Ricard Murburrien (Napoleon's World)

Ricard Francois Murburrien (June 9, 1781-December 3, 1868) was a French general and Marshal of the Empire who served in the Imperial Wars as well as numerous North African conflicts in the 1830's, and commanded his last army in the War of Napoleonic Succession, including a pivotal role in the decisive engagement at Waterloo. After retiring from active service, Murburrien served briefly as the Grand Marshal, chairing the General Staff in the late 1840's before living out his retirement in Nice and Paris. He is regarded as a French national hero on the same level as Ney, Grouchy or Giles and was interred at the Hotel des Invalides upon his death and given a state funeral by Emperor Philippe. Murburrien, despite his military career, was a noted pacifist and was an influential founder in the ideal of a "permanent peace" in Europe through the maintenance of a powerful French Empire and standing army.