Four Sergeants of La Rochelle

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The Four Sergeants of La Rochelle (Boris, Goubin, Pommier and Raoulx) were guillotined in Paris in 1822. Their great courage initiated a liberal campaign and they became legendary.

They became particularly popular figures amongst the carbonari in Italy. The flag used by the Four Sergeants was once owned by Prince Jérôme Bonaparte. It is a French Tricolor bearing the slogans Constitution and Napoleon II on one side and Honour and Fatherland on the other.

The flag was used by the carbonari ventes between 1821 and 1822. It was seen during the plot of the 29th line regiment in Belfort, then in Paris, and finally in La Rochelle where it was preserved. It passed through the hands of the Lieutenant-Colonel Caron, then to M. Dubourjal, then to Marquis d'Audan who finally offered it to Prince Napoleon in 1888.