ANDREOSSY, Antoine-François, comte. Constantinople et le Bosphore de Thrace, pendant les années 1812, 1813 et 1814, et pendant l'année 1826, par M. le Comte Andreossy..., Atlas, Paris, Théophile Barrois et Benjamin Duprat, MDCCCXXVIII [=1828].

Antoine François comte Andréossy (1761-1828) was a French military officer, diplomat and hydrographer. He trained in the military, and from 1787 onwards participated in military missions as artillery lieutenant. During the French revolution, Andreossy initially served as artillery officer under the Ancien Regime; soon however he joined the ranks of the revolutionaries, and participated in several operations, in which he repeatedly became distinguished. In 1797, Andreossy was named Brigadier general, and was chosen as member of Bonaparte's personal staff.

Andreossy took part in the Franch Campaign in Egypt (1798), in which he attained distinction for his admirable accomplishments both as military officer and as scientist. In spite of the adversities and perils of war, the measurements and investigations he realized at the land and seas of the Eastern Mediterranean allowed him to become elected member of the Institute of Egypt. Andreossy participated in all military operations from 1799, when he became General of Division and commander of the artillery, to 1802, when he was appointed ambassador of France in Britain.

In 1803 he returned from Britain and took up duty as inspector general of the artillery in the campaign against Austria. Andréossy fought in the battle of Austerlitz and was appointed minister plenipotentiary for the Presbourg convention negotiation. Subsequently, he was appointed ambassador in Vienna, where he served until 1808. At that same period, he acquired a collection of watercolour paintings by Albrecht Dürer. Recognizing his extraordinary aptitude in all the positions he had held, Napoleon I awarded Andréossy with several decorations.

In 1812, Count d'Andréossy, then serving as ambassador of France, was entrusted with a highly important confidential mission to the Sublime Gate. From the 16th century onwards, military and diplomatic missions sent by European rulers to Istanbul included scientists, who collected material and made investigations, the conclusions of which were subsequently published in specialized studies. Thus, in a critical period for French-Ottoman relations (late 18th - early 19th century), Andréossy's presence at the Ottoman capital served a double purpose, that is, both the establishment of diplomatic contacts and scientific investigation.
During his stay at Istanbul (1812-1814) Andréossy defended the interests of France and at the same time, as he had done in Egypt, collected and studied material from hydrographic and hydrostatic measurements. He participated in politics and military activity from high-ranking positions until 1815, when he retired and devoted his time to writing scientific works. He was recalled to politics and public life in 1818. He was elected to the Academy of Sciences in 1824 and to the Parliament in 1827. Andréossy published a total of fourteen scientific and military works, and his name was etched on the Triumphal Arch of Paris.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou