Louis Augustin d’Affry

Portrait of d'Affry wearing the ceremonial robes of the Order of the Holy Spirit, after Alexander Roslin. He belonged to the influential circle of Swiss people at the French royal court around Pierre Victor, Baron de Besenval, who met regularly at the baron's residence, the Hôtel de Besenval. Louis-Auguste-Augustin d'Affry (Versailles, 28 February 1713 – Saint-Barthélemy, 10 June 1793) was a Swiss military officer and diplomat under the French kings Louis XV and Louis XVI.

Biography Louis-Auguste-Augustin d'Affry was born in Versailles, France to Major François d'Affry (1667-1734) and Marie-Madeleine de Diesbach Steinbrugg, both from Fribourg, Switzerland. His paternal ancestors had served as mercenaries in French service nearly uninterruptedly since 1538. d'Affry joined the Swiss Guards as a cadet in 1725, and in 1734 fought at the Battle of Guastalla where his father was killed.

He was promoted to brigadier in 1744, to maréchal de camp in 1748, and to lieutenant-general in 1758. From 1771 until 1792, d'Affry was in charge of all Swiss troops in French service. although he signed the order summoning the regiment from its barracks the previous night. Command of the regiment was delegated to Major Karl Josef von Bachmann, who was subsequently to be guillotined. Although escaping responsibility for direct involvement in the abortive attempt to preserve the monarchy, d'Affry was imprisoned from 10 August until 2 September. A freemason, d'Affry was a member of the Parisian lodge Société Olympique after 1786. He was also an honorary member of the royal academies of painting, sculpture and architecture.

Honors

Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Louis (1779). Knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit (1784). Louis-Auguste-Augustin d'Affry is the only Swiss in history to have received this title.