Louis-Nicolas d'Avout (10 May 1770 – 1 June 1823), better known as
Davout,
1st Duke of Auerstaedt,
1st Prince of Eckmühl, was a French general who was
Marshal of the Empire during the
Napoleonic era. His talent for war along with his reputation as a stern disciplinarian, earned him the title "The Iron Marshal". He is ranked along with
Masséna and
Lannes as one of Napoleon's finest commanders. His loyalty and obedience to Napoleon were absolute. During his lifetime, Davout's name was commonly spelled
Davoust, which is how it appears on the
Arc de Triomphe and in much of the correspondence between Napoleon and his generals (see external links below for examples).