Pierre Victor, baron de Besenval de Brünstatt

In the early 1760s, Besenval played a key role in the Duke of Choiseul's reform of the army.

[2] After being appointed military governor of Haguenau, he was made lieutenant colonel of the Swiss Guards in 1767.

[2] After the accession of King Louis XVI, Besenval became a favorite of Queen Marie Antoinette.

Besenval showed incompetence in the crisis and attempted to flee to his home country in late July.

[2] He is principally known as the author of his Mémoires, which were published between 1805 and 1806 by Joseph-Alexandre Pierre, Vicomte de Ségur, who was said to be his actual son, in which are reported many scandalous tales, true or false, of the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Portrait by Jean-Marc Nattier
Le Baron de Besenval dans son salon de compagnie at the Hôtel de Besenval , by Henri-Pierre Danloux (1791). It shows the baron, an avid art collector, in retirement. [ 3 ] [ 4 ]