In which year did the French President, who decorated René Cheruy with the Cross of the French Legion of Honor, resign ?
Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (] ; 22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French general and statesman. He was the leader of Free France (1940–44) and the head of the Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–46). In 1958, he founded the Fifth Republic and was elected as the President of France, a position he held until his resignation in 1969. He was the dominant figure of France during the Cold War era and his memory continues to influence French politics.
Resignation of Pope Benedict XVI The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI occurred on 28 February 2013 at 20:00 (8:00 PM) CET (19:00 UTC). The resignation was first announced on the morning of 11 February 2013 by the Vatican. Benedict XVI's decision to step down as leader of the Catholic Church made him the first pope to relinquish the office since Gregory XII in 1415 (who did so in order to end the Western Schism), and the first to do so on his own initiative since Celestine V in 1294. The move was unexpected, given that popes in the modern era have held the position from election until death. The Pope stated that the reason for his decision was his declining health due to old age. The conclave to select his successor began on 12 March 2013 and elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who took the name of Francis.