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Carnot, Lazare Nicolas Marguerite

Person | 13 mai 1753 - 2 août 1823 Identifier: FRAN_NP_050501
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France
Archives nationales

Date of birth:

13 mai 1753

Date of death:

2 août 1823

Alternative names:

Carnot, Lazare (1753-1823)

PLACE

Place:

Côte d'Or

Départements français

Role of the place:

Lieu général

Place:

Panthéon

Paris (France)

Role of the place:

Lieu général

Place:

Magdebourg

Allemagne

Role of the place:

Lieu général

Date:

1815 - 2 août 1823

Place:

Anvers

Belgique

Role of the place:

Lieu général

Date:

1814 - 1814

OCCUPATION

Occupation:

écrivain

Occupation:

Date:

20 mars 1815 - 20 juin 1815

Note:

Ministre de l'Intérieur

Occupation:

gouverneur

Date:

1814 - 1814

Note:

Gouverneur d'Anvers

Occupation:

Date:

9 novembre 1799 - 14 juin 1800

Note:

ministre de la Guerre

Occupation:

inspecteur

Date:

1793 - 1793

Note:

Inspecteur à l'armée du Nord

Occupation:

Date:

1791 - 1793

BIOGRAPHY

Biography:

Fils d’un notaire bourguignon, Lazare Carnot (1753-1823) est admis à l’École royale du Génie de Mézières en 1771. Malgré son intelligence et les soutiens dont il dispose, il connaît une ascension difficile, en raison de sa naissance : lieutenant en 1773, il n’a que le grade de capitaine en 1789. En pleine période de réaction nobiliaire, il cherche dans la réflexion un dérivatif aux entraves de sa carrière militaire. En 1783, il publie un essai sur les machines en général. L’année suivante, il reçoit le premier prix de l’Académie de Dijon pour son éloge de Vauban. Ce texte qui dénonce le despotisme, l’oisiveté et l’inégalité sociale, lui vaut quelques déboires avec sa hiérarchie.

Homme des Lumières pris dans le carcan de l’Ancien Régime, Carnot accueille favorablement la Révolution. En 1791, il est élu député du Pas-de-Calais à l’Assemblée législative, et se spécialise dans les affaires militaires. Réélu à la Convention en 1792, il devient peu à peu l’un des personnages les plus influents de la Ière République. Réputé pour ses qualités de représentant du peuple en mission, notamment auprès de l’armée du Rhin et des Pyrénées, il est appelé à siéger au Comité de Salut public le 14 août 1793, malgré la méfiance de Robespierre. Il se charge alors plus particulièrement des opérations militaires et, à l’heure où la République est menacée de toutes parts, il théorise et organise un nouveau modèle de combat : la guerre de masse. Il obtient le décret de la levée en masse le 16 août 1793, et va former les armées nouvelles avec Robert Lindet et Prieur de la Côte d’Or. Il rédige lui-même le fameux décret du 23 août 1793 : « Dès ce moment, jusqu’à celui où les ennemis de la République auront été chassés du territoire de la République, tous les Français sont en réquisition permanente pour le service des armées ». Théoricien, il n’hésite pas pour autant à prendre part aux opérations : le 16 octobre, il est à Wattignies lorsque les soldats de l’an II remportent une bataille décisive contre les Autrichiens. Dans les mois qui suivent, le danger d’invasion est progressivement écarté, et la victoire de Fleurus (26 juin 1794) illustre la puissance de la République. Carnot gagne alors le surnom d’ « Organisateur de la victoire » contre les armées coalisées et compose 14 armées formées de jeunes gens, fait participer femmes et vieillards à l’armement et à la défense de la patrie. Carnot participe au complot qui renverse Robespierre le 9 thermidor. Inquiété un moment, il poursuit sa carrière : membre de l’Institut dès sa création (octobre 1795), il est élu député de la Sarthe au Conseil des Anciens, puis devient Directeur. Mais son indécision lors du coup d’état royaliste du 18 fructidor an V (4 septembre 1797) le met dans une situation délicate : il s’enfuit en Suisse. Il regagne Paris en janvier 1800, pour servir Bonaparte, son ancien protégé. Nommé ministre de la guerre en avril 1800, il démissionne dès octobre. Le parcours de Carnot est alors chaotique : il est député du Tribunat de 1801 à 1807, gouverneur de la place forte d’Anvers en 1814, ministre de l’Intérieur lors des Cent-Jours.

Carnot s’adonne à la poésie, faisant partie de Rosati d’Arras, depuis 1786, avant même qu’il soit élu député du Pas-de-Calais. Cette société de poètes admirait entre autre, comme Carnot, le poète persan Saadi, ce qui influença Lazare dans le choix du prénom Sadi pour son fils aîné, mort prématurément, et créa la tradition de ce prénom dans la famille. Pendant cette période, il continue son œuvre scientifique, avec des intérêts les plus divers comme l’hydraulique, l’algèbre, la chimie. Il publie ses importantes Réflexions sur la métaphysique du calcul infinitésimal (1797), et fait paraître en 1803 les Principes fondamentaux de l’équilibre et du mouvement, qui exerceront une influence durable sur la physique mécanique. Il compose par ordre de l’empereur pour l’instruction des élèves du corps du Génie l'ouvrage De la Défense des places fortes en 1810. On recense environ 108 titres d’ouvrages théoriques scientifiques ou d’application militaire écrits et édités par Carnot, sans compter les projets d’ouvrage non édités.

Réfugié en Allemagne, à Magdebourg, après Waterloo et l'abdication de Napoléon Ier, Lazare Carnot finit sa vie en exil. Ses cendres seront transférées au Panthéon en 1889, alors que son petit-fils Sadi Carnot est président de la République.


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