Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/PatriceMacMahon.jpg Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta President of France, 1873-1879 Marie Edmé Patrice Maurice MacMahon, duc de Magenta, Marshal of France (July 13, 1808 - October 16, 1893) was a Frenchman of Irish descent. He served as President of the Third French Republic from 1873 to 1879. To date he is the only person of Irish descent to have served as a head of state in continental Europe. Born in Sully (near Autun) , in the département of Saône-et-Loire, Patrice MacMahon was the 16th of 17 children of a family already in the French nobility (his grandfather was named Marquis d'Equilly by king Louis XV, and the family in France had decidedly royalist politics). His ancestors settled in France from county Limerick (although they were originally from County Clare) during the reign of James II, owing to the penal laws. They applied for naturalization in 1749. Patrice MacMahon was educated at the College of Louis Le Grand and at the Academy of St-Cyr, graduating in 1827. French statesman and marshal Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta He served in the Army as aide-de-camp to General Achard, and went to the campaign in Algiers in 1830. He stayed in Algeria from 1834-1854, and was wounded during an assault on Constantine in 1837. He became commander of the Foreign Legion in 1843, and was promoted to Division General in 1852. In the Crimean War, he distinguished himself in the Battle of Malakoff at Sevastopol (September 8, 1855). He was offered the top French Army post after the war but declined, preferring to return to Algeria. He was appointed to the French Senate in 1856. He fought in the Austro-Italian War as commander of the Second Corps ("Army of Italy"). He secured the French victory at Magenta (June 4, 1859) and rose to the rank of marshal while in the field. He was later named "duc de Magenta" by Napoleon III as a result. He served as Governor-General of Algeria from September 1, 1864, returning at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, during which he led an Alsatian army unit (although attrition throughout the war led to men from other areas being added to this). As president of France, he controversially dismissed the republican Prime Minister, replacing him with a known monarchist, before dissolving the French National Assembly on May 16, 1877 in an effort to halt the rise of Republicanism and boost the prospects of a restoration of the monarchy under the Comte de Chambord. He died at Montcresson, Loiret. Preceded by: Adolphe Thiers President of France Succeeded by: François Paul Jules Grévy External link http://www.limerick.com/history/marshallmcmahon.html Most Popular Articles: Music    Musical Instruments    Guitar    Classical Music    History    Music Definition    Country Music    Rock Music    Pop Music    Hip Hop    Rap    DJ    Video Games    Casino Games    Poker    Blackjack    Casinos    Real Estate    Loan    Auction    eBay    Marketing    Search Engine Optimization    File Sharing    MP3    Music Industry    Kazaa    Internet    Supermodel    Fashion    Fashion Designers    Erotica    Modeling    Clothing    Boots    Shoes    Diamond Engagement Rings    Diamond    Rugs    Gospel Music    Affiliate    E-Commerce    Radio This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html You may copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license. You must provide a link to http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html To view or edit this article at Wikipedia go to http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrice_MacMahon,_duc_de_Magenta