École Militaire

The École Militaire is a large complex of buildings housing military training facilities in Paris.

History
The École Militaire was built on a warren in, once inhabited by partridges, rabbits and other small game. It was founded in 1750 by Louis XV, who sought build a military academy comparable with that founded by his great-grandfather, Louis XIV. The academy would house five hundred boys from poor, preferably war-torn families, and train them to be elite officers.

The undertaking was mainly overseen and sponsored by Louis XV's mistress, Madame de Pompadour. In regards to the academy, Louis wrote to her, "I have approved the project since you absolutely want it, my beloved". Construction began in 1752, and the first classes were held eight years later. Among the most famous "pupils of the king", or Elève du Roi, was Napoleon Bonaparte. At the young age of 15, he graduated as a second lieutenant after no longer than one year's study. As the troops stationed at the complex used the plain at Grenelle as an exercise ground, the plain would eventually evolve into the Champ de Mars, named for the Roman god of war.

During the French Revolution, Colonel L'Au was based at the École Militaire, where he used his official position with knowledge of valuable shipments to coordinate brutal robberies in the area around Les Invalides. The robberies targeted mail coaches, which would be sent out on his own orders. In response, the Assassin Council sent Arno Dorian to eliminate L'Au. After pickpocketing one of the stolen packages, he delivered it to the École Militaire as instructed, before assassinating L'Au.

Reference

 * Assassin's Creed: Unity