Historedia
EuropeEvent

Execution of Marshal Ney in Paris

When
1815
Where
Paris
Episodes
3

Marshal Michel Ney was executed by firing squad on 7 December 1815 in Paris, near the Jardin du Luxembourg. Following his defeat at Waterloo, he was arrested and charged with treason for defecting to Napoleon during the Hundred Days. A court-martial declared itself non-competent, leading to a trial by the Chamber of Peers. His defense argued Prussian jurisdiction, but the execution proceeded in Paris.

Episodes

  1. 3 August 1815 · ParisArrest and Charge

    Ney was arrested in August 1815 following Napoleon's defeat, facing charges of treason for his actions during the Hundred Days.

  2. 9–12 November 1815 · ParisCourt-Martial Competency

    The court-martial convened on 9 November 1815 and on 11–12 November voted to declare itself non-competent; the passages do not state the jurisdictional consequence.

  3. 7 December 1815 · ParisExecution at Luxembourg

    Ney was executed by firing squad on 7 December 1815 near the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris.

Background and detail

Background. Michel Ney, a Marshal of the Empire, pledged allegiance to the Bourbon monarchy after Napoleon's 1814 abdication. However, he rejoined Napoleon during the Hundred Days, a move the King viewed as treason. After the Battle of Waterloo, Ney was arrested in August 1815. The restored monarchy sought to punish his defection, initiating legal proceedings that would culminate in his execution in Paris.

Legal Proceedings. Marshal Moncey declined to preside over Ney's court-martial, leading to Marshal Jourdan's appointment. The court-martial convened in November 1815 but voted 5–2 to declare itself non-competent. Consequently, Ney was tried for treason by the Chamber of Peers. His lawyer, André Dupin, argued that Ney was Prussian due to the annexation of his hometown, Sarrelouis, attempting to save him from French jurisdiction.

Execution. On 7 December 1815, Ney was executed by firing squad in Paris. The execution took place near the Jardin du Luxembourg, located in the 6th arrondissement. This site, originally created by Marie de' Medici, served as the location for the final act of the legal proceedings against the Marshal.

People involved

Sources

  1. Michel Ney Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-16
  2. Jardin du Luxembourg Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-18

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.