Savary, Anne Jean Marie René [key], 1774–1833, French general in the Napoleonic Wars. He presided (1804) at the trial of the duc d'Enghien and was created (1808) duke of Rovigo. In 1808 he lured King Ferdinand VII of Spain into France, thus preparing the way for Napoleon's takeover there. Succeeding (1810) Joseph Fouché as minister of police, Savary did not approach his predecessor's skill and efficiency. After the Bourbon restoration he was condemned to death, but he escaped and in 1819 was allowed to return to France. After the Revolution of 1830 he commanded an expedition to Algeria.
See his letters (4 vol., 1914–24, in French).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: French History: Biographies