Chevalier de Folard
Jean Charles, Chevalier de Folard | |
|---|---|
Chevalier de Folard in old age; 18th century | |
| Born | 13 February 1669 |
| Died | 23 March 1752 (aged 83) |
| Allegiance | France |
| Service years | 1687–1719 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Conflicts | |
| Awards | Order of Saint Louis |
The Chevalier de Folard (13 February 1669 – 23 March 1752) was a professional soldier from Avignon which at the time was part of the Papal State. A military theorist, he championed the use of infantry columns, rather than the prevailing preference for linear formations. Although his ideas were generally dismissed by contemporaries and he died in obscurity, they remained influential in the long-running debate on tactics that followed.