Rouget de Lisle, Claude Joseph

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Rouget de Lisle, Claude Joseph (b Lons-le-Saunier, 1760; d Choisy-le-roi, 1836). Fr. army engineer, poet, and composer. While stationed in Strasbourg, wrote on 25 April 1792 words and music of Chant de guerre pour l'armée du Rhin. This was perf. so often by Marseilles Volunteer Battalion it eventually became known as La Marseillaise. Sanctioned as national song in 1795, fell out of favour, restored to respectability 1830, adopted as Fr. nat. anthem 1879.