Patrice de Mac Mahon (The Holy Deliverance)

Patrice de MacMahon, 6th Marquess of MacMahon,[1] 1st Duke of Magenta (born Marie Edme Patrice Maurice; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893), was a French general and politician, with the distinction of Marshal of France. He served as Chief of State of France from 1873 to 1875; President of France, from 1873 to 1874 and Lieutenant-General of France, from October 1874 to January 1875.

MacMahon led the main French army in the war against the Germans in 1870. He was trapped and wounded at the Battle of Sedan in September 1870. The army surrendered to the Germans, including MacMahon and the Emperor Napoleon III. Thus France lost the war and the Emperor exiled. After his convalescence, MacMahon was named head of the army of Versailles who defeated the revolt of the Paris Commune in May 1871 and prepared the ground for his political career. MacMahon was a devout Conservative Catholic, a traditionalist and a Legitimist monarchist who despised Socialism and was highly suspicious of secular Republicans. He took his duty as head of state seriously and pushed for the restoration of the monarchy by meeting the legitimist pretender, the Duke of Chambord. He forced the vote of the change of regime and became de facto Lieutenant-General of France in October 1874. Henri V proclaimed by the National Assembly, King of the French on 4 January 1875, Mac Mahon was then appointed to the post of Vice-president of Supreme Council of the war until it retired of the French Army in 1879. Soon after MacMahon resigned and retired to private life.