Michel Ordener | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Henri-François Riesener | |
| Born | 2 September 1755 L'Hôpital, Lorraine, France |
| Died | 30 August 1811 (aged 55) Compiegne, France |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France Kingdom of the French First French Republic  First French Empire |
| Years of service | 1776–1811 |
| Rank | General of Division |
| Commands | Horse Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Grand Officer of the Legion d’Honneur Order of the Iron Crown Count of the Empire[1] |
| Other work | Senator, First Equerry to the Empress, Governor of the Imperial Palace at Compiegne |
Michel, comte Ordener (French pronunciation: [miʃɛl ɔʁdənɛːʁ]; 2 September 1755 – 30 August 1811) was a French general of division and a commander in Napoleon's elite Imperial Guard. Of plebeian origins, he was born in L'Hôpital and enlisted as private at the age of 18 years in the Prince Condé's Legion. He was promoted through the ranks; as warrant officer of a regiment of Chasseurs à Cheval, he embraced the French Revolution in 1789. He advanced quickly through the officer ranks during the French Revolutionary Wars.
In 1804, Ordener organized and led the controversial kidnapping of the Duke d'Enghien. In 1805, he commanded a regiment of the Imperial Guard cavalry at several important battles, including the Battle of Austerlitz; although he led an energetic and opportune charge, Napoleon noted that Ordener seemed tired and predicted that the general would last only five or six years more. Ordener participated in one more campaign and then accepted a post in the Senate. Napoleon appointed him as Josephine Bonaparte's equerry, supervising the care and maintenance of her horses. He followed this with the post as governor of the Emperor's household in Compiegne, where Ordener died on 30 August 1811.
- ^ Tony Broughton. "The Garde Imperiale and Its Commanders during the Period 1804–1815: Artillery." Military Subjects: Organization, Tactics and Strategy. Napoleon Series. Robert Burnham, Editor in Chief, March 2003. Accessed 17 May 2010.