BESENVAL DE BRONSTATT, PIERRE VICTOR, BARON DE (1722-1791), French soldier, was born at Soleure. He became commander of the Swiss Guards in succession to his father. When the Revolution began Besenval was given command of the troops which the king had concentrated on Paris in July I789—a movement which led to the taking of the Bastille on July 14. Besenval was inactive in the crisis, was arrested, tried by the tribunal of the Chatelet, but acquitted. He died in Paris on June 3, 1791. The authenticity of the rather scandalous Memoires (ed. T. A. de Segur, 4 vols. 1805-07) attributed to him is disputed.