He was made a Marshal of the Empire in 1807 by Emperor Napoleon I. Victor was born in Lamarche on 7 December 1764 to Charles Perrin and Marie Anne Floriot.

Soon after his promotion to general of division, in January 1797, he captured Imola and Ancona (which would later become the Anconine Republic) in the Papal States, seizing 120 artillery pieces and 4,000 rifles.

[2] Victor then returned to France and was made commander of the 2nd military division in Nantes in March 1798, but was soon back in the Army of Italy.

[2] On the outbreak of hostilities with Prussia, Victor became Chief of Staff of the 5th Army Corps under Marshal Jean Lannes, and fought at the battles of Saalfeld and Jena in October 1806, where he was wounded.

He received the capitulation of Spandau on October 25, served at the Battle of Pultusk on December 26, and was placed at the head of the 10th Army Corps upon its formation.

[2] After the peace of Tilsit, Victor became governor of Berlin, and was created Duke of Belluno (Duc de Bellune) in September 1808, shortly before departing for the Peninsular War.

[2] After the French victory at the Battle of Ocaña, Victor entered Cordoba in November 1809 and Seville in February 1810, then laid siege to Cadiz.

[4] He was appointed commander of the 2nd Army Corps in March 1813, and over the following months fought at the battles of Dresden, Leipzig, Wachau, and finally at Hanau on 30 October.

[4] When the second restoration followed the Battle of Waterloo, Victor returned to Paris with Louis XVIII and was made a peer of France and major-general of the Royal Guard.

In this capacity, he prepared the 1823 French invasion of Spain but was dismissed by Louis Antoine, Duke of Angoulême and resumed his ministerial portfolio.

After the July Revolution in 1830, he refused to swear allegiance to the government of King Louis Philippe, was expelled from the Chamber of Peers, and retired altogether into private life.

During his time in Spain he destroyed entire Spanish armies with Cannae-like envelopments and even fought Wellington to a virtual tactical draw at Talavera.