Patrice de MacMahon
French president
Died when: 85 years 126 days (1024 months)Star Sign: Gemini
Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (French pronunciation: ?[pat?was d? makma.?~]; 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 and as President of France from 1875 to 1879.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, in part because of his confused and indecisive strategic planning.
The army, including MacMahon and Emperor Napoleon III, surrendered to the Germans.Thus France lost the war and the Emperor went into exile.
After convalescing, MacMahon was appointed head of the Versailles Army, which suppressed the Paris Commune revolt in May 1871 and set the stage for his political career.
MacMahon was a devout conservative Catholic, and a traditionalist who despised socialism and strongly distrusted the mostly secular Republicans.He kept to his duty as the neutral guardian of the Constitution and rejected suggestions of a monarchist coup d'état, but refused to meet with Gambetta, the leader of the Republicans.
He moved for a parliamentary system in which the assembly selected the ruling government of the Third Republic, but he also insisted on an upper chamber.
He later dissolved the Chamber of Deputies, resulting in public outrage and a Republican electoral victory.Soon after MacMahon resigned and retired to private life.
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