Of Napoleon's many talented Marshals, which would you consider to be the best?  Why?

If you need some info about the marshals to help you along in your decision, check out this site:  http://www.napoleonguide.com/marshind.htm

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My choices:

Louis-Gabriel Suchet- IMO, the second best strategical and tactical mind of all the marshals.  Also a very talented in the adminsitrative duties in the military.  Really the only marshal to come out of the Pennisluar Campaign with any triumph to his name.

Louis Davout-  Well, if you were wondering who Suchet fell behind, wonder no more, becuase here is the man.  Like Suchet, Davout was a very good in the military adminsitartive duties, and was certainly one of the most dependable marshals(if not the most dependable marshal).

 

I pick your namesake Mr. Lannes, though I must admit that Bessieres gets points for sexy eyebrows

Originally posted by Temujin I pick Murat, for being a descent cavalry commander, dressing like a clown and Berthier for his valuable staff work which made the large scale operations of the Grande Armee possible...

Something I find rather amusing:  The more ostentatious Murat's dress got, the worse a commander he became.

1. Davout
2. Massena
3. Suchet
4. Lannes
5. Saint Cyr

Gouvion Saint-Cyr was probaby the best  defensive commander of this age (he would challange with Wellington)..  at  18.08.1812 he obtained a victory over the Russians at Polotsk and  in 1813 he was one of verty few marshals who confirmed their ranks on the battlefield (Dresden, Lepizig)...in comparison with Soult I would say he was better..just because lack of Soult's tactical skill... 

Originally posted by Temujin LoL indeed...there must be a connection... interesting...no one yet choose Ney, I think he wasn't the best but a lot of authors do him injustice...

Users that have selected Marshals seem to have slected their choices due to the Marshal's tactical or strategical ability rather than their leadership skills or by how brave the Marshal was...

Originally posted by fastspawn nay it is ney. I think he had that certain jene sais quoi that made him relate well with his troops, even though he didn't have  the smartest of tactical minds. Was it him that became the "prince of moscow"?

 

Yes it was.  His titles:  Prince de la Moskowa, and the Duc d'Elchingen.

The single best of course, its Louis Davout, he ranks among the few generals in the world who have successfully pulled off the double envelopment on a larger enemy (Auerstadt) and also ranks among the few who never lost a battle in his life (a shame he wasnt at waterloo to face the duke, i believe Davout was never really given any independent command either, a shame)

I won't be very original: To me Davout was the best, the best in Austerlitz, the best in Jena...

and he was not in Waterloo, what was a big Nap's failure.

Although Davout was a merciless, kill-the-wounded-enemies general, Murat is associated to me with repression of Madrid's people when they quelled against Frenchs in 1808.

Originally posted by baks TJK - and what with Jozef Poniatowski?

I see him on the 7th position - after first a.m. 5 and Soult...