Pierre Benoît Soult

Who was Pierre Benoît Soult?

Pierre Benoît Soult joined the French royal army before the French Revolution. He fought in the French Revolutionary Wars, emerging from the conflict as colonel of a cavalry regiment. A good deal of his early career was spent as aide-de-camp to his more talented brother Nicolas Soult who became Marshal in 1804. Transferred to Spain during the Napoleonic Wars, he first led a corps cavalry brigade, then after 1813 he commanded a cavalry division. He led a cavalry division during the Hundred Days. After 1830, he was brought out of retirement when his brother became part of the government. His surname and first initial represent one of the names inscribed under the Arc de Triomphe.