Bazaine, Achille François definition of Bazaine, Achille François in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

Bazaine, Achille François (äshēl` fräNswä` bäzăn`), 1811–88, French army officer. He served in Algeria, Crimea, Lombardy, and Mexico, and in the Franco-Prussian War Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, 1870–71, conflict between France and Prussia that signaled the rise of German military power and imperialism.
..... Click the link for more information. he was given (Aug., 1870) the supreme command by Emperor Napoleon III. Unequal to the task, Bazaine allowed his army, which was entrenched at Metz, to be surrounded by the Prussians. The attempt of Marshal MacMahon MacMahon, Marie Edmé Patrice de (märē` ĕdmā` pätrēs` də mäkmäōN`)
..... Click the link for more information. to rescue him led to the disaster of Sedan. Bazaine then entered questionable diplomatic intrigues with the Germans, which led to his capitulation at Metz (Oct. 27). Convicted of treason in 1873, he was sentenced to 20 years of seclusion but escaped. He spent the rest of his life in Italy and Spain.

Bibliography

See P. Guedalla, The Two Marshals: Bazaine, Pétain (1943).