November 17, 1772 (La Porta, Corsica) - July 20, 1851 (Paris)
Having preferred military uniform to ecclesiastical dress, Sebastiani s joined the Ventimiglia regiment in 1789 as a second lieutenant. He was first assigned to Corsica, then to the Year of the Alps in June 1794. He was wounded at Dego, fought at Arcole, was promoted to squadron leader at the end of 1797. Taken prisoner at Verderio (April 28 1799), he was released soon after. In garrison in Paris, he uses his dragoons to drive out the recalcitrant deputies in Saint-Cloud, on 19 Brumaire. Bonaparte will not forget it. In 1800 Sebastiani was at Marengo and at the passage of the Mincio. After a mission to Constantinople and Egypt, he was promoted to brigadier general in 1803. Seriously wounded at Austerlitz, he was appointed major general on December 21, 1805. He returned to Constantinople as ambassador on May 2, 1806 and remained there until on April 27, 1808, then took up arms again in Spain. He won many successes there, notably at Almonacid (August 11, 1809). He refuses to join in the intrigues of Soult and King Joseph against the Emperor, but the latter, sensitive to slanderous rumours, suspects him and their relationship deteriorates. After failures at Drissa (July 15) and Inkowo (August 8, 1812), Sebastiani redeems himself at Moskva. He was placed at the head of the remnants of the cavalry of the Grande Armée at the end of the Russian campaign and took part in all the important battles of 1813, was wounded by a spear in the chest in Leipzig but remained at the head of his troops, overthrew the Bavarians at Hanau (30-31 October 1813) and distinguished himself in the last battles of the campaign in France. Charged by Napoleon with the defense of Paris between Bercy and La Villette during the Hundred Days, Sebastiani went into exile in England until May 1816. He was elected deputy for Corsica in 1819, sat in the opposition and was not not re-elected in 1824. In 1826, the liberal electors of Aisne chose him to replace General Foy. Louis-Philippe appointed him Minister of the Navy (August 11-November 17, 1830), Minister of Foreign Affairs (November 17, 1830-October 11, 1832), Minister without Portfolio until his appointment, in April 1834, as Ambassador to Naples, then in London until 1840. In 1835, he swapped his seat in Aisne for a deputation in Corsica. Count of the Empire since the end of 1809, he became Marshal of France in October 1840. Buried at the Invalides, Sebastiani has his name inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.