He won one of the first major victories of the French Revolution… became a Marshal of the Empire… yet often lived in the shadow of Napoleon’s more famous generals.
Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan was a key figure of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Rising from humble origins, he commanded the Army of the Moselle and achieved fame at the Battle of Fleurus (1794)—a turning point in the Revolutionary Wars that cemented his reputation as a skilled strategist.

Jourdan later served in Italy, Spain, and Germany, earning his marshal’s baton in 1804. Known for his discipline, professionalism, and sometimes rigid tactics, Jourdan was respected by allies but occasionally clashed with Napoleon over strategy. He was often the scapegoat of Napoleon's failed strategies in Spain.

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