Louis-Joseph-Narcisse Marchand

First valet, Count of the Empire

Louis-Joseph-Narcisse Marchand was born in Paris on March 28, 1791.

In 1811, he entered the service of the Imperial Household as an apartment boy; his qualities of service and devotion were quickly appreciated by Napoleon I.

After the first abdication, he remained loyal to his Emperor, following him to Elba and being promoted to first valet.

In 1815, his devotion also led him to follow the deposed Emperor's exile to St. Helena.

Napoleon found in him a servant as attentive as he had been in his heyday. He looked after his master's toilet, clothes and food, but also acted as his nurse, reader, copyist and occasional secretary...

On his deathbed, Napoleon awarded him the title of Count, in recognition of his exemplary devotion, and appointed him executor of his will.

Returning to France, where he married in 1823, Marchand took part in the expedition to return the imperial ashes in 1840, along with Count de Joinville (son of King Louis-Philippe), generals Henri Gatien Bertrand and Gaspard Gourgaud, the son of Emmanuel de Las Cases, the Mamluk Ali...

His longevity enabled him to live through the Second Empire (Napoleon III confirmed his title of Count) and even the Third Republic, as he died in Trouville on June 19, 1876, the last survivor of those who rubbed shoulders with the Eagle ...

Louis-Joseph-Narcisse Marchand was buried in the 26th division of the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris .

Louis-Joseph-Narcisse Marchand's historically accurate Memoirs were published in 1952, and are regularly reprinted.