Georges Cadoudal

French Royalist Leader
1771-1804

Georges Cadoudal was a miller's son and fervent Royalist who took up arms in La Vendee against the Revolution.

In 1793 he led one of the forces against France's new regime and continued the struggle despite the odds against him.

He met Napoleon Bonaparte, but was not convinced by the First Consul that his continued resistance would eventually fail.

An offer of an amnesty was rejected in 1795 and he took part in the Quiberon debacle.

Cadoudal spent much of his time in England and organised anti-Bonaparte plots - although he denied being involved in the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate him with a bomb in 1800.

In 1803, he began planning to kidnap Bonaparte - together with generals Jean Moreau and Jean Pichegru - but the 1804 attempt failed.

After six months on the run he was finally caught and, despite a face-to-face talk with Bonaparte, refused to ask for clemency.

He was executed in June 1804.