Macdonald came from a line of Scottish Jacobites who had taken refuge in France, those supporters of the Stuarts whom the failure of their cause had driven out. At Wagram, in 1809, Napoleon handed him the marshal's baton in the thick of battle, something he almost never granted. Duke of Taranto under the Empire, peer of France under the Bourbons, he died in 1840. The inscription makes him five years older.
The story
At Wagram, in 1809, he was given his marshal's baton on the battlefield itself. Napoleon granted that distinction only exceptionally, and never without the day having earned it.
Jacques Étienne Macdonald came of a Jacobite Scottish family exiled in France — supporters of the Stuarts, driven out after their cause failed. Born at Sedan in 1765, he went into the army with the Revolution, was made Duke of Taranto, then a peer of France under the Restoration, ending in the service of the Bourbons.
He died at Gien on 25 September 1840. Under the heading “Sépulture MACDONALD”, the inscription sets out his full name and his titles exactly — then gets it wrong: it has him born “le 17 novembre 1760”, five years before his real birth. Nothing explains the gap.
The grave
A grave under the heading “Sépulture MACDONALD”, whose inscription unrolls the full name and the titles: “Jacques Etienne Joseph Alexandre MACDONALD Duke of Taranto, peer and Marshal of France, born in Sedan on 17 November 1760…” One date is a problem: 1760, when the official birth is 1765. Five years' difference engraved in stone — with nothing to explain the discrepancy, on the grave of a man who received his baton at Wagram.
On site, do not miss
The inscription has him born in 1760 when the official date is 1765: five years apart. The titles, for their part, are correct — “Duke of Taranto, peer and Marshal of France”.
Visitors' questions
Where is Marshal Macdonald's grave?
In Division 37, avenue des Acacias, first row — not far from General Gobert. The inscription reads “Sépulture MACDONALD”, then his full name and titles: “pair et maréchal de France” — peer and Marshal of France. He died in 1840 and rests in Division 37.
General GobertWhy does he bear a Scottish name?
Because he came from a Scottish Jacobite family exiled to France — the supporters of the Stuarts, driven out after their cause was lost. He was born in Sedan and spent his whole career in the French army.
Marshal NeyWhen was he made a marshal?
In 1809, at Wagram, and on the battlefield itself: a distinction Napoleon granted only in exceptional cases. He was then made Duke of Taranto, and later a peer of France under the Restoration.
Gouvion Saint-CyrIs there a mistake on his grave?
Five years' worth: the inscription has him born in Sedan on 17 November 1760, while the official date is 1765. The discrepancy is set out without being settled — Père-Lachaise has dozens of stones with errors of this kind.
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