Lieutenant general in French army. Ministre de la marine. Maréchal de France (1783). Hero of the Seven Years’ War.

After a brilliant career in the French army, named lieutenant general (1766).

As ministre de la marine (1780-87), he instituted several changes and improvements in naval policies and wrote the twelve ordinances and eleven rules which made up the complete naval code (1786).

Resigned from his post in 1787 after the death of the comte de Vergennes.

Married in 1743 to Gabrielle-Isabeau- Thérèse de Rosset de Fleury. Their son, Armand-Charles-Augustin de La Croix, comte de Charlus and duc de Castries (1756-1842), wrote an account of the American campaign.