Hello Rougeaud, I’m not sure how open you are to answering questions like this, but given your clear fascination with Ney, I was curious if you might be able to more thoroughly explain the relationship between Ney and Masséna; how it began, whether they were ever truly friendly, and what ultimately led to their falling out in Portugal?
Thank you for your question. Although the number of materials I have read is somewhat limited due to the language barrier, my understanding of the relationship between Ney and Masséna is roughly as follows:
During the Revolutionary Wars, Ney served under Masséna’s command and carried out his military duties as a loyal subordinate. Later, when Ney was placed under Masséna’s command again during the Peninsular War, he should have been obedient to Masséna as a senior Marshal. However, following the establishment of the Empire, Ney appears to have become exceptionally sensitive about his rank and possessed an intense pride. Multiple biographies suggest that he had a temperament prone to jealousy and suspicion toward his colleagues.
On the other hand, most historians agree that by the time of the Peninsular War, Masséna was aging and his former legendary energy had begun to wane. Furthermore, some records indicate that Masséna was accompanied by a young mistress dressed in military uniform, and at times, he spent more time attending to her than to his military duties, drawing ridicule from his soldiers. Ney was reportedly highly critical of this behavior.
While several sources describe the feud between Ney and Masséna during the Peninsular War in detail, some views suggest that the insulting letter Ney supposedly sent to Masséna was fabrication by Laure Junot. Ultimately, after the retreat from Portugal, Masséna attempted to regroup and launch a new offensive, but Ney vehemently opposed this plan. As a result, Masséna stripped Ney of his command and sent him back to France.
Years later, when Masséna was requested to serve on the court-martial to judge Ney, he attempted to decline on the grounds that their past conflicts would prevent him from making an impartial judgment. However, his request was not granted.
Did I meet your expectations?
