Antoine Joseph Marie d'Espinassy

Antoine Joseph Marie d'Espinassy (de Fontanelle) was a General in the French Revolution and a Deputy of the Department of Var in Provence, France in the National Assembly of the First Republic of France. He was an Advanced Member of the Council of Five Hundred. His family were among the first French nobles to support the French Revolution; he and his father were among the first to support Napoleon Bonaparte.

Early life

d'Espinassy was born August 13, 1757 in the the Castle de la Jaconniere in Signes, France to Lady Marie Magdeleine Garoutte and General Cesar Antoine d'Espinassy de Venel. Both his father and mother were a 6-Generation separation from Louis Capet XVI of France and both were descended from King Henry IV of France. His father was a Knight of the Royal Order of Saint Louis, once Captain of a French war vessel named Great Saint Simon and later became a General in the Royal French Army. In 1770 the Garoutte and d'Espinassy Families owned over half of the land and properties of Marseille, they received taxes from the Peasantry and they additionally ran businesses in arms manufacturing that armed American Rebels in the American Revolution.

Military career

d'Espinassy came into early service in the French Colonial Army as a Captain of the Artillery and when he showed great enthusiasm for this and after coming up with brilliant ideas he was then elected to the Legislative Assembly on September 12, 1791. He was reelected to the Convention on September 5, 1792.

He was sent on a mission to Perpignan on September 22, 1792 with his colleagues Aubry and Carnot the elder and on November 23, 1792 he announced to the Convention Sospello's decision and informed the Convention about the deprevation of the troops.

In the Trial of Louis XVI in January of 1793, he voted for the death, dismissing the appeal to the people and the stay.

He was then sent on another mission to the Army of the Alps where he joined with General Brunet and went on a mission to Barras, Freron, and Salicetti. He was accused of having abandoned his post in Nice and was escorted to a Public Committee in Paris where they recognized his innocence.

He was one of the 73 Signers of the Gironde Party Protest on May 31, 1793 and he withdew to the south. He was recalled to the Convention on December 8, 1794 and on this occasion he wrote to his colleagues the following letter:

"Espinassy, Representative of the people to his colleagues:

Fellow citizens, your virtues have never shone with more luster than when you were reminded of your unfortunate colleagues. Our innocence demands justice! I will join with you and continue our work, spend the rest of my days with you in the happiness of my country, and die if necessary to fulfill this sacred duty.

Fraternity always,

- Despinassy."

He was then appointed Colonel of the Artillery Regiment on May 21, 1795. On May 30, 1795 he was sent on a mission to Toulon and on June 12, 1795 he was sent to Lyon to appease the religious passions that were aroused in Gevaudan.

He was called back to the Convention on October 16, 1795 and he resumed his place there on October 26, 1795. On May 20, 1797 he entered the Council of Five Hundred as ex-Conventional. He was promoted to General on April 28, 1797 and he retired by Lyon on April 1, 1811.

After the Restoration of the Bourbons he and his family became Enemies of the State for their support and actions in the French Revolution, they fled to Lausanne, Switzerland and they changed their name to de Fontanelle, the name of Joseph's wife to evade any detection and capture by King Louis XVIII.

Personal Details

d'Espinassy was described by his peers as a classical scholar and a most upright and amiable man.

His sons married into the Royal House of Essex of England, a House greatly favored by the Central Royalty of England.

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