Museum of Great Men
From the Renaissance to the Resistance, follow in the footsteps of the major political figures at Les Invalides.
Armure de François Ier, travail de Jörg Seusenhofer et Degen Pirger, Innsbruck, 1539-1540 Vue de trois-quartsMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Francis I (1494–1547)
Considered the king of the French Renaissance. His influence allowed for the significant development of arts and literature in France. In military and political terms, his reign was punctuated by wars and important diplomatic events.
This armor bears witness to the stature of the sovereign, who measured 6.2 feet (1.98 m).
Cannon with the emblems of François I DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The salamander, the emblem of Francis I, is well known by all, but its meaning and the reasons why Francis I adopted it remain a mystery.
Legend has it that the salamander can live in flames, that it "feeds off good fire, and extinguishes the bad." : the King feeds off virtues and extinguishes vices.
Armure du dauphin Henri, futur Henri II Armure du dauphin Henri, futur Henri II (Ca.1540) by Francesco Negroli (Armourer)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Henry II (1519–1559)
Son of Francis I, Henry II inherited the most powerful and richest kingdom of Europe. His reign saw the softening of repressions against the Protestants. His death during a tournament was the start of a period of instability for the French monarchy, marked by civil wars between the Catholics and Protestants.
Hybrid culverin with the emblems of Henri II DetailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Like many sovereigns before him, Henry II adopted an emblem: the "H" atop a crown, which appears on all the cannons cast during his reign.
He also sometimes used a monogram comprising a "H" and two "C" intertwined back to back. Some say that behind this "C," there is a "D": as in Diane de Poitiers, the King's official mistress. An ambiguity that raises a smile, but which has no truth to it.
Henry IV (1553–1610)
After the assassination of Henry III (the son of Henry II and the grandson of Francis I ... keeping up?) in 1589, the protestant Henry of Bourbon was the only legitimate successor to the throne of France. In 1598, he signed the Edict of Nantes and brought civil and religious peace to the kingdom.
Louis XIV (1638-1715), Roi de France et de Navarre (1701) by Based on Rigau y Ros a.k.a. Rigaud HyacintheMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Louis XIV (1638–1715)
Louis XIV, known as the Sun King was King of France between 1643 and 1715. His 72 year reign is the longest in the history of Europe. He centralized royal power and imposed monarchical authority.
It's the King!
Armure de Louis XIV, Francesco et Giovan Battista da Garbagnate, Brescia, 1668 DétailMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Louis XIV chose the sun as his emblem: a star around which all the planets gravitate, like his court under his reign. The sun is also called Apollo, god of peace, the arts, and beauty. And then, in 1662 during a ballet, Louis XIV appeared dressed as the sun, which earned him the name Sun King for centuries.
General La Fayette (1757–1834)
His ideas of liberty and equality resulted in him fighting during the American Revolutionary War against Great Britain. He later made a name for himself in France where, in 1789, he drafted the first Declaration of Human Rights and played a decisive role in the French Revolution.
Napoleon I (1769–1821)
Napoleon Bonaparte began his career at a very early age. Benefitting from the Revolution, he became General then rose to power by becoming First Consul in 1799, and consul for life between August 2, 1802 and May 18, 1804: the date on which he was declared Emperor.
While you are here, why not read our story about Napoleon on the Imperial throne according to Ingres!
Napoleon III (1808–1873), Emperor of France (19th century) by Unsigned and Based on Franz Xaver WinterhalterMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Napoleon III (1808–1873)
Nephew of Napoleon I, he was both the first President of the French Republic (elected in 1848) and the last monarch, emperor of the French, from 1852 to 1870.
He reestablished the Empire and encouraged the unification of Italy against the domination of Austria.
Battle of Solferino, June 24, 1859 (1861) by Louis-Eugène Charpentier (Painter)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
The last French sovereign to personally command the army on the battlefields, he left for Italy with his troops in May 1859. In Solférino, the French army allied with the Sardinian army was victorious against the Austrian army and, in exchange, received their help with Savoy and the county of Nice.
Tract figurant le portrait de De Gaulle (Ca. 1943) by AnonymousMusée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970)
A soldier during World War I, Charles de Gaulle showed great courage. When World War II broke out, he becames general thanks to his action on the frontline and was then named Undersecretary of State for National Defence.
White FNFL (Free France Naval Forces) naval bag White FNFL (Free France Naval Forces) naval bag (2nd quarter of the 20th century)Musée de l'Armée - Hôtel des Invalides
On June 18, 1840, General de Gaulle made a statement through the BBC, calling on all French people to continue to fight. This call was the founding act of the Free French Forces.
President of the Provisional Government between 1944 and 1946, in 1958, he founded the 5th Republic, of which he was the first president between 1959 and 1969.
A story written and edited by the teams of the Army Museum.
© Musée de l’Armée
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