[BOURBAKI

Bourbaki had a brilliant career in the Crimea and the war in northern Italy. In the Franco-Prussian war, after the Emperor's capture at Sedan, he was duped into hastening to England to see the Empress, by a false message that she had peace terms to offer. In the later stages of the war, which restored the respect of Europe for the French army, he was ultimately unsuccessful. He was forced to retreat into Switzerland for a while, but, recovering from attempted suicide, rejoined the struggle. After the war he became military governor of the key city of Lyon.