532:
726:
390:
833:. Boutin was officially a foreign trade agent with a passion for Egyptology and was closely monitored by English agents. With the support of Muhammad Ali, who aspired to independence from Ottoman domination, he was furnished with all required firman passes for unrestricted movement throughout Egypt. The relationship between France and Egypt was positive at that time, as Mehmet Ali had committed to providing wheat to France at a significantly lower price than that offered by the English. Boutin visited Egyptian temples such as
865:
911:. Although he was supposed to have been accompanied by a local guide, he failed to return. After receiving no news, Lady Stanhope began conducting excavations within the region. Subsequently, the remains of Vincent-Yves Boutin and his guide were discovered. A year later, Lady Stanhope obtained a pledge from Pasha Suleiman of Acre that he would lead a punitive expedition against the Assassins.
563:, General Horace Sebastianini. The city was directly threatened by an English squadron stationed in the Straits. Boutin had been given carte blanche by the Sultan and recruited two thousand Turks who were supervised by French officers to undertake vital fortification works. Boutin removed all firearms and ammunition from the arsenals and identified the positions of the batteries located at
672:"Is there a harbour on this coast that can protect a squadron from a stronger adversary? Which ports would the army utilize for refuelling once it has landed on the shore? And how many ports can the enemy blockade? During which season is the air free of the plague and safe to breathe? I presume it to be October." Napoleon, 1808
714:, the French frigate was pursued by the Royal Navy and, after seven hours of chase, was disabled by cannon fire. Before being caught, Boutin had time to throw his mission papers into the water to prevent them from falling into the hands of the English enemy. Following his capture, he was incarcerated in a prison located in
748:, an encounter that he remembered vividly. While staying in Paris, he located his childhood sweetheart Louise de Préville, who had been elevated to the position of lady-in-waiting to the Empress. Soon he discovered that she was married and had two children; their relationship would remain strictly platonic thereafter.
315:. Vincent-Yves Boutin was the second youngest of six siblings. His father, Yves Boutin, was a blacksmith who held anti-clerical and liberal views. Two of his brothers were also blacksmiths, while the third was a baker and the fourth a sailor. His youngest sister passed away before she turned ten. During the
579:
ordered his squadron to retreat and the
English forces withdrew. After the operation concluded, the Sultan convened with his advisors, including Ambassador Sebastiani and Boutin. Selim III directed his attention to Boutin, expressing his gratitude by asking, "Captain, what can I do for you since you
615:
in their offensive against the
Russians. The six-month mission to the Pasha was met with mixed results as no significant military operation effectively weakened Russian positions. Nonetheless, the Treaty of Tilsit brought peace with Russia, and the tsar agreed to relinquish claims on Turkey. At the
883:. Following her uncle's death in 1806, Lady Stanhope fled England and went into exile in Cairo, where she became a prominent member of the local elite. Although Boutin initially harboured suspicions about her, the two began a romantic relationship. Ultimately, in June 1815, they settled in
334:, among others, while attending the establishment. During his time at Lycée de l'Oratoire, he studied arithmetic, chemistry, liberal arts, natural sciences, and Latin. Algebra and mathematics were his preferred subjects, and he graduated from high school at the age of 19 with the rank of
860:
In March 1814, Colonel Boutin arrived in Saida, located south of Beirut and afflicted by the plague. He proceeded with his mission until Aleppo, where the French Consul informed him of
Napoleon's abdication. However, he was determined to continue his mission in the Levant to the end.
705:
while evading the Dey's spy who was tailing him, and subsequently concluded that a French landing at that location was feasible. On 17 July 1808, following the documentation of all observations in writing and creating various topographic maps, Boutin departed
Algiers on the
504:
to oversee the creation of topographic references. During his time there, the city fell under siege by the
Russians and Boutin narrowly escaped before being intercepted by a Russian frigate. He and three fellow French officers were detained for three months on the
692:
anchored in
Algiers' roadstead on 24 May. Boutin stays with the French Consul Dubois-Thainville, who advised him of the Dey of Algiers' animosity. During his visit, Boutin conducted a systematic tour of the city and its environs, including visits to
648:
that French authorities were not keen to pay. Napoleon had plans for a French landing in
Algiers. Strategically, the city proved to be an advantageous base for the French fleet, given its location in an area dominated by the
362:. In August 1793, he sat for the entrance exam of the military academy, which covered arithmetic, mechanics, hydrodynamics, and integral calculus. He excelled and enrolled at the Génie Militaire de Mézières in October.
1067:
381:, anti-revolutionary and reactionary soldiers, executed his father and older brother. The rest of his family fled and settled in Nantes. In 1797, at the age of 25, his two soldier brothers and his mother died.
527:"One can observe the unusual sight of a French officer garbed in oriental attire, including a turban, wide draperies, and slippers. He converses with small groups of men in their native language." Solet, 1999
701:. He also took advantage of the opportunity to enhance his command of Arabic, focusing on the basics he learned in Constantinople. On a half-day excursion to the west of Algiers, he uncovered the pages of
413:
and as a
Military Engineering engineer, he was responsible for developing strategies for infantry and artillery actions, as well as conducting surveys on the field. He was subsequently dispatched to the
740:' detailed means, its terrestrial and maritime geography, resources, culture, and climate. The report was conveyed straight to Napoleon, who had a lengthy discussion with Captain Boutin at the
584:, I have only fulfilled my duty." The honour and the pleasure of having been useful to your Highness is my greatest reward." For his resistance, Sultan Selim II honoured Boutin with the
665:
to travel to
Algiers and assess the necessary conditions for a French landing. Boutin thus travelled incognito, posing as the French consul's cousin with whom he is staying in Algiers.
543:
In 1807, the
Russian Empire and Great Britain were the principal nations that opposed Napoleonic France. Napoleon dispatched artillery captain Leclerc and engineer captain Boutin to
560:
722:. However, after a few weeks, he managed to elude the English's surveillance and escaped. He then returned to Constantinople, and from there, travelled by land to France.
431:
215:
354:, he disapproved of the excesses of violence during the Revolution. During his three-year stay in Paris, Vincent Yves witnessed pivotal events of the Revolution the
1087:
616:
close of 1807, Boutin returned to Paris with two letters of recommendation from Ambassador Sebastianini and Ibrahim Pasha. He was subsequently awarded with the
895:
The precise date of Boutin's demise remains uncertain. Frédéric Meyer posits that he perished on 18 June 1815, coinciding with Napoleon's ultimate defeat at
853:. During the winter of 1813, exploratory expeditions led by him to the western region of Egypt to investigate the remains of the Amun temple situated in the
588:, one of the highest accolades given to non-Muslim foreigners. Additionally, Boutin was presented with a box of four hundred thousand gold coins as a gift.
1082:
1062:
786:
at the behest of Napoleon. The Emperor intended to dispatch him on reconnaissance to the Near East to block the English from the Indian route.
1072:
307:
region in the fifteenth century, the Boutin family has its roots there. In the mid-seventeenth century, a segment of the family migrated to
377:. During his military training, Boutin had a relationship with Louise de Préville, the sister of one of his classmates. The same year, the
277:
531:
571:. This task was completed in just five days. On 27 February a battle ensued, with English frigates deployed in front of the port and the
351:
826:
822:. The minister retained him in Paris due to the fear of the mission's failure. He did not depart for the Near East until April 1811.
283:. In the summer of 1815, when he was 43 years old, he vanished under mysterious circumstances in the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range.
266:
133:
389:
725:
576:
322:
As a child of minor notables, he finished his primary education in the village before being sent to the Lycée de l'Oratoire in
243:
984:"Le rapport de Vincent-Yves Boutin sur la régence d'Alger. Pour une nouvelle réflexion sur l'histoire de l'Algérie coloniale"
849:. However, he was unable to travel to the Arabian Peninsula due to a lack of a valid pass, where he had intended to meet the
787:
644:
ports relied heavily on piracy. France was particularly drawn to Algiers: the First Republic had a substantial debt with the
513:
of Russia and the Ottoman Empire. In early 1807, he was released as part of a prisoner exchange for twenty Russian officers.
359:
900:
662:
628:
At the start of the 19th century, North Africa was officially under Ottoman authority, but its power was weak in reality.
559:
and gain access to the Mediterranean. The pair arrived in the Ottoman capital on 17 February 1807 and were greeted by the
355:
191:
58:
1018:
Boutin, le "Lawrence" de Napoléon, espion à Alger et en Orient, pionnier de l'Algérie française : essai biographique
736:
In his mission report, Boutin reconstructed the written and graphic material from memory. The report elaborated on the
331:
745:
539:
visiting the French general SĂ©bastiani during the defence of Constantinople in February 1807 against the British navy
688:. Despite the challenging navigational conditions that resulted from the hostile presence of the English fleet, the
927:, where streets are named after him. The French colonization period in Algeria saw Boutin's name being used in the
756:
343:
109:
825:
After travelling largely overland, he was welcomed in Cairo by the French Consul Drovetti and subsequently by the
488:
regime. He was fascinated by Napoleon and ultimately pledged his allegiance to him. In 1805, he took part in the
207:
199:
104:
880:
783:
280:
751:
Napoleon's planned expedition to Algiers was cancelled due to ongoing conflicts in Europe. Nevertheless, King
759:. Based upon Boutin's recommendations, the French landed successfully on Sidi-Ferruch beach on 5 July 1830.
592:
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729:
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552:
481:
477:. In June 1800, he received a promotion to the rank of captain and later became chief of the battalion.
462:
410:
262:
146:
68:
1057:
1052:
876:
868:
510:
338:. At the age of 20, in 1792, he began his military career. He left the region of Nantes and moved to
273:
171:
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752:
447:
292:
183:
72:
42:
864:
466:
904:
737:
435:
427:
899:. However, what is established is that Boutin embarked on a final reconnaissance mission to the
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46:
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342:, where he prepared for the highly selective entrance examination to the Ecole du GĂ©nie de
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203:
116:
767:
770:. Injured in his right thigh during the battle, he was promoted to the rank of colonel.
641:
544:
406:
365:
The school faced significant anti-revolutionary agitation from the nobility during the
239:
211:
195:
1003:
Correspondance générale VIII, Expansions méridionales et résistances 1808-janvier 1809
1046:
946:, and he was later made a Knight of the Legion of Honor by Napoleon in January 1808.
908:
838:
661:. Consequently, Commander Boutin received a mission order from Admiral Decres of the
489:
419:
401:
In September 1794, Boutin was appointed as a lieutenant in the army and stationed in
394:
121:
811:
319:
in 1789, his father was elected as the mayor of the village of Lorroux-Bottereau.
308:
694:
556:
443:
423:
378:
854:
795:
702:
650:
470:
402:
158:
198:) was a French engineer, adventurer, officer and spy who participated in the
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850:
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654:
612:
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600:
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and Minister of War, assigned Boutin the task of inspecting the cities of
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Boutin was sent by the French ambassador Sebastianini to the grand vizier
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715:
681:
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223:
222:. He was tasked with undertaking intelligence and espionage missions for
219:
187:
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884:
633:
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have saved both my capital and myself?" Boutin humbly responds, "
480:
Boutin was a Republican who became disenchanted by the excesses of the
455:
235:
206:. He was born into a humble family in western France and served in the
920:
834:
819:
791:
779:
711:
677:
493:
451:
323:
296:
782:, United Provinces of the Netherlands, was summoned to Paris by the
744:. During the interview, Boutin also had the opportunity to meet the
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339:
231:
227:
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370:
645:
492:, during which he enabled the seizure of two bridges over the
461:
Throughout these years, he served in the armies of Generals
350:. Although supportive of the republic and critical of the
1068:
French military personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars
611:. Boutin was in charge of assisting Ibrahim Pasha and his
778:
In 1810, Boutin, who was stationed in the port city of
988:
Source(s) – Arts, Civilisation et Histoire de l'Europe
299:, theretofore part of the province of Brittany in the
755:
adopted Boutin's strategies two decades later in the
668:
The missions entrusted to Boutin were the following:
1005:(in French). Paris: Fayard & Fondation Napoléon.
265:
for his victorious defence of Constantinople in the
167:
157:
142:
97:
89:
79:
64:
52:
36:
21:
710:vessel. On 28 July, while en route and not far to
291:Vincent-Yves Boutin was born on 1 January 1772 in
879:, the niece of the former British Prime Minister
575:. Boutin himself lead the city defence. Finally,
369:, and in 1794, the military school was moved to
257:for his espionage and intelligence work. Sultan
676:On 9 May 1808 Boutin departed from the port of
238:. Additionally, he participated in defending
8:
1035:(in French). Paris: Éditions France-Empire.
326:at eight years old. He became friends with
255:Chevalier de l'Ordre de la LĂ©gion d'Honneur
18:
919:Colonel Boutin has been honoured in both
599:on the banks of the Danube, not far from
509:. At that time, the island was under the
496:. The following year, Boutin was sent to
530:
388:
955:
875:During his mission, Boutin encountered
762:Captain Boutin was present during the
561:French ambassador to the Sublime Porte
1033:Boutin Vincent-Yves, Colonel d'Empire
663:Ministry of the Navy and the Colonies
484:and the widespread corruption of the
163:Royal School of Engineering, Mézières
7:
1088:Knights of the Order of the Crescent
766:from 4 to 6 July 1809 alongside the
982:Boukechour, Mohammed Salah (2017).
595:whose headquarters were located in
407:United Provinces of the Netherlands
857:, which borders modern-day Libya.
272:He was romantically involved with
14:
409:. He served in the army of
330:, who later served as Napoleon's
454:until 1804; then he was sent to
1083:Knights of the Legion of Honour
944:Imperial Order of the Crescent
586:Imperial Order of the Crescent
360:insurrection of 10 August 1792
263:Imperial Order of the Crescent
242:against the British forces of
31:KC, Knight with eminent merits
1:
1063:18th-century French engineers
620:by Napoleon upon his return.
551:defend the city against Tsar
356:demonstration of 20 June 1792
192:Syrian Coastal Mountain Range
134:Anglo-Turkish War (1807–1809)
59:Syrian Coastal Mountain Range
1073:People from Loire-Atlantique
1001:Bonaparte, Napoléon (2011).
845:, and even journeyed to the
603:. The Russians were then in
276:, the explorer and niece of
774:Egypt and Syria (1810-1815)
732:, Boutin's support in Egypt
555:'s attempts to control the
1104:
757:French conquest of Algeria
871:, the last Boutin's lover
607:and were now threatening
567:and on both sides of the
522:Mission to Constantinople
208:French revolutionary army
200:French Revolutionary wars
105:French Revolutionary Wars
1031:Meyer, Frédéric (1991).
1016:Marchioni, Jean (2007).
963:Solet, Bertrand (1999).
881:William Pitt the Younger
393:Boutin took part in the
287:Early life and education
281:William Pitt the Younger
901:Al-Anṣariyyah mountains
891:Disappearance and death
432:second Italian campaign
352:constitutional monarchy
872:
733:
674:
540:
529:
442:. He was stationed in
398:
278:British Prime Minister
149:(1807); Knight of the
942:awarded him with the
867:
728:
670:
534:
525:
392:
303:. Established in the
147:Order of the Crescent
69:French First Republic
967:(in French). Paris:
931:and to a village in
887:, modern-day Syria.
877:Lady Hester Stanhope
869:Lady Hester Stanhope
788:General Henri Clarke
293:Le Lorroux-Bottereau
274:Lady Hester Stanhope
188:Province of Brittany
172:Lady Hester Stanhope
184:Le Loroux-Bottereau
180:Vincent-Yves Boutin
110:Siege of Maastricht
73:First French Empire
56:Summer 1815 (at 43)
43:Le Loroux-Bottereau
27:Vincent-Yves Boutin
873:
847:cataracts of Aswan
738:Regency of Algiers
734:
541:
511:joint protectorate
428:Cisalpine Republic
399:
385:Revolutionary wars
332:Minister of Police
929:casbah of Algiers
903:to encounter the
746:Empress Joséphine
684:, on the frigate
624:In Algiers (1808)
577:Admiral Duckworth
397:, c. October 1805
317:French Revolution
301:Kingdom of France
267:Anglo-Turkish war
244:Admiral Duckworth
182:(1 January 1772,
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47:Kingdom of France
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965:Espion en Egypte
960:
940:Sultan Selim III
925:Loroux-Bottereau
827:Viceroy of Egypt
764:Battle of Wagram
742:Tuileries Palace
618:Legion of Honour
261:awarded him the
253:granted him the
216:Italian campaign
212:United Provinces
151:Legion of Honour
127:Battle of Wagram
85:French Land Army
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626:
573:Seraglio palace
547:to help Sultan
524:
519:
507:island of Corfu
434:. He fought at
418:as part of the
411:General Jourdan
387:
367:reign of Terror
348:Ardennes region
289:
204:Napoleonic Wars
190:- August 1815,
138:
117:Napoleonic Wars
57:
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32:
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16:French explorer
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851:Wahhabite sect
792:Duke of Feltre
775:
772:
653:from bases in
646:Dey of Algiers
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565:Topkapi Palace
545:Constantinople
523:
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482:First Republic
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336:Master of Arts
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240:Constantinople
196:Ottoman Empire
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831:Muhammad Ali
824:
784:War Minister
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768:Grande Armée
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730:Muhammad Ali
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703:Sidi Ferruch
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248:
179:
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98:Battles/wars
71:(1792-1804)
1058:1815 deaths
1053:1772 births
695:Bab El-Oued
613:janissaries
557:Dardanelles
553:Alexander I
444:Alessandria
430:during the
424:Switzerland
75:(1804-1815)
1047:Categories
1020:. Gandini.
990:: 119–131.
969:Flammarion
950:References
909:Isma'ilism
855:Siwa oasis
796:Alexandria
651:Royal Navy
486:Directoire
426:, and the
403:Maastricht
246:in 1807.
224:Napoleon I
159:Alma mater
65:Allegiance
938:In 1807,
905:Assassins
753:Charles X
699:Bab Azoun
655:Gibraltar
609:Wallachia
601:Bucharest
569:Bosphorus
549:Selim III
537:Selim III
475:Bonaparte
448:Peschiera
416:Rhineland
259:Selim III
249:In 1808,
214:, in the
168:Relations
897:Waterloo
816:Damascus
804:Damietta
716:Valletta
682:Provence
605:Moldavia
597:Silistra
517:Missions
502:Dalmatia
436:Rovereto
375:Lorraine
358:and the
344:Mézières
313:Normandy
305:Poitiers
251:Napoleon
220:Dalmatia
202:and the
80:Service/
933:Oranais
885:Latakia
642:Tripoli
634:Algiers
535:Sultan
467:Masséna
463:Jourdan
456:Utrecht
440:Pozzolo
379:Chouans
295:, near
236:Algiers
218:and in
210:in the
93:Colonel
23:Colonel
921:Nantes
915:Legacy
841:, and
839:Thebes
835:Karnak
820:Smyrna
818:, and
790:, the
780:Ostend
712:Monaco
708:Requin
690:Requin
686:Requin
678:Toulon
640:, and
498:Ragusa
494:Danube
473:, and
452:Verona
450:, and
324:Nantes
309:Vernon
297:Nantes
234:, and
153:(1808)
143:Awards
82:branch
843:Luxor
808:Jaffa
800:Cairo
720:Malta
659:Malta
638:Tunis
340:Paris
232:Syria
228:Egypt
923:and
812:Acre
697:and
657:and
630:Oran
582:Sire
438:and
371:Metz
90:Rank
53:Died
37:Born
935:.
471:Ney
458:.
226:in
1049::
986:.
837:,
829:,
814:,
810:,
806:,
802:,
798:,
718:,
680:,
636:,
632:,
500:,
469:,
465:,
446:,
422:,
405:,
373:,
346:,
311:,
269:.
230:,
194:,
186:,
45:,
971:.
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