Giacomo Pavetti
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Giacomo Pavetti | |
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| Born | January 11, 1772 |
| Died | July 28, 1815 |
| Alma mater | University of Turin |
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Giacomo Pavetti (born Giacomo, Antonio, Michele, Giacinto Pavetto; January 11, 1772 - July 28, 1815) Later known by his French name Jacques Pavetti, was a decorated and knighted military commander, lawyer, judge, and government official of Piedmont Italy, and Paris, France during the time of the French Revolution, the Revolutionary Wars, and later the French Monarchy of Louis XVIII. He was born in Romano Canavese, Piedmont, Italy, to Pietro Antonio Pavetto, a lawyer, and Domenica Maria Acotto. At the age of 22, in 1794, he obtained a Law degree from the University of Turin.[1] In December of 1798 after the abdication of Charles Emanuel IV, ruler of the Savoyard states, the Jacobins rose to power in Piedmont. Pavetti, who adhered to the Jacobins’ ideals[2], was appointed Public Prosecutor, a member of the Central Directorate of Finances, and Government Commissioner of the municipality of Ivrea. After the Austro-Russian offensive of 1799, the royalists in Ivrea regained control of the town, and Pavetti fled to France. There, he enlisted in the Armée de Réserve, which General Berthier was assembling in Dijon to join Napoleon. Napoleon’s intention was to cross the Great St. Bernard Pass to assist the "Army of Italy," under the command of General Massena, which was besieged in Genoa after being defeated by the royalist forces of General Melas. Pavetti joined forces with the rank of Battalion Chief on On April 28, 1800 and was highly regarded by the French generals for his abilities and knowledge of the terrain. He had also been praised for a victory that occurred the year before when, after beating the enemies at Pont S. Martin, he had managed to overcome the fort of Bard, a crucial point for the success of the enterprise planned by Napoleon. So when Napoleon decided to venture into Italy, by crossing the Aosta Valley, he consulted with Pavetti, took the same paths Pavetti had previously taken, and was able to continue the march to the plains. They defeated the Austrians and reached the gates of Ivrea, which they managed to conquer in a matter of hours. After taking Ivrea, Napoleon decided to march on Milan. To mask his movements, he instructed General Lannes to head towards Chivasso and attract the Austrian forces. On May 22, the vanguard of the Armée de Réserve deployed beyond the Ponte Vecchio to face the Austro-Piedmontese forces along the Chiusella river. Napoleon ordered the division guided by Watrin to attack the enemy. They were guarding the bridge over the Chiusella near Romano Canavese and had managed to repel attacks on the morning of May 26, 1800. The bridge at the time was an ancient medieval bridge, low over the water, long and narrow. According to Italian historian Carlo Botta[3], the repeated French assaults were met with heavy losses and when it seemed that there was no solution, Pavetti intervened. As someone intimately familiar with the area, he approached General Lannes, pointed out a ford upstream and offered to lead the action himself. The Austro-Piedmontese army was forced to retreat, thereby clearing the passage of the bridge for the remaining French forces. Because of this, the Austro-Piedmontese withdrew to the heights of Montalenghe. After their victory, the French established a new provisional government in Piedmont. On June 30, Giacomo Pavetti was appointed Regent of the War Secretariat thanks to his dedication to the French cause and his military merits. He was also promoted to the rank of brigade commander in the Piedmontese Gendarmerie, specifically the 27th Legion stationed in Ivrea. In 1803, he was appointed as a military judge at the Special Criminal Court in Turin. On June 14, 1804, he was decorated with the Legion of Honor. In 1809, Napoleon personally granted him the title of Knight of the Empire, promoting him to the rank of colonel. On December 2nd of that year, he was officially invited to Napoleon’s coronation at Notre Dame de Paris. On the 28 of January 1809 Pavetti was entered into the imperial nobility by decree as a commander, legislator and Judge. He was given a coat of arms that consists of a horse, the scales of justice in silver, and an open book in gold, emblazoned with the symbol of the Legion of Honor at its highest point.[4] In 1810 he was wounded and captured by the British during the siege of the city of Almeida in Spain, and returned to France on May 24, 1814, after Napoleon's fall. He swore allegiance to King Louis XVIII, justifying his action with his still-held rank of colonel but without employment, as he hadn't yet been naturalized. His naturalization was granted on November 20, along with the appointment as Knight of Saint Louis. A year later, he was appointed Colonel of the Royal Guards of Paris.[5] Napoleon escaped from exile on Elba in March 1820, and returned to France. During the Hundred Days, he disbanded the Royal Guard and dismissed Pavetti, who would be reinstated upon the return of Louis XVIII after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo and subsequent imprisonment. The scarce chronicles of the time do not substantiate with clarity the nature of Pavetti's unexpected passing. According to Antonio Bertolotti in his book Passeggiate nel Canavese[6] Pavetti presented himself at the palace on July 28, 1815, to confer with the king but encountered the Duke of Berry. The duke accused him of conspiring to restore Napoleon to the throne and warned him of suspicions at the court, implying serious consequences. It is said that Pavetti responded with great dignity to the Duke’s threats, not denying his past gratitude and loyalty to Napoleon. Apparently, he then went to his residence and, after writing two letters that were never found, committed suicide by cutting his throat with a razor. The next day, on July 29th, the French journal Le Journal de Paris reported the incident[7]. He was buried with honors at Père-Lachaise.
References
- ↑ Damilano, Roberto (1997). La vita di Giacomo Pavetti : indagine sui giacobini del Canavese. Ivrea: Ferraro.
- ↑ Sforza, Giovanni (1909). L’indennità ai giacobini piemontesi perseguitati e danneggiati 1800-1802. Torino: Fratelli Bocca.
- ↑ Botta, Carlo (1862). Storia d'Italia dal 1789 al 1814. Ivrea Italia: Prato. p. Tomo IV.
- ↑ French Government (April 1815). Bulletin des lois de la République franc̜aise. Paris France: La imprimerie Imperiale. p. Tome Troisième.
- ↑ Damilano, Roberto (1997). La vita di Giacomo Pavetti : indagine sui giacobini del Canavese. Ivrea: Ferraro.
- ↑ Bertolotti, Antonio (1871). Passeggiate nel Canavese - Ivrea 1867-1874. Ivrea Italia: F.L.Curbis.
- ↑ Dassano, Fabrizio (2021). Soldati di Napoleone. Ivrea Italia: Baima Ronchetti.
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