II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée)

II Cavalry Corps
Active1806–1807
1812–1814
Country First French Empire
Branch French Imperial Army
TypeShock cavalry
SizeCorps
EngagementsWar of the Fourth Coalition
Russian campaign
War of the Sixth Coalition
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Jean-Baptiste Bessières
Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans
Louis-Pierre Montbrun
Antoine Decrest de Saint-Germain
Horace François Sébastiani

The II Cavalry Corps of the Grande Armée was a French military unit that existed during the Napoleonic Wars. It was first formed in December 1806, but only enjoyed a brief existence under Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bessières. The II Cavalry Corps was reconstituted for the invasion of Russia in 1812 and commanded by General Louis-Pierre Montbrun who was killed in battle, as was his successor a few hours later. During the War of the Sixth Coalition, General Horace François Bastien Sébastiani de La Porta led the II Cavalry Corps in 1813, while General Antoine-Louis Decrest de Saint-Germain led the corps in 1814. During the Hundred Days, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte raised the corps again and entrusted it to General Rémi Joseph Isidore Exelmans.