Pierre Firmin Marie of Barrau (1761 - 1829) is bodyguard of the king Louis XVI.

At the 18th century

It is 4 years old when its mother is locked up with the convent by lettre de cachet. With the 17 years age, it is used initially like junior for the regiment by Vexin. Then, it enters the military household of the king, where serve already as the members of his family, as a bodyguard of the king Louis XVI. Initially company of Noailles in 1783 then Scottish company in 1788.

It is described like skilful with horse and the weapons. He likes the dance and he plays of the violin. During its periods of service to Versailles, it takes part in festivals and will say later that it danced with squares of the queen Marie-Antoinette.

The revolutionary period

It crosses with its family disturbed times of the French revolution. During the first years of the Revolution, its family which lives in Rouergue, undergoes many humiliations (denunciations, inspections, judgments). One even tries to assassinate it, marked to be old a bodyguard of the king, to be with the head of movements counter-revolutionaries to the local plan ( Affaires of Trémouilles (1792) and of Arvieu (1793) ) and to protect the refractory priests. Then, on November 1st 1793, the castle of its family is set fire to and her goods plundered and confiscated by a detachment of the revolutionary army in which is an even future France and Admiral, the young person Jean-Baptiste Grivel. The family of Barrau is stopped. Pierre Firmin Marie de Barrau, in escape, is tracked, because denounced as head of party as old a bodyguard. He leads a life of vagrant to the barks. He hides among inhabitants of the village of Salmiech (in various hiding places: in a hut at the bottom of a garden (called since the hut of Barrau ), under a staircase which goes down in a cellar…), it takes refuge in wood. It hides even in the ruins of the antique castle of Belcastel and its surroundings. It hardly leaves but during the nights. During one of these last, it goes in its village of Carcenac, but it is seen and denounced by one living and then owes its safety only while jumping of a window in order to escape its prosecutors. This day time is very rigorous and there is at least a foot of snow, nevertheless, Pierre Firmin Marie de Barrau goes the same night, through fields and wood, in its sister, Victoire de Balsac, in Mazet. One day, one of his/her companions in misfortune, the knight of Seriyes, is captured and torture victim in Rodez with the Durand father, of Crayssac.

In 1794, Pierre Firmin Marie de Barrau recovers however to the revolutionary authorities from Rodez to make widen his/her father. Order is then given by Fouquier-Tinville to translate in front of the revolutionary Tribunal, Barrau father and Barrau wire, but at the time when the gendarmes come to seek it to transfer it to the criminal prison, it succeeds in escaping from the house where it is retained while passing by the roofs. In 1795, it begins the rebuilding of its castle of Carcenac. It receives one day the visit of chouans.

At the 19th century

In 1803, Pierre Firmin Marie de Barrau enriches considerably the church by Carcenac, in Aveyron, where several members of its family are buried. He is mayor of the commune of Saint-Saver. He has important goods in Aveyron and saw his revenues.

In spite of the tests of the French revolution, at the beginning of the 19th century it is one of most important notable department of Aveyron.