Jean Lames, duke of Montebello, a marshal of France, born at Lectoure, Guienne, April 11, 1769, died in Vienna, May 31, 1809. He was apprenticed at 15 years of age to a dyer, but in 1792 entered the army, and soon attained the rank of chef de brigade. In 1795 he was included among the officers whom the report of the committee charged with reorganizing the army recommended to be dropped from the service; but disdaining an inactive life, he followed Bonaparte to Italy in 1796 as a volunteer, and distinguished himself at Millesimo, at Fombio, at the bridge of Lodi, and at the assault of Pavia, and was made a brigadier general. At the beginning of the battle of Arcole, Nov. 15, he was wounded; but learning that the combat had been renewed before the bridge, he mounted his horse, and plunging into the thickest of the fight was struck senseless by a ball while urging on the troops. In two months he was again in the field, and participated in some of the most important achievements of the campaign of 1797. He followed Bonaparte to Egypt in 1798, and fought with distinction at Gaza, Jaffa, St. Jean d'Acre, and Aboukir. At the last named place he was severely wounded while storming a redoubt.

Returning to France, he contributed greatly to the success of the 18th Brumaire, and received the command of the consular guard; and in the spring of 1800 he took command of the advanced guard of the army with which Napoleon entered Italy over the St. Bernard, and he ended a series of brilliant achievements by completely defeating the Austrians at Montebello, whence he subsequently received his ducal title. At Marengo he sustained for seven hours the attacks of the Austrian army supported by a powerful train of artillery, and was presented with a sword and selected to present to the French government the standards taken from the Austrians. In 1801 he was sent to Lisbon as minister plenipotentiary, but showed in this capacity so arbitrary and rapacious a disposition and so little of diplomatic finesse, that he was recalled. In 1804 he was created a marshal of the empire, and in 1805 accompanied Napoleon to the Austrian campaign. He was present at Wertingen, Ulm, and Braunau, and occupied Linz; and at Aus-terlitz he had two aides killed by his side. He was actively employed in the campaign of 1806 against the Prussians, and at the battle of Jena commanded the centre.

He subsequently participated in the campaign against the Russians, terminating at the battle of Friedland, June 14, 1807. In 1808 he accompanied the emperor into Spain, and, having defeated Cas-tanos and Palafox at Tudela, conducted the siege of Saragossa, which after a protracted defence, memorable alike for the heroic endurance of the inhabitants and the energy and skill of the French marshal, capitulated Feb. 21, 1809. He was almost immediately summoned to Germany, where the campaign of 1809 had already commenced. At Eckmuhl, April 22, his services mainly contributed to the successful issue of the battle; and at the assault on Ratisbon on the succeeding day he signalized himself by one of those daring acts for which he was conspicuous even among Napoleon's generals. Seeing that his men hesitated to enter the breach under a heavy fire from the ramparts, he seized a scaling ladder and led them in through a storm of shot, thereby carrying the place in a few minutes. The sanguinary battles of Aspern and Essling, May 21 and 22, witnessed the termination of his career.

On the 21st he held the village of Essling against the repeated attacks of the Austrians. On the succeeding day he led an immense column of infantry, artillery, and cavalry against the Austrian centre, but was forced back toward the bridge connecting the left bank of the Danube with the island of Lobau, whither the French were soon in full retreat. To animate his men, he dismounted, and stationed himself in the front ranks. At that moment a cannon ball carried away his right leg, and the foot and ankle of his left. As he was borne from the field, he encountered the emperor, who, kneeling by his litter, embraced him with tears, and showed an unusual degree of emotion. After nine days he expired in Vienna, whither he had been removed soon after the battle. A statue of Lannes was erected in his native place after the revolution of July, 1830. - His son, Napoleon Lannes de Montebello, duke, born July 30, 1801, was made a peer by Louis XVIII., but took his seat only after the accession of Louis Philippe, who employed him in the diplomatic service. In 1847-'8 he was minister of marine. In 1849 he was elected to the legislative assembly, in 1858 sent as ambassador to Russia, and in 1864 made a senator.

He died July 20, 1874.