dragoon Regiment on 10 February 1806 and took part in the campaigns in Prussia (1806), Poland (1807), Austria (1809) and Russia (1812), fighting at Golymin (1806), Pułtusk (1806), Heilsberg and Friedland, where he proved his sang-froid and firmness under fire by beating off Russian attacks.

After his success there he rejoined Napoleon at Posen and took part in the 1812 campaign into Russia, during which he received the title of baron of the empire and a donation of 2,000 francs of revenue from Belgium.

Surviving the disasters of the retreat from Moscow, the baron of Mortemart returned to France with his health ruined – he was thus unable to take part in the last events of the following campaign.

In April 1828, he was sent as ambassador to Saint Petersburg to replace le comte de La Ferronays, was promoted to lieutenant-general on the following 24 December and returned to France at the beginning of 1830.