I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée)
Military unit
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The I Cavalry Corps of the Grande Armée was a French military unit that existed during the Napoleonic Wars.
| I Cavalry Corps | |
|---|---|
 Battle of Borodino panorama | |
| Active | 1812–1814 |
| Country |  First French Empire |
| Branch | French Imperial Army |
| Type | Shock cavalry |
| Size | Corps |
| Engagements | Russian campaign War of the Sixth Coalition |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Jean-Pierre Doumerc Joachim Murat Étienne de Nansouty Pierre Claude Pajol Victor de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg |
History
For one month in 1806–1807, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte split his Reserve Cavalry Corps into the I and II Cavalry Corps. At that time, Marshal Joachim Murat took command of the short-lived I Cavalry Corps before resuming leadership over Napoleon's Reserve Cavalry when the experiment ended.
The I Cavalry Corps was not recreated until 1812 for the invasion of Russia when command was exercised by General Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty. The corps fought at Borodino[1] and Tarutino. After being destroyed during the retreat from Russia, the I Cavalry Corps was reconstituted in 1813 and General Victor de Fay de La Tour-Maubourg was appointed to lead it.[2] The corps fought at Lützen, Bautzen, Dresden, and Leipzig. At Leipzig, the corp took part in Murat's great charge, Latour-Maubourg was seriously wounded at the battle[2] and replaced by General Jean-Pierre Doumerc who led the corps for the remainder of the War of the Sixth Coalition which ended with Napoleon's abdication in 1814.