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Historical person

André Masséna

1758–1817

André Masséna rose from modest origins in Nice to become one of Napoleon’s most capable marshals. He distinguished himself in the Revolutionary campaigns in Italy and Switzerland, won a crucial victory at Zürich in 1799 and later fought in Austria and Italy.

His reputation suffered during the 1810 invasion of Portugal, when Wellington’s defensive Lines of Torres Vedras forced the French army to retreat after severe losses, hunger and breakdowns in discipline. André Masséna was born in Nice and died in Paris.

In Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe’s Escape, as André Masséna’s army advances towards Lisbon, Sharpe loses command of his company to a well-connected but inexperienced officer. Further fictional perspectives on André Masséna can be found in Griff Hosker’s Bloody Badajoz, Griff Hosker’s British Light Dragoon, Griff Hosker’s Napoleon’s Guard, Griff Hosker’s The Lines of Torres Vedras, Griff Hosker’s The Road to France, and Griff Hosker’s Talavera.

Periods

Periods linked to André Masséna

Peninsular War1807–1814 CE

Series

Historical novels and book series featuring André Masséna (2 series)

Napoleonic Horseman in Order

by Griff Hosker 10 books 4.4(12,740)

Napoleonic Horseman follows a cavalryman through the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The series moves between French and British service, espionage, the Peninsular War, sieges and Waterloo, using mounted warfare to show how individual soldiers are pulled through the largest conflicts of the age.

All books in this series

Sharpe in Order

by Bernard Cornwell 26 books 4.3(358,248)

The Sharpe series follows Richard Sharpe from service as a private soldier in India to command in the British Army during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The novels place him at the Siege of Seringapatam, Battle of Assaye, Siege of Gawilghur, Battle of Trafalgar, British attack on Copenhagen,…

All books in this series