| Grand Marshal of the Empire Michel Ney Prince of Iberia, Duke of Elchingen, Prince of the Moskva, Duke of Vitoria | |
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| Portrait by François Gérard c. 1816 | |
| Minister of War | |
| In office 17 July 1827 - 16 August 1840 | |
| Monarch | Napoleon II |
| Preceded by | none |
| Succeeded by | Jean-de-Dieu Soult |
| Premier of Metropolitan France | |
| In office 6 May 1819 – 17 July 1827 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord |
| Succeeded by | Gilbert du Motier |
| Grand Marshal of the French Empire (Commander-in-Chief) | |
| In office 7 August 1827 – 16 August 1840 | |
| Preceded by | none; post created |
| Succeeded by | Horace François Bastien Sébastiani |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 January 1757 Sarrelouis, Three Bishoprics, France (now Saarlouis, Saarland, Germany) |
| Died | 16 August 1840 (aged 83) Orleans, France |
| Resting place | Tomb de Les Invalides, Paris, France |
| Spouse(s) | Aglaé Louise Auguié |
| Children | Joseph Napoléon Michel Louis Félix Eugène Michel Edgar Napoléon Henry |
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| Military service | |
| Nickname(s) | Le Rougeaud, le Brave des Braves, Napoleon's Equal |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of France Kingdom of the French French First Republic First French Empire
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| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1787-1840 |
| Rank | Marshal-General of the Empire |
| Commands | Army of the Centre VI Corps III Corps French Armed Forces |
| Battles/wars | War of the First Coalition
First Great European War
Rhineland Conflict
Peninsular War
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Michel Ney (10 January 1757 - 16 August 1840) was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars, First Great European War, Rhineland Conflict, and Prussian Aggression War. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I. He was known as Le Rougeaud ("red faced" or "ruddy") by his men and nicknamed le Brave des Braves ("the bravest of the brave") by Napoleon I. He was also an important advisor to Napoleon II after the death of his father and his ascension to the throne.
A brave and equally talented general, Ney was one of the original 18 Marshals made by Napoleon in 1804. His brilliant leadership, strategies, and God-like courage led Napoleon to name him "The Bravest of the Brave". Napoleon often relied upon Ney's help during a number of battles, and sometimes gave him command of more than 6 full corps, as he put his support on Ney. The most corps Ney was in command of was 30, or 5 full armies. Ney's actions were well noted in the French Empire, and he soon began to gain a highly favorable reputation with the public. Even his enemies respected and feared him and his immense bravery, many calling him Napoleon's equal. Despite Ney's age during the Napoleonic Wars, he would win battle after battle after battle, using both his tactical genius and skillful outmaneuvering.
Ney achieved critical acclaim in his campaigns in the War of the Fourth Coalition, in which he assisted Napoleon on defeating the Prussians, the Peninsular War, in which his greatly outnumbered force managed to hold back and even defeat the forces of the Duke of Wellington, and other battles against Britain, eventually inflicting a decisive victory against the British at Vitoria, with a massive cavalry charge of 14,000 men led by Ney himself, putting an end to the British war effort in Spain once and for all; as another decisive blow: French forces captured the Duke of Wellington himself, eventually returning him to Britain after peace terms were discussed. He also objected to the proposed Invasion of Russia, explaining how it could lead to a decimation of the French military, if not by the Russian military, then by the feared Russian winter. Napoleon agreed to cancel the invasion, since Ney was Napoleon's most trusted Marshal. Following his victories in Spain, Ney was made Marshal-General of the Empire, which, although based on the previous version from the overthrown Kingdom of France, held higher authority and was able to command more than 4 full armies, essentially making Ney second-in-command of all French forces. Another title which accompanied the promotion was the honorary victory title of "Prince of Iberia".
Following the First American War of 1812, a time of relative peace followed, and with it, the Second Imperial Plan. In 1819, Ney was made Mayor of Metropolitan France. He would prove himself as effective of a civilian administrator as he was a military one. His skillful handling and expansion of the metropolitans earned him more prestige and respect. Cracking down on crime and smuggling, Ney did his best to make Paris as safe of a city as possible. Business boomed, and Paris' metropolis expanded even further. With the expansion of the metropolis, Paris began to explode in expansion, doubling in size over the course of 20 years. In 1827, Ney was appointed Grand Marshal of the French Empire, or second-in-command of the French military. He held the post for 23 years, from 1827 to his death in 1840 at the age of 83. After Napoleon's death in 1830, Ney served as an important advisor to the young Napoleon II upon returning from retirement to lead the French Army once more in 1827, attaining the position of Minister of War, effectively making him commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy.
Ney's tenure as Minister of War brought the French Military back on its feet, able-bodied and ready for anything its enemies would throw at them. New projects were prioritized, including new cannons, improved ships, ironclads, improved artillery, more advanced, improved, and accurate muskets, faster efficiency, and much more. Ney continued to advise the young Emperor on matters of the State, the military, and the economy until his death in 1840 of natural causes in Orleans, France. His funeral was attended by several high ranking nobles, the Emperor and his family, and many of his old friends and even rivals, such as the Duke of Wellington, who remarked that "The only two people I consider my real opponents are Napoleon and his red-faced Ney." After his death, was buried in the same chamber as Napoleon in the Hotel Les Invalides. Ney's name is one of the most prominent in the Arc de Triomphe, appearing alongside many of his fellow marshals and generals.
Ney is considered one of, if not, the greatest Marshal of the French Empire. Establishing lasting friendships with many fellow marshals and educating them in the arts of warfare, many know him as the reason why Napoleon's empire was so successful. He is often placed #1 in several rankings of Napoleon's marshals, and many of his battle tactics and strategies are used to the present day. His memoirs include his struggles as a youth, to joining the army, becoming a Marshal, and his effective leadership of the French military.