Achille Fontanelli (Modena 1775 - Milan 1838), Italian nationalist, Napoleonic general and Earl.
Fontanelli was born in Modena on the 8th November 1775 to a minor Italian aristocratic family, son of Marquis Alfonso and Paolina Cervi. His parents died while he was young. With the arrival in Italy of Bonaparte's French army in 1796 he enrolled in the city Guard of Modena, then the following year transferred to one of the Bologna Cohorts of the Lombardy Legion, which became part of Lannes brigade. In February he served against Colli's forces in Romagna, and was at the capture of Ancona. In mid June Bonaparte ordered an expedition against the Ionian islands. The Lombardy Legion had been split in two parts with the Transpadane Cohorts gathered under the name of the 3rd Legion. Taking temporary command of this unit Fontanelli led it in the capture of Corfu. In 1798 his command returned to central Italy and joined Lechi for a joint march against Rome, however the Pope resigned before the invasion so the Legion remained in garrison at Pesaro.
In 1799, the Lombardy Legion evolved into the 3rd Cisalpine demi-brigade. After the renewed outbreak of hostilities Fontanelli marched towards Ferrara and Verona under Montrichard, serving at the action at Finale and retreating to Bologna, then to Pesaro, where, together with Pino, he refused to participate in General Lahoz's decision to capitulate. Fontanelli instead marched the Legion to Ancona, which was under blockade from a joint Turkish-Russian fleet led by admirals Wejnowich and Pastokhin. The Fontanelli column was welcome in the Citadel, but Fontanelli was arrested on suspicion of insubordination. The Cisalpine officers were however totally discharged, and attached to the Ancona garrison.
Following the eventual surrender of Ancona at the end of 1799 Fontanelli was repatriated to France, where in 1800 he was reassigned to command a light infantry battalion of the Legione Italica. At the head of this he followed Bonaparte in the crossing of the Alps and the Marengo campaign.
In 1802 he served as an Aide-de-camp to Napoleon, and was made General de Brigade, Count of the Empire, and Commander of the Legion d’Honneur in 1804. On 1st August 1805 Fontanelli was appointed commander of the Corps of Gardes Velites in the Italian Royal Guard under Pino, holding this post until 1811. In 1805-1806 he commanded the Italian division in Italy.
Promoted General de Division in 1809, he took command of the 2nd, later 1st Italian Division in the Army of Italy under Eugene. Initially serving in the Tyrol campaign in April, his corps returned to Italy to fight at the Battle of Piave 8th May, Tarvis 17th, and at the Battle of Raab 14th June. After the Battle of Wagram he was honoured as Count of the Empire, Grand Officer of the Legion d'Honneur and Major general in 1810. Appointed Aide de Camp to the King and Commander of the 1st Military Division at Milan, he was appointed Minister of the War and Navy of the Kingdom of Italy from 1811 to 1814.
From 1813 he was charged of the reorganization of the Italian troops into 5 divisions. In Autumn 1813 he was given command of the 15th Division composed of four regiments and a divisional battery (Sant'Andrea and Moroni brigades) of Italians in IV Corps under Bertrand, replacing Peyri, and saw action at Gross Beeren 23rd August, Dennewitz 6th September, Wartenburg 3rd October and Leipzig 16-19 October. After Leipzig Fontanelli's division successfully held Lindenau, allowing the remains of Napoleon's La Grande Armée to reach France. After the Restoration he was given the rank of Austrian Feldmarschalleutnant, with which he retired to private life and died of bone cancer in autumn 1838 in Milan. The head of his funeral procession was led by the Austrian Field marshal Radetzky.