Championnet, Jean étienne

Related Category: French History: Biographies

(zhäN ātyĕn´ shäNpyônĕ´), 1762–1800, French general in the French Revolutionary Wars. Placed in command of the Army of Rome in 1798, he captured (1799) Naples from the Second Coalition and set up the Parthenopean Republic. However, he got into trouble with the Directory by denouncing the malpractices of one of its agents in Naples; moreover, his harsh rule caused popular discontent, and he was recalled in disgrace. Later acquitted, he commanded the Army of the Alps, but was unable to win success with this badly organized unit and resigned. He died shortly after.