Origins & Early Life

Bernard René Jourdan, marquis de Launay (8/9 April 1740 – 14 July 1789) was a French Royal Army officer who served as the governor of the Bastille. He was the son of a previous governor, and commander of the Bastille's garrison when it was stormed on 14 July 1789. De Launay was removed from the Bastille and murdered by an angry mob in the streets of Paris. Following his death, de Launay's head was affixed on a pike and paraded through the city.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The marquis Bernard-René Jordan de Launay was born on the night of 8/9 April 1740 in the Bastille where his father, René Jourdan de Launay, was governor. At the age of eight, he was appointed to an honorary position in the King's Musketeers (mousquetaires du roi). He subsequently joined the French Guards Regiment, which was permanently stationed in Paris except in time of war. In 1776 de Launay succeeded M. de Jumilhac as governor of the Bastille.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

As was the custom with many senior positions under the ancien régime, the marquis purchased the office of governor from his predecessor as a form of investment. The 13 years he spent in this position were mostly uneventful, but on 19 December 1778, he reportedly made the mistake of...

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