Early life and education Educated at
Jesuit schools, he intended to enter the priesthood, but at the last minute obtained from
Louis XV an appointment as sub-lieutenant. He left France, according to the gossip of the time, because of a duel; served under the
Elector Palatine; fought for
Hungary against the
Turks, and on the outbreak of the
war of the Austrian Succession (1740) joined the army of the
elector of Bavaria (who later became emperor under the name of
Charles VII), displaying such bravery that he was promoted to the grade of lieutenant field-marshal.
Netherlands He left
Bavaria on the death of Charles VII, and after brief service under
Frederick the Great joined
Marshal Saxe in the
Netherlands. He distinguished himself especially at
Lauffeld,
Rocoux and
Maastricht. On the outbreak of the
Seven Years' War (1756) he was appointed lieutenant-general, and although he showed greater ability than any of his fellow-commanders and was admired by his soldiers, he fell a victim to court intrigues, professional jealousy and hostile criticism.
Denmark He resigned his commission in 1760 and accepted an appointment as
field marshal from
Frederick V of Denmark-Norway, being charged in 1762 with the reorganization of the
Danish army. In 1767, he and his circle, wished to make
Birgitte Sofie Gabel the official mistress of
Christian VII of Denmark-Norway in order to divert him from politics and take over the
de facto power over the government themselves. The plan failed because Gabel did not wish to become the king's mistress, as she found him repulsive and was in love with
Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel, and devoted his time to religion and farming. A financial crisis swept away the funds that he had saved from his Danish service and rendered him dependent on the bounty of the French ministry of war. Saint-Germain was presented at court by the reformers
Turgot and
Malesherbes, and was appointed minister of war by
Louis XVI on 25 October 1775. He sought to lessen the number of officers and to establish order and regularity in the service. His efforts to introduce
Prussian discipline in the French army brought on such opposition that he resigned in September 1777. He accepted quarters from the king and a pension of 40,000
livres, and died in his apartment at the
Arsenal of Paris on 15 January 1778. ==References==