Bertrand Pierre Castex

Bertrand Pierre Castex (French pronunciation: [bɛʁtʁɑ̃ pjɛʁ kastɛks]; 29 June 1771 – 19 April 1842) was a French cavalry general whose career spanned the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising from a volunteer trooper to general of division through sustained battlefield distinction.

The son of a Gascon innkeeper and originally intended for a legal career, Castex joined the revolutionary forces in 1792 and gained early experience in the Pyrenees and Italy before emerging as a talented light cavalry commander. His charge at Jena in 1806 earned Napoleon's personal praise and rapid promotion, followed by hard fighting at Eylau, Friedland, and in the 1809 campaign against Austria, where his exploits at Amstetten and Wagram led to his elevation to general.

Castex commanded a cavalry brigade on the northern flank during the invasion of Russia, fighting at Klyastitsy, Polotsk, and the Berezina, and despite repeated wounds continued to serve in the German and Belgian campaigns of 1813–1814, finishing his career in the Empire as a senior officer in the Imperial Guard. Under the Bourbon Restoration he was retained in high command, accumulated major honours, served briefly as a deputy, and remained a respected military figure until his death in 1842, with his name commemorated on the Arc de Triomphe.